South India: Seminars on Quality Journalism

 

In mid-September. Peace Counts coordinator Michael Gleich traveled at the invitation of the Goethe Center to Thiruvananthapuram (Trivandrum), capital of the Indian state of Kerala, where the exhibit "Peacebuilders Around the World" was on display in the local press club. Gleich led two interactive workshops on the theme of quality journalism. One group consisted of 30 students from the Institute of Journalism, part of the Trivandrum press club. The other was composed of professionals from media outlets including Indian Express, Malayala Manorama and Business India. In both sessions, there was lively discussion on the potential for journalism to be researched independently and critically while keeping a distance from sensationalism. The honorary director of the Goethe Center, Ibrahim Syed, remarked that "Indian journalists generally receive solid training, but once they begin their careers, there are no further opportunities for professional development." In his opinion, there is an unmet need for seminars like those offered by Peace Counts, in which quality and "constructive journalism" are primary concerns. The Indian Express devoted a half page in its September 19th edition to the project under the headline "Michael Gleich, founder of Peace Counts, speaks for a shift from sensational to constructive journalism with a focus on solutions."