Regional Programs: Training
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Public Health (in particular HIV/AIDS) . Environment
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Regional Training Courses
11.
Jamaica, July 1991 (Summer School)
Theme(s) Responsible reporting on terrestrial environmental issues: soil erosion; deforestation; pesticides and pesticides management; and waste disposal.
Length 2 weeks.
Target Group
Experienced Caribbean media practitioners, from radio, TV and print. About half of the targeted participants have participated in the 1990 summer school, in order to give continuity.
Objectives
To raise awareness among Caribbean journalists of their role in providing information to the public on environment and development issues, and foster broader public debate.
To provide Caribbean journalists with accurate and current information about environment and development issues.
To train Caribbean journalists in investigative reporting of those issues.
Context
Continuation of the CARIMAC/Panos project on environmental issues and responsible reporting.
This course compliments last year's marine issues focus with a concentration on land-based issues.
Participants
11 participants from 9 countries: 4 print, 3 radio, 4 TV.
Female/ Male Ratio: 7/4.
Working Methodology and Activities
Format similar to 1990 summer school. The group spent two days receiving lectures by experts on the four subject areas; two days in guided field trips to witness the issues first-hand; three days for interviewing, filming, etc.; two days for editing, writing, etc.; two days of critique and review of the media products, and a final day for evaluation and follow-up.
The two courses merged in the final 2 1/2 days to review all the media products and to share work and course experiences.
Documentation Used
Papers and resource material on terrestrial environmental issues. Extensive set of critique and evaluation forms: for feature articles; personality profiles; environmental articles; environmental radio programmes; environmental TV programmes.
Results
One TV programme, three radio programmes and eleven written features. The print journalists also produced (four) personality profiles.
All objectives were achieved.
Evaluation by Participants
Very valuable evaluation session produced lists of positive and negative aspects.
Many journalists became more conscious and committed. Feeling part of a regional group helps.
The sources at the course were rated highly and journalists were amazed at such high levels of expertise and experience right here in the Caribbean. Some complained of lack of time and lack of handouts. Print journalists had too much to produce.
Lessons Learned and Recommendations
It was suggested to have the environmentalists work along for the two weeks.
Short (weekend) seminars should be held in each country, culminating in a regional course. Keep courses on only one topic. Think of satellite hookups at University campuses.
Need for media managers workshop.
Include participants from countries with other languages.
More emphasis on solutions to the environmental problems. Future
topics may be pollution, wildlife preservation.
11. Kingston, Jamaica, 14-27 July 1991. CARIMAC/Panos
Environmental Summer School for Journalists "Environmental
Issues and Responsible Reporting".
The journalists' course started with a discussion
of the role of the reporter in educating the public
about environmental issues. This session was structured
around a series of questions raised in the 1990 workshop:
the WHY of environmental reporting, including such concerns
as commitment, neutrality and education versus information.
The session generated some rather lively discussion.
The next day and a half was spent listening to a series
of experts present the workshop themes. The reporters
were given supplemental materials and time for personal
interviews during this time.
The following two days were spent on field trips.
First, the University of the West Indies' sewage treatment
plant was visited to look at waste water management.
The second outing was to a coffee plantation in the
Blue Mountains where the reporters observed deforestation,
pesticide use and soil erosion. The third and fourth
trips visited national parks: one to see hurricane damage
and reforestation efforts, the other to see the encroachment
of slash and burn agriculture, commercial logging and
severe erosion.
After these field trips, journalists were provided
with transportation for five days to conduct interviews,
filming, photos, etc. Then two days were allocated for
editing their materials and producing a media products.
Although many participants complained about time constraints
and tight deadlines, everyone completed his/her products
on time.
The first day for critique and review was disrupted
completely by a visit to Jamaica by Nelson and Winnie
Mandela. Because of all the celebrations and activities
surrounding their visit, essentially a day of work was
lost, which was made up in longer days later in the
course. The environmentalists joined the journalists
at this point, and the groups were mixed in such a way
that no one had to critique own work.
The environmentalists course started with an initial
discussion on communication between environmental experts
and journalists, led by a Jamaican journalist with 40
years experience. This was complemented by a videotaped
discussion on the cultural perspectives of environmental
reporting, garnered from sessions in the 1990 courses.
Participants were given instruction on the basics
of news writing, and they practiced writing news releases.
On the second day, the work was reviewed and training
was provided on producing short feauture articles based
on interviews. The third day was spent finishing the
feature stories, which were copied for the critique
sessions with the journalist course.
The final day of both courses entailed the last of
the review sessions and a long evaluation discussion.
Certificates were handed out.
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