When Victoria Ichie heard about Vision Africa’s Media Institute, the Nigerian university student decided immediately that she was going to attend.
“I am just starting in the area of production and am trying to do my best,” she said. “When I saw the topics and the caliber of the teachers – and that the institute was free – I knew I was definitely going to attend. With the knowledge we gained about production, storytelling, photography and other topics – boom, we’re doing magic.”
Victoria was among an estimated 400 Nigerian students and media professionals who attended the 11th annual Media Institute on the campus of Vision Africa Radio in Umuahia, Abia State, on July 2-3. In addition, several hundred others watched the training online from across Africa.
“The goal of the Media Institute is to strengthen the capacity of media practitioners in this part of the world, because we are convinced that we will have a better society when those who write and those who speak have ethical and moral standards,” VA Founder and President Bishop Dr. Sunday Onuoha said.
This year’s Media Institute offered twice as much training content as previous years. Participants could choose to attend the Management and Programming Track or the Production and Storytelling Track. Sessions ranged from radio production and hosting to news, social media, branding, and even artificial intelligence and ethical considerations for media professionals, as well as basic media skills, like interviewing, videography and audio production. In addition, Chief Raymond Nkemdirim, former director of Operations for the State Security Service of Nigeria, gave a plenary presentation about the implications of artificial intelligence.
“Each year, the Media Institute gets more sophisticated and meets more needs,” said Dr. Chuck Pollak, founder and president of Sharing International. “Media trainers from Africa recognize that Vision Africa is a leader in Christian broadcasting. That’s no small thing. Vision Africa is a powerful force. This is just a beginning.”
“This training was highly impactful,” said university student Leonard Dimgba. “It helped me understand what media is about, how to connect with people and how to communicate with them effectively. My communication approach will change for the better because of the things I’ve learned here.”
