About Malawi Institute Of Journalism

About Malawi Institute Of Journalism

Malawi Institute of Journalism

The Malawi Institute of Journalism (MIJ) is a nongovernmental organization established in 1995 with financial assistance from the European Union (EU) in order to improve the quality of journalism in Malawi. . It was established to cater for the needs of writers, editors, publishers, correspondents, reporters, freelance writers, public relations professionals, photographers and other persons/individuals/organization serving in the field of media sector.

MIJ’s operations are overseen by a board of trustees comprising veteran media practitioners, trainers and managers chaired by the Principal of the Malawi Polytechnic a Constituent college of the University of Malawi. The school has a pool of local trainers in various areas of the journalism courses. These trainers are from the University of Malawi as well as from other media industries.

MIJ FM Radio

To complement the training, the MIJ runs a commercial radio MIJ FM, which was established in the year 2000 as a community radio with funding from the Danish government before the latter had suspended aid ties to Malawi. The radio Studios (3 – Production, Voice and On-Air Studio) were realized by way of a funded project financed by the Danish Embassy in Malawi. The project, complete with one Transmitter in Blantyre, was commissioned on 25th.May 2001 as MIJ 90.3 FM. The radio is run by well experienced journalists and other graduates. Its Motto is “Za ife amakamba ndi anthu”.
Since 2005 both the training institution and its radio component embarked on a self sustenance path and has not diverted from its core objective of promoting media independence and professionalism.
The Malawi Institute of Journalism is the only training institution in the region with its own radio station. It has 10 years of experience and is committed to maintaining excellence in developing media independence and professionalism. As part of the ongoing development, MIJ has recently reviewed its curriculum to cater for the fast growing industry.

Our Program

Malawi Institute of Journalism has trained thousands of reporters, broadcasters, editors, producers and managers in media industries. The school provides non-residential certificates and diploma courses to both practicing and aspiring journalists. It also offers customized training courses in such emerging social issues as elections, corruption, drug and substance abuse, HIV/Aids and others.

Student learn hands-on skills that are at the forefront of what’s happening in the industry, from creating broadcast stories and writing feature articles to capturing compelling images, radio and TV production. Our tight deadlines match industry standards. Students go on field trips and learn from guest speakers, including industry experts, local politicians and media personalities.

We’re constantly updating our curriculum to reflect the new reality of journalism both on the ground and online. Our Journalism program features:

  • Hands-on technical and production training, including broadcast equipment,
  • Digital prepress ( processes and procedures between the creation of a print layout and the final printing),
  • TV production and multimedia management,
  • Entrepreneurial skills advice for today’s highly competitive media communications market,
  • Real-life experience working on our online news site, MIJ Radio 93.0 FM,
  • Valuable industry exposure and contacts through internships, which help Students build their network and resumé

Work Placement

Students gain valuable first-hand experience through an assigned 30-day work placement, usually unpaid, in the final year of their studies. They work with leading media companies in Malawi. Internships are a great way for them to enhance their resumé, form lasting industry connections and, in some cases, they can get hired immediately upon graduating or even before school ends.

Since MIJ is located in Blantyre, Lilongwe and Mzuzu where dozens of traditional and new media companies are located, and has a strong reputation among journalists, Students have the opportunity to work with some of the most dynamic and diverse media organizations in Malawi.

Careers

Everywhere you look, people are tweeting, posting, sharing, writing, shooting video, creating audio projects and more. MIJ’s hallmark is to bring this expertise to its students.

Our programs are designed to give students the tools they need to seek opportunities in all aspects of the digital workplace. Our students are always ready to work in a wide variety of communications-based enterprises, including traditional journalism and the vast and fast-developing world of digital journalism.

While historically many graduates have found work as reporters for a newspaper, a radio or TV station, or as a magazine feature writer, today people may be just as likely to see their career develop in digital communications, either working for an enterprise or developing their own independent entrepreneurial brand.

Management

Currently, the MIJ is made of a four member management team. The team is responsible for spearheading the policies and strategies approved by the board. The members are the Executive Director (ED), The Course Manager (CM), The Finance and Administrative Director (FAM) and the Station Manager (SM). The Executive Director is directly above the three members and is answerable to the board. Below is the MIJ management Chart:

Board of Trustees

The Malawi Institute of Journalism is governed by the policies and strategies which are approved by a 5 member board. The board’s members are the chairperson who is the Malawi Polytechnic Principal, the finance director from the Malawi Polytechnic, academic coordinator from the Malawi polytechnic, the legal counsel and the veteran journalist. The chairperson is directly above the four members and has the final say on the board’s decisional making. Below is the MIJ Board Chart: