Seminars: Information sourcesFORMAT 60/90 minute Seminar TOPIC / SUBJECT / THEME Understanding and making best use of information sources PURPOSE (Journalistic and children’s rights messages you hope to communicate)
OUTCOME / RESULT (What you expect the students to have learned) · The value of planning ahead for feature stories · The importance of a well-stocked Contacts Book · The value of scepticism (everyone has a motive) · A comprehensive range of contacts ASSESSMENT/EVALUATION (Measuring success, for you and for the students)
RESOURCES (Equipment and materials needed for implementation) ’The Media and Children’s Rights’ handbook Access to the internet. IMPLEMENTATION (How the session will be delivered) A. Preparation
B. At the seminar 1. The tutor should begin by rehearsing the purpose of the seminar. 2. Ask a random selection of students to explain their story theme, their sources and why and how they were chosen. (Make a point of asking at least one strong student and a weaker one.) 3. Other students could be asked to comment on the choices, and suggest alternatives (with reference to their own listings). 4. The tutor could then lead discussion around the following points. Never just rely on ONE source for information about anything. Always cross check, by approaching someone else who might be expected to confirm or contradict what you have already been told. It is important to be confident about your sources, and to recognise that most organisations (official and non-governmental) have their own ‘agenda’. A journalist must always consider their motivation for supplying or refusing information. It is worth discussing this personal assessment with colleagues, and it should inform your use of the material. However it is not the journalist’s job to express a personal opinion in a news story about the motivation behind co-operation or non-co-operation of sources (leave that to the comment columnists). If someone refuses to answer a legitimate question, allow your audience to make their own judgements by telling them, for example: ‘XX had no comment to make’ (or ‘XX was not available to comment’). Official bodies – ask students
· Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) can be a useful source of information for media professionals. NGOs tend to tackle issues and reach out to groups that are often at the margins of government policy. · Build up a network of contacts within NGOs - they can be a valuable source of (accurate and reliable) information, and they are able to provide an alternative perspective and to promote policy change at a local and national level. How they operate and how they are funded can make interesting features and helps others to appreciate the work they do. It is also a good way of checking which can be trusted and which should be avoided. · Staff working in NGOs can provide advice and expertise on child rights as well as interesting human interest stories. Many NGOs, including UNICEF, automatically provide up-to-date information to the media. They can also react quickly to queries from journalists who want an expert comment on news events. · In exchange for their co-operation they expect media professionals to protect the interests, rights and dignity of an individual child or a group of children. In this way a relationship of trust can be established. · However, All NGOs too have their own ‘agenda’ and some may have 'skeletons' they wish to hide. Ask the students to suggest NGO motives for co-operating with the media: — seeking social change for the good — advocacy for their clients — promoting their activities — obtaining publicity that will help with fundraising — rivalry with competing NGOs — personal ambition — ‘political’ motives (to criticise policy, politicians, or political parties) · Access to the Internet is of increasing importance to journalists seeking free information that can cross international, political and cultural boundaries. Most organisations, including NGOs, now have their own websites. · You can now search the Internet for information on millions of linked web-sites. UNESCO, for example, has complied a list of sites relating to paedophilia. · Obtaining authoritative facts and figures from other countries can be a useful (and interesting) way of highlighting successes and failures in your own country. · Major news organisations in all countries also have web-sites which are regularly updated with the latest news headlines; some have specialist sections dealing with social issues. These include, for example, the BBC which is one of the most-accessed news websites in the world. · ‘Blogs’ and ‘News groups’ can be useful if you are trying to contact an expert in a particular subject or simply want to get in touch with individuals involved in a certain activity. But always check out the provenance of anything you quote. Just because something is on the internet does not mean it can be trusted… 5. Ask students to hand in their story presentations for marking or comment. ALTERNATIVELY – ask them to review their story plans in the light of the seminar discussions and then produce the story (500 words maximum) © The MediaWise Trust
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