Regional Programs: Training

Child Rights . Public Health (in particular HIV/AIDS) . Environment . Gender and Social Justice . Archive Regional Training Courses

13. Jamaica, July 1992

Theme(s) Visual media and the environment.
Length 3 days.

Target Group
Media managers working with the visual media.

Objectives
To present information and insight on the most pressing environmental issues in the Wider Caribbean, and provide a Caribbean perspective on the results of UNCED 1992.

To influence the setting of priorities in the selection of program items by decision-making managers in television stations in the region.

Context
The meeting was convened within the framework of the UNEP Caribbean Environment Programme.

Participants
14 participants from 13 countries. Female/ Male Ratio: 2/12.

Working Methodology and Activities
A seminar with presentations by 8 resource persons, as well as the participants. Questions and Answers sessions and discussion were very substantive program elements in this meeting of managers. Discussion focused on topics such as: "Should journalists be environmental advocates?", "Making people important in the news of the environment", "Does objectivity require neutrality?", "Caribbean perspectives on Rio", "Capturing the attention of the audience - why some programmes work and some don't".

These discussions led to recommendations, for action by CARICOM, CBU and CARIMAC.

Documentation Used
Papers are contained in the workshop report: CEP Technical Report No. 28, 1993: "Can Television tell the environmental story?". Available the UNEP/CEP website: http://www.cep.unep.org/pubs/techreports/tr28en/content.html

Results
TV managers from English and Spanish-speaking parts of the Wider Caribbean got to know each other and initiated discussions on co-production (in particular, documentaries).

A much better sense of the hurdles in environmental programming was achieved: regularity, quality of recording and people's approaches.

Evaluation by Participants
N/A.

Lessons Learned and Recommendations
To CARICOM Secretariat: CARIMAC and CAMWORK should discuss media liaison activities for the CARICOM Task Force on the Environment.

To CBU: Media networking (material and production) with environmental groups.

To CARIMAC: Publish environmental journal for Caribbean media; undertake video series on the environment; propose to the CBU, TVE, and UNEP a co-production; promote awards for environmental journalism; focus on multi-media workshops involving young people.