Catholic media managers and communicators have been urged to utilise digital platforms to share innovative content that appeals to the public.
MCK CEO David Omwoyo says that Catholic media needs to join the innovative movement in order to minister to the youth and adapt to the changing world.
“In order to reach the youth, we must embrace digital innovations to enhance outreach”, said Mr Omwoyo.
He underscored the importance of consistent collaboration among Catholic media houses to produce quality content noting that the pluralism of media houses brought about sustainability challenges.
“Through collaborations Catholic media houses can catch up with trends and generate content that captures audiences. The new media consumer has so much to consume hence need to be innovative with content”, he said.
MCK Director, Media Training and Curriculum Victor Bwire spoke on the changing media environment and called for responsible use of digital platforms to produce positive and impactful content.
“The media landscape is constantly changing, but the basics of content remain the same. There is a need to utilise digital platforms to produce ethical and professional content”, said Mr Bwire.
Mr Bwire mentioned that the Council has developed a Code of Conduct for Digital Practitioners that targets digital media players and empowers practitioners to adhere to set legal, professional and ethical standards.
“The Code of Conduct for Digital Practitioners aims to promote self-regulation in the digital media space”, he said.
He emphasised that the leadership of Catholic churches needs to provide guidelines and support in which Catholic media houses effectively leverage digital platforms to enhance their outreach.
“To enhance the outreach and engagement of content in the digital space from Catholic media there is a need for guidance and support from Catholic leaders”, said Mr Bwire.
MCK Assistant Director, Media Training and Curriculum Development Christine Nguku said the rise of digital platforms has brought about increased avenues for individuals to produce and share their work. This has opened revenue streams for media houses that have turned to digital advertising and subscription models.
“In order for Catholic media to remain viable, you need to exploit digital platforms to monetise online content. The content must be personally interactive and engaging to the target audience”, she said.
Media Trainer Kennedy Kachwanya said that content producers must ensure that their content is of high quality, valuable and informative to the target audience.
“In order to create high-quality content, media should be original to stand out in the saturated digital space”, said Mr Kachwanya.
MCK Manager, Press Freedom, Safety and Advocacy Dinnah Ondari stated that the rise of digital platforms requires journalists to make use of collaborative strategies and tools to protect themselves and their content.
“Journalists need to utilise collaborative strategies of data sharing through software and encrypted communication to protect themselves and their content”, said Ms Ondari.