InFocus News Agency, on April 18, 2026, hosted an engaging webinar themed ‘The Art of News Writing: Clarity, Accuracy, and Impact,’ aimed at equipping members of the agency and students of Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, with essential skills in effective news reporting.
The session featured Adedoyin Oguntade, the Chairman of the Guild of Editors, ACJOAU, as the guest speaker, and was hosted by the Editor-in-Chief of the agency, Hairat Balogun.
During the webinar, Oguntade highlighted the importance of clarity, accuracy, and impact as key pillars of news writing. He described a good reporter as someone with a strong ‘nose for news’, one who stays informed, remains fair and accurate, and demonstrates creativity, keen observation, and attention to detail.
The speaker also shared important elements of a strong news story, emphasising accuracy, balance, clarity, and relevance as essential qualities. He explained that impact follows a well-written report that considers all of these elements.
Explaining the structure of news writing, he introduced participants to the inverted pyramid format, where the most important details are presented at the beginning, followed by other supporting information. This technique ensures that readers get essential information immediately, even before reading the entire report. He further advised that news stories should be written and submitted within 24 hours of an event in order to maintain timeliness.
Additionally, Oguntade simplified the concept of source anonymity in reports, adding that identifiable sources always strengthen report credibility and accuracy. ‘When working on a sensitive report, you can decide to employ the use of pseudonyms to protect the identities of your sources,’ he added.
The session also featured an interactive Question and Answer segment. Responding to a question on handling threats as a campus journalist, Oguntade reassured participants of the role of institutional support, noting that organisations like InFocus and ACJ-OAU are responsible for protecting their members when challenges arise due to factual news writing.
When asked about his motivation as a journalist, he shared that his passion for news reporting and the excitement of seeing his work published have been key driving forces. As someone who strongly believes in social justice, the need to hold individuals in power accountable propels him in his career.
Participants’ Reactions
The webinar, which concluded at 7:00 p.m., was well-received by participants, who described it as insightful and impactful, offering practical knowledge on the art and responsibilities of news reporting.
Sunday Miracle remarked that the webinar was eye-opening and elucidating. She said she has realised that being a journalist goes beyond mere sentence construction. In her words, ‘Being a news reporter is more than just putting sentences together.’
When asked about his key takeaway from the webinar, Oni Oladele responded that he learned that he should be able to see news in societal happenings that might be considered normal but are not. ‘A reporter must have a nose for news,’ he said.