Financial shows have been long part of programming line ups, offering daily updates to the world of money.
There has been a shift in the approach which has seen a new energy and focus on financial programming.
Awarding winning financial journalist Siki Mgabadeli from eNCA’s moneyline and financial journalist Gugulethu Mfupi from kaya Fm’s business show Kaya buzz, joined Wits radio academy, acting executive director Lerato Makate in conversation to discuss their approach and insight into creating the daily story of money.
As an award winning journalist Siki Mgabadeli says she started financial journalism in 2001 being one of the few black journalists at the time. Meanwhile, Gugulethu Mfupi says she studied accounting at school and that is where he interest in economics emanated from. Mfupi says she grew up looking up to Mgabadeli and how she as a black women was so invested in economics and finance.
During the conversation with moderator ,Mgabadeli stressed that financial journalism was not an “exclusive thing” hence the need to speak in a language which is understood by everyone and avoid big jargon which ordinary people would not understand.
She went on to add that financial journalism has grown in South Africa but the interpretation of the statistics to the people needs to change.
Mfupi concurred, adding that one should never, “speak down to your audience, rather break it to conversational format”.
Both panelists agreed that storytelling in financial journalism is important and we need to understand finances and how they affect us.
Mgabadeli emphasised that her team at eNCA moneyline show represents her audience and how to engage with them.
According to the host of Kaya buzz women are now at the fore front of taking financial decisions in households but still lack the financial education on how to use money.
The sentiment throughout both panelists was that financial shows should be easy to understand both agreed financial journalism has grown, making reference to the annual budget speech and how a few years ago most reporters did forthy second voicers but now you see media houses coveraging the whole speech.
Thabo Tshabalala
(Edited by Simbarashe Honde)