Investigative journalism in the newsroom.
By Gareth Weekes

A journalist in fear of his life from witchcraft was one of the stories to emerge from the CPU's latest online course in newsroom management for senior journalists in eastern and southern Africa.

They were asked in one assignment to suggest and plan an investigation - and list reasons for and against proceeding.

One suggested investigating corrupt prison officers, but worried they would arrange for him to be killed through witchcraft if he proceeded. The corrupt son of a leading politician was another potential target, but the man was already suspected of murder and the news editor was concerned that reporters risked a beating or worse.

Other stories included a hospital that kills its patients, bogus churches laundering money, police collusion in kidnappings, and a politician's wife who ordered a dog to be arrested for fouling her lawn.

Eighteen journalists from Africa and two from the Caribbean completed the four-month course, which contained practical sections on recruiting and managing reporters, driving up skills through coaching as well as campaigning and investigative journalism.

This was the second time the course had been run online by Gareth Weekes, a former UK daily newspaper editor, who runs the Deep South Media consultancy.

"The feedback has been good," he said. "Everyone worked very hard and several have said they have already made fundamental changes to the way they run their newsrooms."