Veteran journalist Barbara Gloudon yesterday urged journalists to go back to the basics of journalism in order to improve their skills. One of the greatest lessons any journalist can learn, she said, is to review their work with an analytical eye in order to constantly improve its quality.

“You are not writing for yourself. If you are writing for yourself, then you are going to fail as a writer,” said Gloudon, who now hosts a radio talk-show programme and who writes a weekly column in the Observer.

She recalled her time as a young reporter who, on several occasions, was asked to rewrite her stories because the editor was not satisfied. However, she said rewriting a story until it met the standards of her editor enabled her to learn more and has made her a better journalist today. She said that some reporters nowadays got upset when an editor returns a story for more work to be done.

Journalists, she added, are “organic people”, who work in a dynamic field, therefore, they must always be curious and have a crusading spirit.

“God made the word ‘why’ for us,” she said.

Gloudon said stories should be written for the sake of the people, not merely for entering and winning awards.

“If we just do health stories for awards alone then we might as well not do it. I think that when we do a good story, we might be saving the life of our cousin or we might be saving our own lives too,” she said.

Gloudon was addressing yesterday’s Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO) 15th Caribbean Media Award for Excellence in Health Journalism award ceremony at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel in Kingston.

The Observer’s Taneisha Lewis and Ingrid Brown and Andrea Downer of the Gleaner received six awards collectively for placing first in various categories of the competition. A total of 31 entries were received for the national competition, including entries from the Cayman Islands. The winning entries at the national level will be forwarded to the regional competition.

Health Minister Ruddy Spencer, in congratulating the awardees, said the work of journalists ensure that the public stays well informed and aware of the latest developments in medicine and other aspects of health.

“The PAHO Caribbean Media Awards is an excellent tool to encourage the work of journalists as a part of the solution to improve health care for the population,” he said. “Jamaicans have a saying, ‘encouragement sweetens labour’. This event is a meaningful way to recognise the hard and innovative work of our journalists.”