Courtesy

The media regulatory body on Thursday concluded a two-day stakeholders forum on addressing misinformation, disinformation and hate speech as it launched renewal of accreditation for Journalists across the country.

The Media Authority first launched the accreditation of all journalists operating in the country on 12 October 2022.

It to-date accredited 116 professional journalists including 30 female practitioners since 2022.

Elija Alier who is the Managing Director revealed this during its Stakeholders ‘ discussion on Misinformation and Disinformation which concluded on Thursday.

.According to him, the media regulatory body is still reviewing 67 accreditation applications.

“Media Authority has accredited 116 professional journalists, comprising 30 females and 86 males, under the Regulation on Accreditation of Journalists 2018,” he confirmed.

The two-day event in partnership with Journalists for Human Rights and funded by Global Affairs Canada brought together journalists, media managers and officials from various government institutions as well as ICT experts.

Held under the theme: “Unlocking Professional Journalism and Ethical Standards” it aimed at looking at how to effectively tackle the challenges of misinformation, disinformation and hate speech.

“Ethical media reporting is more than a professional obligation. The role of the journalist as a fact-checker is more critical than ever before you must verify the information and expose the hot spot deformation that can ruin lives and reputations,” he emphasized.

MD Alier underscored the importance of having journalists accredited saying it offers several benefits to journalists ranging from access to exclusive interviews to getting first-hand information and safeguarding the credibility and trustworthiness of the media landscape

“The accreditation offers several benefits to journalists including access to exclusive event interviews and getting information, safeguarding the credibility and trustworthiness of our media landscape.

He says the accreditation exercise is ongoing and encouraged those unaccredited to register.

“Since accreditation is an ongoing process, the Authority will continue to accept applications from individual journalists who wish to be accredited.
According to Media Authority Regulations on Accreditation of Journalists, 2018, journalists who shall qualify to be accredited include; all qualified national journalists, editors-in-chief, managing and Copy Editors, freelance journalists, student journalists and trainees, foreign journalists, and cartoonists.

Alier said South Sudan has 230 registered media houses, but only 100 are functional across the country.