USP students make UNESCO TV Series

By Salesh Kumar
USP Journalism Programme

SUVA: A series of regional television news items on sustainable development made by journalism students is currently being shown on SPC's high-rating regional show Pacific Way.

The second-year television students with the university of the South Pacific's journalism programme produced the 15 "news spots" about sustainability issues in the region.

Funded by a UNESCO media grant, the short items illustrate the concept of sustainable development in several Pacific Island countries.

The new initiative was undertaken in close cooperation with UNESCO and the SPC's Regional Media Centre.

The students produced the items at the SPC Media Centre in Nabua and were previewed at the inaugural USP journalism awards night late last year.

SPC's television/video specialist Conrad Mill said he was impressed with the talents shown by the students.

"I think they did very well with the resources available to them. With more experience they are sure to cope extremely well," Mill said.

The sustainability series is being shown in 14 South Pacific nations. Mill said: "There have been positive responses to the series".

The sustainability series was recently shown on EMTV in Papua New Guinea, receiving congratulatory messages from viewers. Some of the spots have also been shown on Fiji Television.

Mill added that SPC looked forward to strengthening the cooperative relationship with USP in media training programmes.

Journalism coordinator David Robie said the project had steered the students in the right direction for television production and said the programme was working towards establishing a digital editing facility later this semester.

Christine Gounder, a final-year degree journalism student who was also involved in production of the regional items, is now on industry attachment with Fiji Television.

"We tested and mastered our production skills working with realistic deadlines. At the same time we become camera-friendly and learned editing techniques," said Gounder.

Mathew Yakai, a reporter with Nau FM in Port Moresby who was also on the project, said: "EM TV ran the documentary and it was very popular."

The USP journalism programme is gearing up this year for a similar series jointly with UNESCO, this time on the theme "Culture of peace".

+++niuswire

PACIFIC MEDIA WATCH ONLINE: http://www.pmw.c2o.org

© Scoop Media