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AMIC honors Braid with Research Award |
Dr. Florangel Rosario-Braid, AIJC president emeritus and chairperson of the UNESCO National Commission Communication Committee, was conferred the 2008 AMIC Research Award. The recognition was given during the recent 17th Asian Media Information and Communication Centre (AMIC) Annual Conference held at the Manila Hotel.
In introducing the Awardee, world renowned communication scholar and AMIC Trustee John A. Lent cited Dr. Braid’s “continuing and illustrious career in journalism and mass communication as a practitioner, teacher, scholar, author and organizer.”
One of Braid’s outstanding qualities, according to Dr. Lent, is her commitment to activist scholarship as she continues to research, write and teach on issues of social change. Dr. Braid was co-founder of AIJC in 1980 and was a member of the 1986 Constitutional Commission where she introduced provisions on education, communication media, cooperatives and social justice.
During the annual conference, Dr. Braid also presented a paper at the 4th AMIC Distinguished Forum. In her paper, she challenged communication media professionals to take a more activist and lead role in development. Said Dr. Braid, “If we are asked to lead in the knowledge society, why are we not at the forefront when it comes to responding to the most urgent problems today?” Other forum speakers were Prof. Naren Chitty of Macquarie University and Prof. Martin Hadlow of the University of Queensland in Australia.
Recently, Dr. Braid was the Ten Outstanding Filipino (TOFIL) Awardee for Literature and Journalism and recipient of the Hildegaard Award for Women in Media and Communication given by St. Scholastica’s College. |
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Braid lectures at AMIC |
What is the role of media and communication in changing societies?
This question was the focus of the lecture delivered by AIJC President Emeritus and Senior Adviser Florangel Rosario-Braid at the 17th Asian Media Information and Communication Centre (AMIC) Annual Conference held in Manila on July 14-17. Attended by media and communication specialists from Southeast Asia, the Conference was also graced by the local communication community and development partners.
Dr. Braid noted that much effort has been undertaken on development studies but “the scope of the challenge has never been as great as that presented by the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).”
“The MDGs are measurable, time-bound, and attainable. When achieved, 500 million are expected to be lifted out of poverty, 250 million will no longer suffer from hunger, 30 million children and 2 million mothers will not die…. But the MDGs will need greater focus, and a sense of urgency. This is a communication challenge,” Dr. Braid stated.
“If we are asked to lead in the knowledge society, why are we not at the forefront when it comes to responding to the most urgent global problems today?” she asked.
Dr. Braid cited six major implications on the role of communication in changing societies, namely: 1) management of multidisciplinary knowledge, 2) management and balancing of tensions, conflicts and interests which are present not only in environmental issues but in other areas, 3) acting in its traditional watchdog function, but broadening it by becoming a fulcrum for trending and forecasting, 4) designing proactive communication strategies, 5) translation of knowledge into policies and providing the strategy and forum for policy advocacy, and 6) theory building around the new realities of the local and global environment.
One of the 2008 AMIC Research Award recipients, Dr. Braid challenged the Conference participants to work together with Communication for Development (C4D) as a crucial tool.
“The C4D community cannot remain in the sidelines of today’s Knowledge Society. It has to play a lead role. It has to be an activist if it has to remain relevant”, Dr. Braid said. |
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AIJC President raises impact of new media |
“New and perhaps more ‘insidious’ media technologies have emerged,” AIJC President Ramon R. Tuazon bared before more than 200 participants in the 17th Asian Media Information and Communication Centre (AMIC) Annual Conference held on July 14-17, 2008 at the Manila Hotel.
In a paper entitled “Plug In, Create, Connect and Collaborate: Media and the Development of the Filipino Child” presented at the conference, Tuazon pointed out the “emerging dominance of the digital media” and explained that these technologies have drastically changed the media landscape or “media spacescape” worldwide in the past three decades.
“Even though technological innovations occur more rapidly today ‘at the speed of a speeding bullet,’ the basic issue of media impact on child development remains a priority concern,” Tuazon said as he raised the alarm of media influence in the formation of knowledge, attitude and behavior of the world’s future leaders.
“But whether old and new media have positive or negative (or both) impact on child development depends to a large extent on media access and utilization patterns and behavior. In less than a decade, the Philippine media landscape has been dramatically transformed by new (digital) media.”
He further noted that the new media, composed of mobile phone, online gaming and the programs and activities spawned by the internet, should be closely monitored and evaluated to determine how these could be used for the growth and development of children and youth. Tuazon cited blogging, use of Friendster and other networking tool, and internet access as new ways to acquire information from anywhere via the worldwide web.
“ICT (or information and communication technology) has enhanced the independence of today’s children/youth. The average age of first-time mobile phone users is eight years old! The earliest known blog in the Philippines was made by ten-year old Lauren Dado in 1996,” Tuazon said.
He underscored that the new basic needs of a child to plug in, create, connect, and collaborate may be the same needs of adults in the 21st century. |
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AIJC conducts writing workshop for NGO |
AIJC designed and conducted a seminar-workshop on Writing Effectively for Project Documentation for 16 staff of World Vision Development Foundation on July 3-4, 2008 in Quezon City.
The participants are involved in the organization’s anti-tuberculosis project nationwide in areas such as social work and networking, compliance and monitoring of medical treatment, and evaluation.
The seminar focused on process reporting, principles of clear and effective writing, the process of pre-writing, and content development in various formats. The participants also learned the proper use of photos, photo editing, and proper captioning.
Aside from interactive discussions, other learning methodologies used were one-on-one mentoring and intensive writing drills. |
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Cebu journalist wins Gawad Plaridel 2008 award |
A Cebu-based editor is the awardee of the U.P. Gawad Plaridel 2008, the sole award of the University of the Philippines system for outstanding media practitioners. Atty. Pacifico “Cheking” Seares, editor-in-chief of Sun-Star Cebu and Sun-Star Superbalita (Cebu), Atty. Seares received the award on July 4, 2008 at ceremonies held at the UP Film Institute in Diliman, Quezon City.
This year’s Gawad Plaridel, which was for community print media, cited Seares for “instilling in community journalists the highest professional and ethical standards,” “for charting, in a manner both visionary and revolutionary, the direction of various news and media organizations,” and “for promoting not just excellence in the practice of community journalism but also the rights and welfare of community journalists,” among others.
Named after Marcelo H. del Pilar who used the pen name Plaridel, Gawad Plaridel recognizes a media practitioner’s efforts and commitment to use the print, broadcast, film and new media for an independent, vigilant and just society.
The Asian Institute of Journalism and Communication is privileged to have nominated Atty. Seares for the Gawad Plaridel 2008. |
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AIJC values partners and former co-workers. We rejoice when we hear good news from their side…
Nilo Yacat and his wife Aires are brand new parents to a 4.4 lbs baby boy named Heaven Czar born on July 26, 2008. Nilo is an alumnus and guest lecturer of the AIJC Graduate School. He is a communication specialist at UNICEF.
Former AIJC program officer and currently The Manila Times senior desk editor Nora Gamolo was one of the ten finalists in the Jaime V. Ongpin Awards for Excellence in Journalism for 2007. Her entry “Environment to government: manage garbage, do not promote landfills, dumps” bested more than 300 entries. Gamolo also writes a column for The Manila Times and edits the paper’s OFW Times section on Sundays. |
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