To effectively pass your message to the audience through the media, one must think clearly before saying any word while facing the camera. This technique may seem obvious, yet the failure to apply it has placed many top officials and managers on lists of public embarrassment.

Despite your skills and knowledge, it is crucial to face the camera with confidence and a commitment to conveying the truth. Only the truth, delivered with clarity, can ensure your communication flows smoothly and persuasively.

In the past, appearing on national television was often seen as a significant achievement, which unfortunately led some to believe they could simply speak whatever “crossed their brains.” While some cautious officials delegated media appearances to confident spokespersons to avoid bringing shame to their institutions, the opposite extreme overconfidence is equally dangerous.

Those who are overly confident often pour out words heedlessly, forcing the audience to sift through the discourse, “to pick what is necessary, and to leave the rubbish.” This lack of focus is disrespectful to the audience and harmful to the speaker’s credibility.

For years, journalists and communication experts have been committed to advising all stakeholders to have at least basic knowledge of public speaking techniques to avoid post-speech regret. This essential advice has led many to enrol in basic communication courses, with some even training privately by imitating the world’s best speakers all in an effort to prepare and deliver meaningful speeches.

As this culture of preparation takes hold, audiences have grown accustomed to a higher standard. When someone with a media background faces the camera, the public expects professionalism and does not tolerate frequent “slips of the tongue” or serious, avoidable mistakes.

The recent statement from the Director of the Association of Media Development in South Sudan (ADMISS) on the state-owned television SSBC provokes serious questions on whether she thought before facing the camera.

Following a meeting with the information minister, the Director was expected to convey a constructive message regarding the current challenges facing the media. Instead, the message shifted, generalizing a few isolated cases and challenging the professionalism of journalists covering ongoing high-profile trials.

The Director’s simple message highlighting the need for more training turned controversial. Her choice to generalize and publicly challenge the lack of professionalism in reporting attracted swift and widespread public criticism. Soon after, the Director and the association apologized to journalists and the public, citing the statement as a “mere slip of the tongue.”

This incident drew criticism not only from journalists but also from the public who have been closely following the court proceedings and the reporting thereof. The Media Authority has since verified that the journalists reporting the trials have both the necessary qualifications and experience.

To many who understand ADMISS’s objectives and the profile of the journalists deployed, the statement was interpreted as a “begging technique” to secure funding for court reporting training. Social media users requested the Director to cite specific cases of unprofessional reporting, a request that went largely unfulfilled, suggesting the claims were generalized rather than based on concrete evidence of systemic failure.

This short incident should not be taken lightly. It serves as a vital lesson that everyone regardless of title or background must think critically before facing the camera to avoid public criticism and the subsequent need for multiple apologies.

While mistakes are common, they can be significantly reduced through early preparation, objective communication, and careful word selection.

Before you face the camera, please apply all available techniques and meticulously select your words. The only way to avoid the apology is to deliver the perfect statement the first time, calling foreign experts train journalist on court reporting is not correct yet we even have layers in the country who would have done it.

God protect South Sudan

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