GASABO - The High Council of the Press (HCP) has called upon small media outlets to amalgamate and form one media house.

The HCP Executive Secretary, Patrice Mulama, explained that this will help them have better coverage, circulation and make the content of their newspapers more meaningful to the public.

He said this on Wednesday during a three-day workshop which took place at Ninzi Hill Hotel, Kigali, for media managers and editors in Rwanda, meant to sensitize them on the major principles of media freedom and responsibility.

"The owners of these outlets should go back on the drawing board and first understand the basics and ethics of journalism, and may be later unite because this is the best way to maximize economies of scale,” Mulama said.

Members of the press from different media houses were trained on the social role of the press, the national media policy, and how members of the media can participate in the implementation process and amendment of the press law.

During the same workshop, journalists were called upon to refrain from abusing their press freedom by publishing defamatory information that invades people’s privacy and creating public insecurity.

This workshop follows a series of other trainings that began late May and have been held in all districts of Rwanda for people in charge of security, public relations, and social welfare.

The coordinator of the workshops, Moussa Sawadogo, said that these trainings have been a success and that a lot has been learnt about the role of the police in the respect and protection of press freedom and its collaboration with journalists.

"We have trained at least one policeman, people in charge of public relations, and social affairs in every district, and the experience will definitely improve the working atmosphere between them and the journalists,” Sawadogo said. 

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