As part of its continued engagement with and support for Ethiopian media professionals, the U.S. Embassy in Ethiopia sponsored award-winning writer, director, and producer Lara Stolman for workshops for journalists and students of journalism in Addis Ababa and Hawassa.
Focusing on investigative journalism, fact-checking, and mis/disinformation, the workshops facilitated information exchange on these important themes and encouraged participants to share their own experiences and challenges.
Participants discussed how to customize Lara’s international investigative reporting experience to the local situation and questioned how to create a favorable environment and protect journalists while conducting investigative reporting.
In addition to leading the workshops, Lara also visited media organizations and journalism schools in Addis Ababa and Hawassa to better understand the media environment in Ethiopia.
During her presentations, Lara explained that journalists working on investigative reporting need support from various stakeholders, particularly from media organizations, to maintain professional excellence in their work. She emphasized the need for more time to work on investigative stories in order to develop deeper knowledge of the topic and gain access to a range of sources. She highlighted the significance of in-depth research and sustained inquiry in addition to being transparent and straightforward in interviews.
The U.S. Embassy supports a range of in-person and virtual workshops, seminars, and exchanges locally and in the United States as part of its active engagement on press freedom, investigative journalism, mis/disinformation to help expand the expertise of the nation’s media professionals.