Mindanao journalists join civic journalism workshop

GENERAL SANTOS CITY—Taking their news gathering and reporting skills on a different level, journalists from the different parts of Mindanao participated in the seminar on civic journalism organized by the Philippine Press Institute (PPI) March 19-21.

Held at the Stonewood Hotel here, veteran and young journalists learned from the different speakers their expertise and best practices applied in their media outlets and how they can be more effective in delivering the news and make an impact in the community through civic journalism type of reporting.

“Going beyond print: Building Better Communities through Civic Journalism,” is the seminar’s theme.

“Civic journalism means we report what our community cares about. We listen to what ordinary people have to say and bring this up to the local government,” said Sun.Star Superbalita Cebu Editor-in-Chief Michelle So, the first speaker of the seminar.

“This (Civic journalism) is apart from the usual stories and headline items about corruption, governance or featuring or quoting spokesmen or popular talking heads like public officials. By doing civic journalism, the print media bring to public view what we usually take for granted or at times ignore and by so doing somehow bring relief or remedies or just stir public awareness of events that otherwise do not usually see print or get reported,” said PPI Chairman-President Atty. Jesus Dureza.

The journalists also applied their learning by doing news gathering in the city that headlined the news due to the alleged underwater sinkhole in Brgy. Tinago and how the residents and the government officials respond to this scenario. It was later found out that it was coastal erosion as declared by the Mines and Geosciences Bureau.

The journalists discovered that the problem of the coastal erosion goes beyond the safety of the residents near the area and the laborers who rely on their income from the port which was closed by the government due to public hazards it poses.

The participants, who are divided into different groups, presented their story ideas and how they can pursue the story not only through their print media but also in online media as well.

They also learned the tips and techniques in writing the story courtesy of the speakers which include Sun.star Baguio Editor-in-Chief May Anne Cacdac and freelance journalist Tess Bacalla.