| By Abena Rockcliffe and Zena HenryStarting today, members of the local media fraternity will benefit from an interactive and professional training workshop under the theme, “Democracy, Journalism, and Responsibility: Expectations for an Informed Society.”Quoting Warren Buffett, an American businessman and philanthropist who said “the smarter the journalists are, the better off society is. For to a degree,Cheap NFL Jerseys China, people read the press to inform themselves — and the better the teacher,Wholesale Jerseys Group, the better the student body,” American Ambassador D. Brent Hardt registered the need for such a programme in Guyana.The programme, hosted at Moray House Trust, Camp andFrom left: Award Winning Journalist, Andrew Alexander, US Ambassador D. Brent Hardt, Director of the Centre for Communication Studies at UG, Ms. Carolyn Walcott, Dr. Yusuf Kalyango and Deputy Vice Chancellor of UG, Phillip Da Silva.Quamina Streets, is a collaboration between the United States of America; Ohio University’s Institute for International Journalism in the Scripps College of Communication and the United States Embassy, Georgetown. It is being facilitated by the Centre for Communication Studies, University of Guyana, and will be spearheaded by two renowned international media veterans – African national Dr. Yusuf Kalyango and American-born Andrew Alexander.Delivering remarks to officially launch the programme were Ambassador Hardt; Carolyn Walcott, Director of the Centre for Communication Studies, Faculty of Social Sciences University of Guyana and Phillip Da Silva, Deputy Vice Chancellor of UG.Dr. Kalyango and Mr. Alexander also delivered remarks.As he spoke to an audience of reporters and stakeholders, the US Ambassador mentioned the benefits of having working collaborations and the responsibility that associates itself with the work of journalists.Hardt said that working collaborations bring different people closer together, enabling them to tackle similar problems faced. This, he said, includes citizen security, economic hostility, social inclusion and environmental responsibility.He said that professional training encourages the dissemination of accurate, objective and balanced information. “The media plays an indispensable role in building a democratic society.”The envoy stressed that the press fosters active public debate and serves as a forum to express different points of view, “particularly on behalf of those who are marginalized in society. It serves a crucial function in being one of the few institutions capable of promoting vigilance against abuses of the law and government authority. It does this through investigative journalism, by raising the transparency of judicial, legislative, and administrative proceedings, by its access to public officials and public documents, and, most importantly, by its ability to translate this access into clear, coherent, accessible,China Jerseys Online, and interesting reporting.”Hardt made no qualms to point out that “unfortunately, the press is often a target of retaliation or restrictions by those who feel threatened by freedom of expression and transparency in democratic processes.”He pointed out that journalists are often the first to uncover “corruption,” to report from the frontlines of conflict zones, and to highlight missteps by governments.“Because of their work, many journalists around the world face not only physical danger, but other attempts to silence their voices, such as legal intimidation and threats to their livelihood.”The Ambassador said that the United States, “despite our own imperfections, remains a persistent advocate for the freedom of expression. We continue to raise media freedom issues in bilateral discussions with other governments as well as in multilateral bodies.”Hardt noted that the United States Embassy in Guyana actively supports initiatives to strengthen journalistic ethics, to build media capacity, and to encourage professionalization of the press corps.“This workshop is the latest example of our longstanding engagement with the media in Guyana,Wholesale Stitched Jerseys,” he pointed out.In brief remarks, Walcott highlighted several reasons why such a workshop was necessary. She pointed out that of all the media houses visited, it was very clear that reporters needed training. She said that since UG’s Centre for Communication Studies was established in 1975, its mandate has always been to train, but with a more strategic repositioning of responsibilities. She emphasized that “the need to tool and retool” reporters have been recognized to enable media persons to better report on issues occurring, specifically in Guyana.She explained that a reporter’s job is very important to society in terms of building strong foundations.“A strong society is as strong as its team of reporters,” Walcott posited. “Governments cannot be held accountable unless there is a strong principle of reporting among our reporters here in Guyana.”She said that for this purpose, the need to strengthen local media workers has also been recognized.UG’s Deputy Vice Chancellor related that the University’s communication centre “is cognizant of its role to facilitate training and education to enhance the knowledge and to sharpen the skills of journalists in Guyana.” The workshop’s theme, Da Silva charged “is based on the recognition that media education remains a vital element of any democracy.” He said journalists do more than inform,Wholesale Jerseys, since in any democratic country, they give the voiceless a voice and make it possible to monitor the factors that shape lives.Dr. Kalyango spoke extensively on the benefits of foreign interaction, especially for the purpose of development within the journalism field. He is an Associate Professor and the Director of the Institute for International Journalism in the E. W. Scripps School of Journalism at Ohio University in the United States. He obtained his Ph.D. at the University of Missouri – School of Journalism.Andrew Alexander is a former Washington Post ombudsman and an award-winning journalist. With a career that spans four decades, Alexander has reported from more than 50 countries across the world and won prizes in investigative journalism.Alexander stressed yesterday that journalism is all about accuracy, fairness, independency,Cheap Jerseys From China Outlet, and borders sometimes on being aggressive. The veteran said that it is okay for journalists to be confrontational in a professional way with the people who hold power.He indicated that the workshop will touch on ethics of journalism, medical and political reporting.Alexander sought to point out that journalism is “occasionally messy and chaotic” but it is a career that holds an incredible amount of importance for the development and protection of society. |
