PM to address journalists

THIS week is National Journalism Week in Trinidad and Tobago. This coincides with today’s observances of World Press Freedom Day. The week of activities began yesterday and will include a dinner and media exhibition and conference, featuring journalists from the Commonwealth and the Caribbean. The activities are being hosted by the Commonwealth Journalists Association (CCJ) in collaboration with the Conference of Caribbean Media (CCM) and the University of the West Indies (UWI).

Yesterday evening Professor Rex Nettleford, Vice Chancellor of UWI, formally launched the media exhibition in collaboration with CL Communications at the Campus Grounds, UWI, St Augustine. The exhibition features profiles of several prominent journalists and will provide information about the profession. It will end on Saturday, May 8. Today at 8 am, Prime Minister Patrick Manning is expected to deliver an address as part of the Commonwealth Caribbean Media Conference. The conference will run until Wednesday at the Learning Resource Centre, UWI. Today’s opening session will also feature addresses by President of the CJA, Hassan Shahriar and UWI Principal Dr Bhoe Tewarie, as well as the launch of the Commonwealth Journalism Review and Press Freedom Status Reports on the Caribbean and Commonwealth.

Several interesting topics relevant to the profession will be covered, including today’s topics “Reporting Under Siege” and “Shoring Up the Defence.” Tomorrow’s session will begin with an address on “The Digital Newsroom” by Professor Stephen Quinn. The topics to be discussed are “Journalism 2020: Are We Ready?”; “Convergence: The Next Wave”; “Survival Strategies for Public Broadcasting” and “The Quota Question — Legislate Local Content or Not.” At Wednesday’s session discussions will be held on “Ethics and Conduct — When ‘story at any price’ is too high”; “When the Big Story Breaks — Assessing the Coverage of Aids Crisis” and “The New Breed — Breaking the Mould.” The gala event of the week will be held tonight at the Principal’s Gardens, UWI. It is the inaugural CJA Dinner and Lecture in collaboration with the NLCB, at which Njobile Nyathi, Editor, Daily News, Zimbabwe will speak on the topic of “Journalism Under the Gun.” The evening will also feature an awards ceremony.