The Media Academy for Journalism and Communication (MAJaC) in collaboration with Freedom House on Tuesday (today) launched a six-week intensive ethical journalism training for 20 early and mid-career Journalists in the Gambia.

The training is meant to equip participants with the needed knowledge and skills to uphold ethical journalism in the country. The six-week training would cover the following themes: Ethics of Truth and Search for Identity, Ethical Thinking and Research, Business/Purpose of Journalism, and Sourcing among others.

In his remarks at the launch, James Badjie, Director of Training at MAJaC said his institution collaborates with reputable organizations such as the Freedom House, Gambia Media Support, and UNESCO to build the capacity of journalists and civil society organizations.

"As journalists, you hold immense power and responsibility. Your reporting can shape public opinion, influence policy decisions, and ultimately, help maintain trust in our institutions. However, with this power, comes the duty to adhere to ethical principles and professional standards," he said.

Demba Kandeh, Deputy Chief of Party at Freedom House, said his institution, through the Promoting Rights and Justice in the Gambia, is committed to providing journalists with the necessary skills to uphold the standards of journalism in the country.

“We are delighted to partner with MAJaC for the third time to deliver this important training and hope that this training will offer an opportunity for the new intake to learn from the former cohorts to help them improve in the delivery of the training,” he said in his launch statement.

Musa Sarjo, representing the Gambia Press Union, commended Freedom House for its continuous partnership and support to MAJaC and the GPU. He urged the participants to adhere to the ethical principles and guidelines stated in the Cherno Jallow Charter of Ethics for Journalists.

MAJaC, with the support of Freedom House and USAID, trained two batches of journalists on ethical journalism. This is the third cohort of journalists who are expected to undergo such training.

At the launch, members of the previous cohorts trained in ethical journalism were invited to share their experiences with the new cohort.