Journalists challenged to do job with integrity as new newsroom commissioned

Journalists from National Broadcasting Corporation have been challenged to uphold their job with integrity following the opening of the revamped newsroom.

The refurbished newsroom will encourage profound content collection and quality news output as the leading state broadcaster in PNG.

ICT Minister Timothy Masiu bluntly told news reporters, editors and the newsroom staff to perform to standards in their line of duty in informing and educating people.

Masiu admitted that whilst NBC remains the main news hub of PNG, journalist must step up in their news production capacity under professional working environment of which it was commissioned today.  

 “I listen to the news all the time but for a while your (NBC) news was really up there and now I have seen that your performance is dropping,” Masiu said.

“Because some of you just come to office, do one and a half hours of working, and then you go home. Your mind is somewhere else.

“If you are not willing to work here, the door is open. There's a lot of young people graduating from universities under the training of the journalism schools who want to work.

“And if you think this is your resting place, then I'm sorry, this is not your place. You are here to perform and that is from whenever you are roasted in the morning till you finish.

“I'm here to challenge you, to make sure that you perform and commit yourselves because there's a lot of changes that are going to come.”

Acting NBC managing director Kora Nou said reconstruction of the newsroom was made possible through the national government PIP budget obtained in 2019.

The renovated newsroom has been equipped with 11 new desktops for executive producers, five IMAC computers to assist in TV news and programs editing, which cost over K300,000.

25 laptops were also delivered to reporters under the ABC-ID partnership in efforts to increase resource capacity for NBC newsroom.

Minister Masiu said it is important for journalists to be equipped with necessary tools to work easier and to ensure there is quality output of news services.

“Again, the challenge and expectation for our NBC journalists is to double up. As you are resourced well and have a newsroom that will enable you to work smarter and produce news content demanded by our people,” Masiu said.

With NBC striving to digital space, plans are in place to introduce a 24-hour news channel but it would require commitment and dedication from journalists to do their job well.

Meanwhile, NBC News acting executive director Maivo Lafanama thanked the NBC board and management for prioritizing the newsroom modernization as it will inspire journalists to deliver what is required of them.