The Guardian, home of professional excellence, says CNN finalist

Dickson Ng'hily

IPP Media has been cited as a centre of excellence in journalism in that it is for the third time journalists from the media firm make it to the prestigious CNN Multichoice
Africa Journalist Awards finalists’ list.

Speaking to this reporter in an exclusive interview, Dickson Ng’hily, who is among the 28 finalists nominated for the 2014 CNN Multichoice African Journalist Awards, said IPP Media is not just a mere media house, but a centre for excellence.

Ng’hily, who is chief reporter at The Guardian’s Investigative Desk said: “You might have managed to do a ton of reporting and probably unearth a great story… but if you write a boring article that won’t attract anyone to read all your work could go as waste. At The Guardian, you are oriented with skills of creative thinking that help you to capture your readers’ attention and make them keep coming for more,” he said.

He said creative thinking is all about focusing because it is one of the features of effective writing which answers the question ‘So what’,  a thing that is beyond the 5Ws and 1H as taught in school.

“This helps the reporter to focus in more than just knowing what their story is about, but understanding why they write it in the first place. Without a clear focus, your story degenerates into a list of loosely related events or facts with no central idea to hold them together, leaving your reader asking, ‘so what?’” he expounded.

He adds: “An effective piece of writing establishes a single focus and sustains that focus throughout the piece. So, my editors in The Guardian taught me all this. Thanks to Mwondoshah Mfanga, The Guardian’s Business Editor (currently the Acting Managing Editor), who could spare his time to help me polish my writing. And now I see the fruits.”

Thanking Wallace Mauggo, The Guardian’s Managing Editor for his mentorship, Ng’hily said: “I am totally convinced that with such kind of a team, The Guardian isn’t just a mere media house, it is a centre for excellence.”

Ng’hily joined The Guardian in 2009 as a business reporter then proceeded to work as chief reporter of the paper in early 2013 before assuming his current position.

He is a holder of a BA in Media Studies obtained at Cape Peninsular in South Africa and has attended several training courses in journalism including a one-year training in investigative business reporting at St Augustine University.

Besides, he has also attended business reporting training at the Reuters and Thomson Foundation in London and also had a working fellowship in Germany recently.

Besides Ngihly, the other 27 finalists  are Daniel Biaou Adje, ORTB, (Benin), Safia Berkouk, El Watan, (Algeria), Vinayak Bhardwaj & Tabelo Timse, M&G Centre for Investigative Journalism, Mail & Guardian, (South Africa), Romão Brandão, Jornal OPAÍS, (Angola), Sean Christie, Freelance for Landbouweekblad and The Mail & Guardian, (South Africa), Obinna Emelike, Business Day, (Nigeria), Ben Ezeamalu & Emmanuel Ogala, Premium Times, (Nigeria), Bob Koigi, Farmbizafrica.com, (Kenya), Joseph Mathenge, Freelance for The Saturday Nation, (Kenya), Anne Mawathe & Rashid Ibrahim, Citizen TV, (Kenya),  Patrick Mayoyo, Daily Nation, (Kenya), Christine Muthee & Oliver Oscar Ochanda, Media Development in Africa (MEDEVA), (Kenya), John Muchangi Njiru, The Star Newspaper, (Kenya), Olatunji Ololade, The Nation Newspaper, (Nigeria), Bayo Olupohunda, Columnist, Punch Newspaper, (Nigeria), Ossène Ouattara, Infoduzanzan.com, (Ivory Coast), Brito Simango, Televisão de Moçambique, (Moçambique), Joy Summers & Susan Comrie, Mnet Carte Blanche, (South Africa), 

Suy Kahofi, Freelance for West Africa Democracy Radio, (Senegal), Paballo Thekiso, Saturday Star, (South Africa), Bento Venancio, Jornal Domingo, (Moçambique), Evelyn Watta and Sportsnewsarena.com, (Kenya).

The CNN awards ceremony will be held in Dar es Salaam, on October 18 this year, this being the first time such an event is held in the country, according to a press release issued by CNN International and Multichoice Africa International.

Previous CNN finalist listings from IPP Media include former Radio One and ITV broadcaster Betty Mkwasa who won the CNN award in 2004 and Mwondoshah Mfanga of The Guardian who was a finalist in 2008.

Only a couple of years ago, The Guardian newspaper was picked the leading Super brand in the East African region in the print media category.

Tony Maddox, Executive Vice-President and Managing Director of CNN International said: “I have witnessed the quality and excellence of work in this competition strengthen year on year, and am proud that it continues to maintain its place as the most prestigious Pan African journalist awards. 

Just as CNN encourages, promotes and recognises excellence in journalism at all levels, we are particularly pleased to be able to support journalists who represent our future.”

SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN