"Broad Market" journalism training is dead;

welcome journalism training for specific media clients

Africa Media Leadership Conference 2010September 26-29: Dar es Salaam

Guy Berger, Rhodes University, South Africa

New Evening Classes For Men

ALL ARE WELCOME. OPEN TO MEN ONLY.• Note: Due to the complexity and level of

difficulty, the course will accept a maximum of EIGHT participants.

• The course covers FOUR days.• A variety of training methods will be used.• Certificate of attendance is provided.• Who should attend? Any/every male

Get your pens ready

DAY ONE

• How To Fill Ice Cube Trays – Step by step guide with slide presentation

• Toilet Paper Rolls- Do They Grow On The Holders?– Roundtable discussion

• Differences Between Laundry Basket and Floor – Practicing with hamper (Pictures and graphics)

• Dishes And Silverware; Do They Fly to Kitchen Sink or Dishwasher By Themselves? – Debate among a panel of experts.

DAY TWO

• How To Find Things, starting with looking in the right place instead of turning the house upside down while screaming – Open forum

• Empty Milk Cartons; Do They Belong in The Fridge Or The Garbage Can? – Group discussion and role play

• Bringing Her Flowers Isn’t Harmful To Your Health – PowerPoint presentation

DAY THREE

• Real Men Ask For Directions When Lost – Real life testimonial from the one man who did

it• Genetically Impossible To Sit Quietly As She

Parallel Parks? – Driving simulation

• Living With Adults: Basic Differences Between Your Mum & Your Partner – Online class and role playing

DAY FOUR

• How To Be The Ideal Shopping Companion – Relaxation exercises, meditation and breathing

techniques • Remembering Important Dates And Calling When

You're Going To Be Late– Bring your calendar or PDA to class

• Getting Over It; Learning How To Live With Being Wrong All The Time– Individual counselors available

If the hat fits…

What’s wrong with training?

• Journ school graduates not “good enough”• Fatigue for mid-career courses• No time to sharpen the axe• No magic keys… let alone measurable ones• Breadth misses company specificity• Mismatch of course-hopes to context realities• But: Matching courses to context treads water,

rather than unleashes imagination and change.

Follow the rainbow

• WJEC 2010: 290290

• Africans @ WJEC: 170170

• FAME FAME && UNESCO UNESCO

Strategic approach – think Pareto

• 80% results from 20% of people, & vice versa• Strengths management – and investment• But don’t throw away the 80%! It may not fly,

but you don’t want it to crawl!• Remember: capacity is only half the picture:

– 25% is attitude– 25% is talent

• Context influences attitude; selection impacts talent

Parachute training has a bad press

• But… here are some points in its favour:• It’s from outside – and likely to be different;• It can stimulate new thinking as regards

relevance and adaptation;• Unlike training, it can trigger education – with

open-ended outcomes• So don’t get too dogmatic re: outside options

Getting to the point

Can nîche-ing help?

• Like hyperlocal journalism helps?• Targetting and customising is good, • On-site has advantages too• But cost-effectiveness is critical• And even specific training needs to be

adapted for the next day….• And, remember, don’t blinker horizons….

Alternatives

• Learning how to learn from broad and distant materials: countless opportunities today

• Learning how to apply – reflectively!• Incentivising learning – especially self-learning• Priority: create a learning organisation• Within this: debate the priorities…• Developing a formal policy and strategy

Take a seat and tell us your best learning experience

www.learningnewsroom.org

Lessons are that training should be: • Linked to strategic goals• Measured• Driven by staff input• Expanded beyond traditional topics• Tied to employee performance management,

including annual evaluations.• Lifelong ladder of continuous learning

Conclusion: take-aways

• Don’t be reactive, be proactive & strategic• Start with your agenda/needs, don’t end there.• Harness all opportunities to fit your specifics• Convert broad opportunities into local

currency…• Use internal energies to adapt and expand a

learning culture with ongoing results…• Monitor, evaluate, and review your policy

MOST IMPORTANT: How are you training yourself?

Thank you