* Any views expressed in this opinion piece are those of the author and not of Thomson Reuters Foundation.
A room full of journalists will always entail an array of powerful opinions.
MY EXPERIENCE WITH THOMSON REUTERS
BY: IRFAN QURAISHI
What really happens when journalists meet? A room full of journalists will always entail an array of powerful opinions. Thanks to the prestigious Thomson Reuters Foundation, I feel I have achieved one more milestone in my journalism career, along with my fellow participants.
The Foundation provided me not only with an opportunity to groom but also to see the ‘mistaken’ journalist within and around me, through its newly launched Editorial Judgment training program.
What made me decide to write this story of my experience is simply having the chance to work with Keith Stafford, my trainer, and ‘to implement solutions and tell others’ - his principle of ‘Editorial Judgment’.
The principles which we all may know but not identify is to carry out simple tests of your news judgment before rushing to publish a news story. First, consult your gut feeling or conscience; second, consult your family; third, your peers, and fourth, publication. If still, you don’t find a solution, ask first – is the story for the ’greater good’, second – what are your precedents saying, and third, do you ‘care for others’.
Keith’s principles reminded me of my turbulent homeland, the paradise Kashmir. It reminds me of journalistic dealings with the subject of Kashmir. I believe if the global society of journalists discharges its duties in line with these principles of editorial judgment, which are typically taught only in journalism schools, the dangers of rumors could be minimized and much damage prevented.
What a week it was for news. The passion, enthusiasm and curiosity that 14 Indian participants brought to the room bode well for the future of journalism in the country, where both reporters and audiences are hungry for accurate and unbiased news that tells the whole story. It was a privilege to play a small part in shaping the news agenda from the region and to meet young journalists of India and trainers from Thomson Reuters, who reminded us of the value of good journalism in this age of information overdose.
This course was designed to enhance editorial judgment in the choice of pictures, text and other media and in newsroom management. It was designed to protect a media company brand by making logical and ethical decisions on the use of media material.
We attended a mixture of lectures and presentations interwoven with case studies designed to place participants in decision-making dilemmas, which triggered discussions on the latest changes in the media profession. The course was heavily-weighted to text, so that participants wrote stories throughout the week, with personal feedback.
At the end of the course participants were able to do what the course description promised - publish accurate, balanced, fair and objective stories, images and video material, spot potential hoaxes and handle rumors in an authoritative manner, and identify potential legal problems, particularly with regards to defamation and privacy.
Irfan Quraishi is a national TV journalist. He attended the Thomson Reuters Foundation’s inaugural program on Editorial Judgment in Mumbai in November 2013.
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