News Highlights
Author:
Journalism Training Program,
ma145@aub.edu.lb
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Journalism Training Program holds workshops on on-line and environment journalism
 | Bloggers edit cyber audio, video clips
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Arab print, broadcast, and new media reporters converged on AUB in November and December to attend two workshops on environment and on-line journalism, respectively.
Organized by the Journalism Training Program (JTP), which falls under the wings of the Regional Extension Programs, the workshops were part of a series sponsored by the Dutch Embassy in Lebanon and launched in July 2007. |
 | Bluetooth/wireless mobile communications help bloggers and on-line journalists
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Reporters from Lebanon, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and Iraq gathered at the five-day workshop on citizen and on-line journalism, held December 3-7 and conducted by web and news media experts Jessica Dheere and Karina Rodriguez. The two shared their knowledge of blogging and cyber-publishing with participants at the state-of-the-art-equipped REP conference room, in Van Dyck.
Participants created a class blog - short for web log - and individual blogs on which they posted daily content produced during the workshop. Participants also received training on writing as well as photo, audio, and video editing and production, linking to other sites, on-line ethics, podcasting, RSS feeds, packaging stories for multimedia and different platforms, and presentations of the final products. |
 | New breed of on-line journalists
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The on-line journalism workshop included reporters from "Al-Hayat-LBC," "Al-Mustakbal" daily, "Menassat" website, "Greenpeace" website, "Al-Nour" radio, "The Middle East Reporter," "Sada Al-Balad" daily, "IREX Iraq," Iraqi newspaper "Al-Riyadh Al-Jadid," and "Al Mirbad" - Iraqi radio and television.
Participants felt so intrigued and challenged by on-line tools that they urged organizers to hold follow-up workshops on the topic. "Ib d like to request supplementary workshops to follow up on the subject," said Iraqi journalist and trainer Ubaidallah Horari who added that participants should create a database for further exchanges of information and experiences in cyberspace. |
Reporter and fledgling blogger Norma Khansa, who reveled in the ability to create and produce her own on-line content, said "We need an advanced level [workshop] in on-line journalism."
As for Hadi Abdel Ghaffar of "Al-Nour" radio, he suggested that each of the workshop session topics be developed into a separate and specialized course. He also urged organizers to provide faster and more accessible internet service to maximize journalists' efforts. |
 | Professor Iman Nuwayhid
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Meanwhile, reporters from Lebanon, Iraq, and Palestine who participated in JTP's November 26-30 workshop on environment journalism also gained new skills that would help them tackle complex topics.
This five-day mini-course featured AUB's Faculty of Health Sciences Professor Iman Nuwayhid who engaged participants in definitions of environmental health and involved them in practical exercises. |
 | Raghida Haddad
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The workshop hosted additional health experts who included Ministry of Environment Director General Berj Hatjian, managing editor of "Al-Bia' wal Tanmia" magazine Raghida Haddad, AUB assistant professor of public health Muna Khalidi, and Greenpeace activist Ghalia Fayad.
While Hatjian addressed the government's perspective and legislative concerns, Haddad focused on methods of reporting environmental and health topics using case studies from her publication. |
Health in complex emergencies was the topic of Khalidi's presentation, which was validated in footage of environmental field coverage by veteran "LBCI TV" senior correspondent Tania Mehanna, notably during Israel's July 2006 war on Lebanon.
Driving the point further was Fayad who spoke on advocacy for the environment and how her organization attracts media attention regionally and worldwide. |
 | Environment coverage workshop
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"This was a new experience for me and equipped me with invaluable information on environmental problems," commented Zahida Bader of "Palestine TV."
Also, Dr. Najib Nimah, a public health physician and field expert, went through a detailed presentation and discussion of safety for journalists in times of complex emergencies and environmental disasters. |
Not to be overlooked was the issue of media ethics in coverage of the environment, disasters and emergencies, emphasized in a session by JTP director Magda Abu-Fadil.
Adding depth to the workshop's content was a documentary film produced by the "World Conservation Union" on the oil spill in Lebanon caused by the July 2006 war. Union representative Hala Kilani discussed production of the film and its impact in raising awareness about disaster's consequences. |
 | Oil spill documentary
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Videos on global warming, protection of the earth's ozone layer, conservation, desertification and reforestation, and endangered species added dynamism to the course, as did writing exercises for the journalists from Lebanon's "An-Nahar," "As-Safir," "Sada Al-Balad," "Al-Akhbar" newspaper, "Al-Hayat-LBC TV," trainees from "United Press International," "Asharq Al-Awsat" daily, "Al-Mirbad" radio in Iraq, and "Palestine TV."
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