Why should you join a media association?

It’s a question many young journalists (like me) have asked themselves and I’m sure that for those of you who live in countries where there’s no national media association or where the existing one is dormant, finding the answer might be difficult.

But it should not be.

There are a myriad of offerings for learning, growth, community and professional success associated with membership of media associations such as the ACM and affiliate groups in and beyond the Caribbean region.

The strengths of the ACM are its networking and sharing of job opportunities.

In other words, through professional associations, journalists have the ability to make important connections, get story ideas, stay current with industry trends, access training, link with industry mentors and find job opportunities in addition to a range of other benefits.

Joining an association is one of the best strategic decisions a journalist can make. The more support we get from practitioners across the region, the stronger we could become.

In his congratulatory message to the new ACM executive, Zhivargo Laing, a leading Caribbean economist, says, “A robust regional media organization is vital to the development of the Caribbean region.”

I couldn’t agree more.

He describes the media as “the fourth estate that strengthens democracy by informing and educating the public about local, regional and international developments.”

After three media conferences this year alone, I can attest that my affiliation with the ACM has enabled me to stay current of those developments and how to explore them in ways meaningful to the setting within which I work.

It’s good to be able to collaborate with others who share different and similar experiences and can understand the unique challenges in the workplace and in the changing media landscape.

It’s great to be able to tap into a mentor who could give you a new and fresh idea you could use to change and improve the way you’ve been doing things.

If you are not yet a member of any media association, you should consider it now. If there are many from which to choose in your country, to make your decision an easier one, here a few guidelines: Check out the mission statement for each group and have a talk with the leaders to ascertain the benefits and what role you can play.

Review the association’s social network interactions. If you find the website, Facebook page and the like not to be up-to-date, you may want to move on to the next association to see what that one is doing.

The ACM door remains open to all practitioners across the region.

In 2001, the association was formed to collaborate with national media associations and related organisations in promoting professional and ethical standards, safeguarding and promoting the rights and privileges of the media in all Caribbean countries.

When we look around the region, we see a number of developing trends where media freedom is constantly under threat from political through big business to police interference and intimidation.

Our President, Clive Bacchus recently reminded us: “We have several governments who are almost contemptuous of the media, who see the media as an entity to be fed red meat…but not to be taken seriously, not to be respected.”

But the ACM respects and promotes freedom of information, media freedom, and the independence of journalism; while it encourages the formation and strengthening of national groupings and associations so we can stand up against those who seek to stifle our work.

On a more personal level, it’s no secret we maintain and improve the professional status of members and member associations and protect and advance the interests of journalists and media workers at the national and regional levels.

Those are just a few of our strengths.

At this point, you should no longer be asking yourself: ‘Why should I join a media association?’

Martina Johnson, Assistant General secretary Association of Caribbean MediaWorkers (ACM)