JOURNALISTIJOURNALISTIC CODE

VOA Somali Service violates the Broadcaster’s Journalistic code

The VOA Somali service stringer’s report (Somalida ku nool Uganda posted
on VOA Service’s website, October 12) on the Somali owned businesses in
Uganda was an interesting but unbalanced report. It shows how stringers
may violate VOA journalistic code (un)wittingly. The VOA Somali Service
stringer, Hassan Fanah, anonymously quoted Somali business people
whom the Kampala Mayor told that Somalis are the second business
community in terms of paying business. The stringer did not check the
veracity of the quote from the “the Somali business people”. This oversight
is a violation of the VOA code on sourcing: “VOA news and programming
must be rigorously sourced and verified. VOA normally requires a minimum
of two independent (non-VOA) sources before any newswriter, background
writer, political affairs writer, correspondent, or stringer may broadcast
information as fact in any language”

The VOA Somali Service stringer introduced ‘Cabdiraxmaan Foodcade’ as a

Somali business man from Australia. In another segment of the report he is
introduced as Bakaal Money Transfer representative in Kampala, giving the
impression that the whole report was PR exercise for a money transfer
company . The stinger did not interview any other business person nor had
the VOA Somali Service editors checked the content of the report against
the VOA journalistic code particularly the accuracy and balance code which
states: “Accuracy and balance are paramount, and together, they are VOA's
highest priority. Accuracy always comes before speed in VOA central service
and language programming. VOA has a legal obligation to present a
comprehensive description of events, reporting an issue in a reliable and
unbiased way.”

Are VOA Somali Service’s staff assessed on knowledge of the VOA jourslitc
code? If such flaws come to light how does the VOA address? It is noteworthy
that the VOA Somali has become one of the major sources of information for
Somalia but failure to ensure the public broadcaster’s journalist code is used
throughout all language services can undermine the VOA Somali’s image.
Liban Ahmad

Libahm@gmail.com

The VOA Somali service has been redisgned. New features were added to
thwe site tyo make nable site users to share information easily on social
networking sites.

Waxayna dhaqdhaqaayada ganacsi ee soomalidu ka dhigtay inay noqdaan

Qowmiyadda omiyadda labaad ee canshhurta ugu badan soo gelisa dalkan,
sida uu dhowaan sheegay duqa magaalada Kambaala oo la hadlayay koox
ganacasto soomaaliyee ah

Cabditraxmaan cali oo loo yaan Foodcadde waxa uu ka mid yahay soomaalida

ka tyimrid dalka awstrlliya.

Cabditraxmaan Foodcadde oo ah dlakan uga mas’uul wakiilka shirkadda

xawaaladda ee Bakaal ayaan sidoo kale weyddiiyay inay ganacsatada
soomaliyeed ee halkan ku nnool leeyihiin iskaashi dhexdooda ah amaba ururu
ay ku midysan yihiin. 4:13 Xasan Fanax Kambaala

The Code

All staff who report, manage, edit, and prepare programming at VOA in both central and
language services therefore subscribe to these principles:” VOA news and programming
must be rigorously sourced and verified. VOA normally requires a minimum of two
independent (non-VOA) sources before any newswriter, background writer, political
affairs writer, correspondent, or stringer may broadcast information as fact in any
language.”
Sourcing
VOA news and programming must be rigorously sourced and verified. VOA normally
requires a minimum of two independent (non-VOA) sources before any newswriter,
background writer, political affairs writer, correspondent, or stringer may broadcast
information as fact in any language.

The only exceptions to the double-source requirement are facts directly confirmed by a
VOA journalist, or significant news drawn from an official announcement of a nation or
an organization. In those rare instances when a secondary source offers exclusive
significant news (e.g., a verified news agency exclusive interview with a chief of state or
prominent newsmaker), this story is attributed to the originating agency by name.

Accuracy and Balance

Accuracy and balance are paramount, and together, they are VOA's highest priority.
Accuracy always comes before speed in VOA central service and language
programming. VOA has a legal obligation to present a comprehensive description of
events, reporting an issue in a reliable and unbiased way. Though funded by the U.S.
government, VOA airs all relevant facts and opinions on important news events and
issues. VOA corrects errors or omissions in its own broadcasts at the earliest
opportunity.

VOA is alert to, and rejects, efforts by special interest groups, foreign or domestic, to
use its broadcasts as a platform for their own views. This applies to all programs and
program segments, including opinion or press roundups, programs discussing letters,
listener comments, or call-in shows. In the case of call-ins, views of a single party must
be challenged by the interviewer if alternative opinions are unrepresented. In
interviews, points of possible discussion are submitted in advance if requested by an
interviewee of stature (e.g., a chief of state). However, VOA journalists always retain the
right and responsibility to pursue newsworthy angles, including entirely fresh lines of
questioning, during such interviews.