In this project, SPF will provide on-the-job training in media ethics, article composition, information gathering and interview methods to improve the capabilities of mid-career and young journalists from Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar and Vietnam.

This year, the following activities will be carried out.

• Training for journalists (outsourced to Media Education and Development Initiative for ASEAN Region (MEDIAR))
  
  • (1) Training for young journalists (Phnom Penh, one 6-week course, 8 participants, twice annually)
    Journalists currently active in ASEAN (Ross Dunkley, Geoffrey Goddard, Yuli Ismartono, Kavi Chongkittavorn) will be invited to lecture on practical aspects of journalism, including composition of ethical articles written using the "5W1H" approach, efficient and effective information gathering, writing leading paragraphs, gathering information at meetings and seminars, and creation of press releases.
  • (2) Training for mid-career journalists (Phnom Penh, annual 6-week course, 8 participants)
    Once again, journalists currently active in ASEAN will be invited to give lectures, this time on skills necessary for senior writers, including editing, layout, and writing editorials.
• Project management (self-operated part)
  SPF will conduct monitoring of project-related activities, and will liaise with MEDIAR, the organization carrying out the outsourced part of this project.

From February 20 to March 29, training was held in Phnom Penh for mid-career journalists from South East Asia. Seven journalists from Cambodia and two journalists from Myanmar took part in the training under the guidance of two journalists from Australia. Over the 40 day training period, the trainees studied delivery of web news in digital format, creation of audio-visual materials, the use of social media and live streaming, video creation skills, and the use of web graphics.

The trainees had the following comments on the course: "I was able to learn systematically about the creation and delivery of online news"; "It was highly informative to learn how news videos must be created within a given time frame and containing vital information"; "Journalists need to learn the various methods for information delivery though the social media available online".

This year, SPAF will build on its results to date and continue its program to improve the capabilities of journalists from South East Asia.