Joan Salmon, Nation Media Group Uganda
This week, we interview Joan Salmon, Reporter and Sub-Editor at Nation Media Group Uganda. Joan discusses her journey into journalism, which began as a way to utilize her passion for writing. She emphasizes the importance of storytelling and highlights what makes African businesses so unique. Joan goes on to stress the need for exposure for young, growing companies in Africa and encourage more collaboration between journalists and African businesses in getting their stories out. Enjoy the read.
What led you into journalism, and what would you be doing if you weren’t a journalist?
My journey into journalism was more of trying my luck because I am trained as an IT person and passed with honors.
At that time, it was a more male-dominated industry than it is now and getting my desired work (systems administrator) was tough. But even then, the available jobs were contract-based, only giving me Shs20,000 ($5.45) per day and far in between. When I realised that I was not getting work, I asked myself, why don’t I rely on my passion? My passion had been writing because I often used it to vent. So I did try my luck, and I was very fortunate. I walked into the New Vision Group office on another mission, but I asked if there was an opportunity to write and was introduced to the Editor, and that is how my journey started.
It’s been a lot of learning because I have had to follow the tenets of journalism coupled with meeting timelines and people and learning to be bold.
If I wasn’t a journalist, I’d go back to IT because it wasn’t bad to me; it was the employers who weren’t a good fit. But on the side and over time, I have learned that sharing information is not a bad thing. I also love parenting; so if I wasn’t a journalist, I would be a parenting coach.
When you’re researching stories, what compels you to work on sharing a particular story with your audience? Any hot trends we should look out for in the coming months?
Unlike in the past, where media outlets were purely information outlets, today, it’s more about inspiration. It’s more about teaching someone something they don’t know, but the best thing is to tell a story.
So, I love telling people’s stories – which is where the profiles come in. Even if I am doing a tough piece, I try to start it with a story (someone’s experience) because that’s what draws in the people.
At the end of last year, I became a little bit more intentional about writing for tech. It was more of telling myself, “If I can’t practice it, then I can talk to the people in the industry”.
Why is African business so unique and what makes it so exciting to report on?
I can’t say they are so unique as I’m not comparing them with other people. I’ve not profiled other people’s businesses outside the continent.
Nonetheless, what makes these stories stand out is because African businesses are built out of the heart. They are mostly problem-solving ventures and community-centered. They are about transforming lives, which makes telling their stories exciting.
The founders are resilient and are willing to go the extra mile to make sure that they thrive, impact people and improve lives. So that’s why they are very beautiful to tell.
Which sectors or industries do you like to cover most and why?
I am pivoting to do a bit more tech than I ever did before. And I’m doing this because I miss the space. Yes, I studied IT, so I missed the practice. But if I can’t practice it, then at least I can tell others about what is happening.
I would also want to tell more impact stories. They may not be person-oriented, but they can still tell a story about what is happening.
Why is it important that people around the world get to hear about young, growing companies on the continent?
There is something called Personal Branding. Before someone can buy from you, they have to know you. That exposure is what has been lacking in Africa, and mostly in Uganda.
It’s not like we don’t have great minds; it’s just that no one has heard about us, and that is why people are pivoting towards selling emotional stories because they want to be heard. They want their impact to be felt. Therefore, young, growing companies must be exposed and put out there.
If people don’t hear about you, they will not know what you can do or have done. As a result, they can’t even think about the possibility of supporting you financially or partnering with you. Without exposure, there is no partnership, then there is no growth. That is why we have to tell stories about young and growing businesses.
How can we encourage more people to join the writing community and dedicate their energy to telling stories about African tech and business?
Getting people interested in writing about the African tech ecosystem and businesses is a collaborative effort. It’s not just about the willingness to write but also the entrepreneurs’ willingness to share their stories.
One thing I have found is that everyone wants to keep their business under wraps, and this does more of a disservice in the long run. Through reporting, businesses potentially secure interest from external stakeholders who are willing to partner and grow their business.
It’s important to have a symbiotic enthusiasm which is beneficial to everyone. That way, we can report our stories and showcase the brilliance of the continent.
