A Liberian Media outlet, the Stage Media (TSM) has been selected out of 72 applicants in Sub-Saharan Africa by Journalism and Media Laboratory (JAM-Lab) to participate in its Accelerator program.
JAM-Lab is a project of Wits Journalism that aims to support more and better innovation by providing innovators with information, inspiration, and networks to support more, and more successful, innovation across Africa.
Its mission is to strengthen innovation in African independent journalism and media and to grow the diversity of the continent’s voice in the public space.
The program brings together teams of six media institutions namely: The Stage Media (Liberia), Newsify (South Africa), ResearchCom (Tanzania), Dataphyte (Nigeria), Goodheart Company (Kenya), and AdvertWise (Nigeria) respectively to train them in making their media product attractive for public consumption.
The training is expected to last for at least six months and will be offered the unique opportunity to fast-track their initiatives that are directed to address media challenges in their respective countries.
At the end of the program, JAM-Lab hopes that participating institutions will be provided the tools, facilities, contacts, and support necessary to convert their ideas and ambitions into a commercially viable product.
About The Stage Media (Liberia)
The Stage Media (TSM) is Liberia’s first fact-checking media institution with the overarching vision of mitigating misinformation and disinformation.
Since its establishment in 2020, the Stage Media – Liberia has collaborated and nurtured partnerships that espoused the values of tackling misinformation and disinformation while bringing to light untold stories of survivors of (abuse or civil war) and ensuring that the powerful and elites are held accountable.
TSM is also involved in investigative and human-interest stories with a specific focus on anti-corruption in the security and justice sector and documenting existing practices and norms that seek to obscure accountability for the powerful.
TSM is managed by Bettie Johnson-Mbayo and Hannah Geterminah, two youngsters who started their journalism careers as volunteers to print and broadcast media outlets in Liberia.
It can be recalled that TSM-Liberia’s work has already earned her impressive accolades and recognition across Africa. In 2021, our documentary on cement pollution was named one of the best investigations in Sub- Sahara Africa by the Global Investigative Journalism Network.