A non-governmental organisation – Pro-Poor Development Media Network (PDM-Network) has launched a coalition of journalists reporting developmental issues in Nigeria, and Africa by extension. 

The coalition aimed at breaking barriers of collaborations among media houses, journalists, and development partners including researchers.The new frontier, named “Pro-poor Development Journalists’ Coalition (PDJC)”, according to the Secretary of the Board of Directors of PDM-Network, Omobayo Azeez, is a project dedicated to inclusive media coverage and promoting mutually beneficial collaborations.

The official inauguration of the forum was held recently during a membership onboarding session and an engagement with members of African Cities Research Consortium (ACRC), headquartered in the University of Manchester, United Kingdom. 

The consortium of researchers works across African cities. It is a six-year project funded by the Foreign Commonwealth Development Organisation (FCDO) of the UK government. Also, the consortium is committed to researching core developmental issues of health, education, and housing, among others.

During the inaugural partnership meeting, the ACRC’s Communications and Impact Manager, Chris Jordan, highlighted the need to bridge the gap between researchers and journalists, emphasising the role of journalists in communicating research output for communities’ benefits.

The Secretary of the PDM-Network’s Board of Directors, Azeez explained that the organisation is aimed at galvanising support for inclusive media coverage through promotion of initiatives that can provide platforms for the disadvantaged people in the society to have their voices heard.

The PDM-Network’s board of directors is chaired by a veteran broadcaster, Bimbo Oloyede, and co-chaired by the celebrated renowned journalist and Publisher of PREMIUM TIMES, Dapo Olorunyomi.

The Weekend Editor of the Guardian Newspaper, Dr Garba Alabi Kabir is also a member of the board. On his part, Kabir Adejumo, the acting Coordinator of PDM-Network, said: “This initiative is aimed at giving voice to those who are not as news makers. Our focus is on people who may not be heard except through community-based journalism and I am glad we have a fantastic team and coalition intentional about stories of the disadvantaged.”

Speaking earlier, the Chairperson of PDM-Network’s Board of Directors, Oloyede, expressed the commitment of the board to supporting initiatives aimed at advancing quality reporting in the interest of the poor, noting that the media has the capacity to set an agenda and raise consciousness among their people.

Also, the Director of Uptake for ACRC, Ismail Ibraheem, a Professor of Journalism and Communication Studies at the University of Lagos (UNILAG), Akoka, said the ACRC project seeks to use the media to influence policy decisions by amplifying the voices of the marginalised in society. 

Ibraheem further noted that ACRC provides platforms for journalists to gain access to research works while emphasising the need for media partnerships for development research, and advocating for the poor through public policies and programmes.