Information Officers have received training on how to write news commentaries.The training took place during an online in-house session, where Mrs. Mekowulu Helen Ify spoke on the topic, “News Commentary Writing.”
She said Information Officers must have strong writing skills because they are communication experts. She encouraged them to keep reading and writing to improve themselves.
Mrs. Ify explained that news commentaries can cover many topics. She said writers must understand their audience and use the right tone. She also stressed that opinions should always be supported with facts.
She highlighted key rules for writing good commentaries. These include being objective, doing proper research, writing clearly and briefly, using interesting language, and suggesting solutions.
Participants were advised to stay updated on current events in their environment and carry out proper research before writing.
Mrs. Ify added that a good commentary should be interesting from beginning to end. She said writers should keep their points short and clear.
She also advised writers to avoid difficult words and long sentences. According to her, writers should focus on issues and avoid personal attacks or false information. She added that giving enough background information helps readers understand the topic better.
She said a standard news commentary should have about 10 to 15 paragraphs.
In conclusion, Mrs. Ify encouraged writers to express their views confidently. She said readers want to understand the writer’s opinion. She also advised writers to suggest solutions and properly edit their work before publishing.
The training ended with questions, contributions, and an assignment for participants.
