Workshop on investigative journalism held

Workshop on investigative journalism held

Peshawar Press Club, Khyber Union of Journalists and Mishal Pakistan, a strategic communication policy design social enterprise in collaboration with the Center for International Media Ethics, Zigron Training, Center for Investigative Journalists in Bosnia-Sarajevo, conducted a workshop on Investigative Journalism and Responsible Reporting at Peshawar Press Club on Tuesday.

More than 50 press club members attended the workshop.

The initiative, known as AGAHI covered areas such as Investigative Journalism, Media Ethics, Anti-Money-Laundering and Terrorist Organisation Funding, Journalism and Society, Khyber Pukhtoonkhwa and the Millennium Development Goals, Reporting in Terrorism and Conflict, Social Media and Safety Training.

Talking to the gathering of the members of the media, Saif-ul-Islam Saifi, President of the Peshawar Press Club, thanked for creating an opportunity for the journalists and emphasised the need for training and assured his support from the press club for improving the state of media in Peshawar.

He said there is a need for upgrading the skills of the journalists on new media tools such as social media and crowd sourcing journalism.

He further said, "Peshawar Press Club works for the capacity building and skill development of its members by organising different professional courses".

On a skype video link David Brewer-based out of London and founder of media-helping-media organisation, emphasised on applying the public interest test to journalists, which discussed the role of governments and charity organisations in pursuing the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

He stressed that journalists must read the MDGs with same skepticism as they treat every other beat.

Brewer is one of the pioneers in media development.

He has been the founding managing director of BBC News Online Service and the CNN.com.

Shaukat Khattak, senior journalist and chairman of the capacity building committee of the Peshawar Press Club also said that Peshawar Press Club realises the importance of promoting journalism that covers the political and the socio-economic system.

He encouraged the need for training provided to the journalists for a better outcome.

Puruesh Chaudhary, Ambassador to Pakistan on Media Ethics on behalf of the Center for International Media Ethics (CIME) emphasised the formulation of a unified ethics policy for the entire journalistic community to be adopted, implemented and adhered to counter special interest groups and sensationalism.

The session dealt with the problems being faced by journalists, which also underscored the need for a joint code of conduct for reporters and cameramen.

Ali Hazrat Bacha, Senior Vice President of the Khyber Union of Journalists raised issues such as lack of training, non-supportive management, unavailability of basic resources, pressure groups, wages and the absence of a unified code of conduct.

Bacha highlighted the issues like lack of resources and support from stakeholders for investigative journalism.

Chief Executive Officer Mishal Pakistan, Amir Jahangir in his closing remarks announced two scholarships in collaboration with the Peshawar Press Club who wish to enroll for the Masters Programme in Mass Communication, Journalism or Media Studies at any public sector universities or any other degree awarding institution in Peshawar and other parts of KP.

Peshawar Press Club will help Mishal in identifying the most deserving candidate for this scholarship.

AGAHI, aims to utilise institutionalised, sustainable media structures in Pakistan to improve the standard of journalistic values through training for increasing responsible, balanced reporting and investigative journalism.

The initiative is being carried out in collaboration with the Press Clubs in Punjab, Sindh, Khyber Pukhtunkhwa, Baluchistan and Azad Kashmir.

In these series of interactions with the stakeholders a special Journalism Awards are being launched to identify the most respectful and responsible journalists in investigative journalism.