The Faculty of Journalism and Media Studies (FOJAMS) at the University of Media, Arts and Communication (UniMAC), held a staff-student consultative meeting with Multimedia Group on how students can leverage opportunities in the journalism space. 

The event, which came off on June 25, 2025, was an interactive session that afforded key industry players the opportunity to speak to students of the faculty about equipping themselves with skills necessary to be successful in journalism.

Channel Manager of JoyNews, Kwaku Owusu Peprah, who addressed the packed auditorium, told the students to embrace the power of journalism while striving to be impactful with their work. 

“Journalism is the biggest vehicle that shapes minds. You want to be a change maker? You want to influence people’s thinking? Journalism is the space,” he averred. “It is better to leave your name in the sands of time than to walk the face of the earth and achieve nothing. Journalism that is well practised will give you a name, recognition and power.”

Mr. Peprah, popularly known as KOP, used the avenue to advertise job listings for the Joy Newsroom. According to him, the media giant was in the job market for a social media manager and a content creator to compliment his outfit’s digital department. 

The media executive urged the students to learn employable skills in order that they can get into the advertised positions.

Drawing his speech to a close, he called on the students to practise regularly and develop meaningful content.

Celebrated investigative journalist, Manasseh Azure Awuni,who also graced the event at his alma mater, addressed lingering concerns that journalism was not a rewarding profession.

The job, he explained, when done correctly brings a sense of satisfaction to the reporter. Manasseh encouraged the students to be job hunting while in school. 

“If you want journalism to pay, don’t wait till you complete before you start looking for a job. Once you’re here figure out what you want to do and start working on it.”

He continued: “Journalism pays. One of the things it does is that it gives you a sense of fulfilment. For the past two years, I’ve not been working in the newsroom but I have not taken a salary during the period.”

Discussing content and language in news reporting, Manasseh said both were pivotal as no piece of writing could be understood and be impactful without those elements.

He told the students that their journalism careers had to start while they were in school. “If you want to stand out, start from here, start from now.”

The auditorium was filled to capacity as students and staff gathered for the engaging session with seasoned media practitioners. Every seat was taken, with latecomers standing along the aisles, underscoring the value of the media-industry engagement within the academic setting.

During his remarks, the Dean of the Faculty of Journalism and Media Studies, Professor Etse Sikanku advised students to take insights of the speakers seriously for their own benefit. He echoed the advice of the guest speakers, urging the undergraduates to practise what they study in the lecture halls.

As part of new interventions to revamp the faculty and make it an attractive brand, Professor Sikanku disclosed a series of competitive events at the various levels to enable students showcase their talents skills. Among other disciplines, the event will include radio and television documentary competitions. 

“We want to make the competition on a big scale. We want to discover new talents,” he said of the initiative set to be rolled out in July. “We want to discover the next big thing. The competition is for every student in the faculty.”

The dean pledged to facilitate more FOJAMS conferences with students in the future following the well-attended meeting by lecturers, staff and students of the faculty.