Afrobarometer Trains Journalists On Use Of Data To Enrich Reportage

By Ebi kesiena

Afrobarometer, a pan-African research network dedicated to making citizen voice a key pillar of Africa policy making, has called on media practitioners to adopt the use of data in discharging their duties.

According to Afrobarometer, data gives more credibility to media report and equally combat fake news.

While hosting a two days training for Twenty (20) select journalists from West Africa in Accra recently, Afrobarometer team exposed the journalist to onset of tools, techniques and approaches to writing their news reportage using Afrobarometer data as a ‘source’.

Chief Executive Officer, Afrobarometer, Mr Joseph Asunka, noted that Afrobarometer provided an invaluable resource for accessing data on key issues affecting African countries.

“By capacitating people to use Afrobarometer data, we can better equip various policy actors with the knowledge and tools necessary to report accurately and advocate effectively on the critical issues that affect us all,” he stated.

Also, Dr Thomas Isbell, Capacity Building Manager, Afrobarometer, stressed that the objective of the workshop was to facilitate the use of Afrobarometer data in media reportage adding that data-driven journalism is the future.

Furthermore, Isbell explained that the workshop introduced participants to the research and survey methodology of Afrobarometer, and the themes and topics that Afrobarometer survey rounds has treated.

‘‘Participants were introduced to the online data analysis tools to enable them analyse the Afrobarometer data, which was freely available online.

‘‘Afrobarometer data reflects a nationally representative data, which makes the voices of the people of participating countries heard because that is the only opportunity that these voices have to be recognised by policy makers and hopefully then, makes governments more accountable and intone with the demands of the people”. He said.

In the same vein, participant applauded Afrobarometer for organizing the workshop.

At the end of the training participants gained a thorough understanding of the range of data made available through Afrobarometer surveys, as well as how to use Afrobarometer’s free online data analysis tool.