In December 2022, INMA and Google News Initiative (GNI) awarded their third annual Elevate Scholarship to 50 news media professionals from 31 countries. This series features these impressive media professionals who are shaping our industry.

From 2005 when he wrote his first article as a student to 2008 when he secured his first employment as a news reporter, Ezaruku Draku Franklin, staff reporter for Monitor Publications Limited in Uganda, has never looked back.

Along the way, Franklin has changed media houses, starting in broadcast as a radio journalist, then shifting to online and finally to print.

“It has been a whirlwind of experiences both positive and negative,” Franklin said. “From the rookie journalist I was several years ago, I have gone on to build experiences in different platforms and built my multimedia skills that suit today’s newsroom environment.”

Over the years, he has won some prestigious awards, including first runner-up in National Journalism Awards in Environmental Reporting, second runner-up in National News Reporting/Print Category (both in 2021), first and second runner-up in National Reporting in Broadcast Category in 2014 and 2015 respectively, and several fellowships with Africa Centre for Media Excellence and Earth Journalism Network. Franklin is determined to hit the peak and excel in whatever he sets out to achieve.

“I have made a steady contribution toward journalism in the last decade and now is the time to step up to the next level. My career aspiration is to climb the ladder and move to the highest level of management where I can lead, mentor the next generation of journalists, and drive the industry forward,” he said.

“I hope one day to found my own media company where I will offer opportunities for the younger generation to hone their skills and excel and be the next set of leaders when the time comes for me and my generation to give way to them.”

As an Elevate Scholarship recipient, Franklin would like to gain new skills in managing a news organisation as a profit-making entity, the art of mentoring the next crop of journalists, and learning how to build a team that will stand the test of time.

“Coming from a media background and as a defender of human rights, I will make sure no one is left behind and that all are given a platform to speak irrespective of their gender, sex, belief, and orientation,” Franklin said. “Through this, the media industry will be an inclusive platform for all.”

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