Shaping the Future of Journalism
To recognize the best journalists in Pakistan, send your best reports done in 2011 to: awards@agahi.org.pk
Peshawar Press Club along with 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, Faith Matters conducted a workshop on Investigative Journalism and Responsible Reporting at the Peshawar Press Club today. The workshop was attended by more than 50 press club members.
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, Mr. Saif ul Islam Saifi, President of the Peshawar Press Club, expressed his gratitude for creating an opportunity for the journalists and emphasized the need for more training and assured his support from the press club for improving the state of media in Peshawar. He said, “there is a need to upgrade the skills of the journalists on new media tools such as social media and crowd sourcing journalism”. He further said that, “the Peshawar Press Club works for the capacity building and skill development of its members by organizing different professional courses”.
On a skype video link David Brewer-based out of London and founder of media-helping-media organization, emphasized on applying the public interest test to journalists, which discussed the role of governments and charity organizations in pursuing the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). He stressed that journalists must read the MDGs with same skepticism that they treat every other beat. Mr. 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.
Mr. Shaukat Khattak, senior journalist and chairman of the capacity building committee of the Peshawar Press Club, also expressed that the Peshawar Press Club realizes the importance of promoting journalism that covers the political and the socio-economic system. He encouraged the need of 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) emphasized on 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. Ali Hazrat Bacha, Senior Vice President of the Khyber Union of Journalists raised similar concerns and stressed over the lack of resources and support from stakeholders on investigative journalism.
Mishal Pakistan Chief Executive Officer, 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 KPK. The Peshawar Press Club will help Mishal in identifying the most deserving candidate for this scholarship.
Agahi, aims to utilize institutionalized, sustainable media structures in Pakistan to raise the bar of journalistic standards through training to increasing responsible, balanced reporting and investigative journalism. The initiative is being carried in collaboration with the Press Clubs in Punjab, Sindh, Khyber Pukhtoonkhwa, Baluchistan and Azad Kashmir; In these series of interactions with the stakeholders a special Journalism Awards is being created to identify the most respectful and responsible journalists in investigative journalism.
Agahi, aims to utilize institutionalized, sustainable media structures in Pakistan to raise the bar of journalistic standards through training to increasing responsible, balanced reporting and investigative journalism. The initiative is being carried in collaboration with the Press Clubs in Punjab, Sindh, Khyber Pukhtoonkhwa, Baluchistan and Azad Kashmir; In these series of interactions with the stakeholders a special Journalism Awards is being created to identify the most respectful and responsible journalists in investigative journalism.
Mishal has an MoU with the Peshawar Press Club to performs due role in promoting educational, literary, cultural and sports activities in the society. With the emergence of new conflict zones in the region, efforts have being made to convert Peshawar press club into a modern media complex, equipped with technological gadgets and professional kits to ensure unhindered flow of information to the world.
Before the establishment of Peshawar Press Club some 45 years ago, the journalists used to sit and attend press conferences in a single room allocated in famous Deans Hotel. It was in 2001, when the first-ever separate building for the Peshawar Press Club was constructed. Apart from being a cultural and welfare oriented body of the journalists, the Peshawar Press Club is also known as a symbol of democracy and freedom of press, as all the political parties, civil society organizations are provided equal opportunities to present their view points on any issue to the world.
Mishal, launched in 2003, has been engaged with some of the most dynamic organizations in the region to develop their communication strategy and solutions for better understand and creating synergies between different entities.
Mishal has been at the forefront of communications solutions and is actively pursuing to improve the state of media and journalism in Pakistan.
The team behind Mishal has been developing, creating and managing media entities and content for the last 20 years at various platforms. Taking this initiative to the next level Mishal has been actively pursuing to build the capacity of the media in creating better understanding the issues in global perspective.
Mishal has undertaken the task to build the capacity of the Press Clubs and Associations in Pakistan by creating a knowledge-sharing learning platform for the media and journalists across Pakistan. The initiative will build the capacity through interactive workshops, conferences, collaborative thinking and media and journalism awards for the professionals in the field of journalism and media.
From Emma Mulqueeny