Man, the vibe at that Blantyre Press Club meeting was basically a giant side-hustle pep talk mixed with some government scolding. A journo turned businessman, Geoffrey Banda, told the room straight up that depending on just a media paycheck is a dead end now. He said after working for regular outlets, he started his own printing company, Choice Communication Solutions, and it changed everything for him financially. His whole point was that reporters need to find legit business gigs on top of their work to actually get ahead and be independent.
The Information Minister, Shadric Namalomba, was also there, laying down some homework. He told journalists they need to actually learn the details of big national plans like the Malawi 2063 agenda and what’s in party manifestos. He argued that knowing that stuff is the only way to report accurately, keep the peace, and fight all the fake news floating around. Other groups chimed in too, with the Malawi Peace and Unity Commission giving a pat on the back for the press keeping things cool during the recent elections. A rep from the disability council, Harriet Kachimanga, pushed for more reporting that helps people with disabilities.
Club VP Yusuf Daisa mentioned ongoing work to fight misinformation. The meeting pulled in a bunch of bigwigs like the ministry secretary, Harold Msusa, and the acting MACRA boss, Mayamiko Nkoloma. The underlying message from everyone, but especially from the guy who actually left to start his own shop, was brutally clear: journalism alone won’t pay the bills, and surviving means diversifying your income like your career depends on it, because it probably does.
The Information Minister, Shadric Namalomba, was also there, laying down some homework. He told journalists they need to actually learn the details of big national plans like the Malawi 2063 agenda and what’s in party manifestos. He argued that knowing that stuff is the only way to report accurately, keep the peace, and fight all the fake news floating around. Other groups chimed in too, with the Malawi Peace and Unity Commission giving a pat on the back for the press keeping things cool during the recent elections. A rep from the disability council, Harriet Kachimanga, pushed for more reporting that helps people with disabilities.
Club VP Yusuf Daisa mentioned ongoing work to fight misinformation. The meeting pulled in a bunch of bigwigs like the ministry secretary, Harold Msusa, and the acting MACRA boss, Mayamiko Nkoloma. The underlying message from everyone, but especially from the guy who actually left to start his own shop, was brutally clear: journalism alone won’t pay the bills, and surviving means diversifying your income like your career depends on it, because it probably does.
