ID :
166825
Wed, 03/09/2011 - 13:43
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/166825
The shortlink copeid
Journalists need to be sensitive to plural socıety's background
KOTA KINABALU (Sabah, Malaysia) March 9 (Bernama) -- Often the media is blamed for bias or inaccurate reporting when covering race or religious issues that crop up time to time with the writers often blamed for failing to see the issues objectively.
While the media fraternity too is aware on the pitfalls in covering such issues, members of the media attending a one-day workshop held here recently concurred that the country needs journalists who are more aware and sensitive on the country's multi-religious and multi-cultural background.
Ten journalists from different medium of publication (newpapers and online news portals) from the east Malaysian state of Sabah participated in the workshop conducted by Centre of Independent Journalism (CIJ)entitled 'Reporting on Race and Ethnicity', a first on such topic to be organised for the media here.
The media participants also found that race and ethnicity are not offered as crucial subject in mass communication and journalism courses at local higher learning institutions in the country.
THINKING OUT OF THE BOX
Casey Lee who works for a local English daily, New Sabah Times, thinks training for reporting on race and ethnicity is very relevant to help broaden the reporters' view about the subject matter and promote 'out of the box' thinking.
"This is an important element as it is related with maintaining the harmonious multi-racial and multi-religious backgrounds in Malaysia. And the media has a role to play in this.
"When we write news reports, we have to learn to focus that the issues are really about the people and not the race. We can't generalise that it is a race issue when just a few people are involved," he stated.
Suraida Roslan who has worked for two years with a regional newspaper - The Borneo Post - said it was unfortunate that the mass communication course she took before did not delve deep into this particular subject.
She stressed that this is particularly important especially to rookie reporters like her, as they might not be aware how their reporting on such a sensitive topic could actually affect public response and perception.
Wendy Radin Malleh who works for a news portal - Insight Sabah - said the course made participants 'to ask questions that they never thought of asking before'.
"Sometimes we have the tendency to interview only certain groups of people but if we widen our search and see things from other perspective, without taking into account our own racial background ..., this is the challenge for reporters," she said.
She was fortunate to have taken optional subjects in humanity,
religion and philosophy during her tertiary studies. Those who have yet to learn or exposed to other religious practices may find it somewhat hard in approaching such issues objectively.
The participants also concluded that any narrow perspective of the media world would be counter productive to the 1Malaysia concept.
While the media fraternity too is aware on the pitfalls in covering such issues, members of the media attending a one-day workshop held here recently concurred that the country needs journalists who are more aware and sensitive on the country's multi-religious and multi-cultural background.
Ten journalists from different medium of publication (newpapers and online news portals) from the east Malaysian state of Sabah participated in the workshop conducted by Centre of Independent Journalism (CIJ)entitled 'Reporting on Race and Ethnicity', a first on such topic to be organised for the media here.
The media participants also found that race and ethnicity are not offered as crucial subject in mass communication and journalism courses at local higher learning institutions in the country.
THINKING OUT OF THE BOX
Casey Lee who works for a local English daily, New Sabah Times, thinks training for reporting on race and ethnicity is very relevant to help broaden the reporters' view about the subject matter and promote 'out of the box' thinking.
"This is an important element as it is related with maintaining the harmonious multi-racial and multi-religious backgrounds in Malaysia. And the media has a role to play in this.
"When we write news reports, we have to learn to focus that the issues are really about the people and not the race. We can't generalise that it is a race issue when just a few people are involved," he stated.
Suraida Roslan who has worked for two years with a regional newspaper - The Borneo Post - said it was unfortunate that the mass communication course she took before did not delve deep into this particular subject.
She stressed that this is particularly important especially to rookie reporters like her, as they might not be aware how their reporting on such a sensitive topic could actually affect public response and perception.
Wendy Radin Malleh who works for a news portal - Insight Sabah - said the course made participants 'to ask questions that they never thought of asking before'.
"Sometimes we have the tendency to interview only certain groups of people but if we widen our search and see things from other perspective, without taking into account our own racial background ..., this is the challenge for reporters," she said.
She was fortunate to have taken optional subjects in humanity,
religion and philosophy during her tertiary studies. Those who have yet to learn or exposed to other religious practices may find it somewhat hard in approaching such issues objectively.
The participants also concluded that any narrow perspective of the media world would be counter productive to the 1Malaysia concept.
