FIVE-DAY MEDIA TRAINING COURSE ON POST-ELECTION REPORTING SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED IN LAHORE

Post Election Reporting
Five-day Media Training Course in Lahore organized by WMC & supported by NED

As success is not only achieved by hard work alone but it is mixed by a little bit of motivation and encouragement. Women Media Center, supported by National Endowment for Democracy (NED) have successfully accomplished its 5 day media training workshop on “Post Election Reporting” conducted in Lahore, for women journalists, and media students. The workshop was attended by approximately 40 media students, some faculty members and professionals both print and electronic media.
The vital success marked was the showcase ceremony which got live coverage in about 85 percent news channels of Pakistan and 95 percent of the print media. In this ceremony, Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Senator Pervaiz Rasheed, who was the chief guest, he said that society was divided on the basis of gender and all were responsible for maintaining discrimination on gender. He exerted the women to play a role in overcoming the barrier and avoid isolating themselves. “Women are individuals in societies and individuals cannot be discriminated against on the basis of color, cast or creed, men and women are equal and nobody was superior to others”. He urged the women journalists to play their role in bringing the truth to the masses as it was the ideal of all journalists. He strongly believes that the effects of women participation in media and politics are starting to be seen, and that more women are participating in politics within Pakistan.

The main objective behind this workshop was to train the participants the process of post election reporting in Pakistan. Acknowledging the participants with the procedures of National Assembly, selection of leader of the House, Speaker and Deputy Speaker, selection of provincial leaders of the house, oath taking ceremony and the completion of power transfer. In addition to that the workshop also enlightened the participants about the assessment of legislation and tabling of bill, with methods of distribution of seats and reserved seats for women in Punjab Assembly. The workshop also focused on some professional and practical training like script writing, camera handling, editing, voice over, on camera and team work exercise.
The opening day of the workshop was initiated with the welcome speech given by, the Executive Director of WMC, Fauzia Shaheen. In her speech she particularly highlighted the compulsion for women journalists themselves to become strong advocates for women empowerment at a holistic level. After that, another Speaker Mr. Gohar Butt, Chief Reporter Daily Waqt, conducted the session on the role of women today in National Assembly. The first day of the workshop was ended by the remarkable techniques of Script Writing given by Mr. Qazi Asif.
On the second day of the workshop, Mohammad Farooq, Senior Producer AP, South Asia, guided participants with the procedures of camera handling and some shooting techniques. Another speaker Nadeem Akhtar, PIFD, demonstrated the role of youth in promoting democracy in Pakistan. The third and fourth day of the workshop was quite interesting and challenging for the participants, they were sent to interview PTI, Mahmood-ur-Rasheed, PML (N) Uzma Bukhari and Chief of Punjab Election Commissioner. The participants find this practical work very beneficial and productive for their future.
On the final day of the workshop, the news packages were shown in the session and the trainees were rewarded by the certificates distributed to them by the Chief Guest.