This training not only encourages us journalists to overcome various challenges we face in the media field, it also shaped us with new skills and knowledge that really requires in the media especially with the modern technology.

The leadership training on the first week was an inspiring and a very powerful one. I’ve come to understand three leadership styles (democratic, autocratic, leizzes -fair) which are all applicable to media task depending on the situation and time and the importance to use the right words for the right people. Knowing your your value and understanding other people’s values and respect them will help you to continue communication with understanding of the message distributed in each news item published or broadcast on radio and television.

The public also need to have a better understanding of the government budget. Media role as toe inform and educate – should be able to clearly identify the where and why for example a large amount of money allocated to the health division while a reduction shows in the education department. If there’s an introduction of a new taxation system, media should be able to explain that taxation clearly. I found he economic and financial reporting part of the training very helpful. Its a good freshen up and fruitful training for all of us participants. It reminds us journalists, that we should be well equipped with methods of covering financial and economic issues in the country and make sure that we feed the people with factual and accurate information especially when it comes to government budget.

The above audio attached, is an interview of one participant from Timor Leste, Tonga and Indonesia about their experience of the training. It shows how much experience they have l so far on the first 2 weeks of the fellowship training.

The introduction of mobile journalism and social media symbolizes how APJC Fellowship takes us Pacific and Asian countries to modern technology as both regions need to keep up with the time.

It shows us different and fastest ways of telling a story and collecting information using the latest global technology BUT to get things right and to verify information and sources on social media is another big challenge that we, journalists should be taking into account as we walk in different paths of distributing information.

It is always good to be true, to be first one to break the news but at the same time, the emphasis of the mobile journalism session is to make sure that you VERIFY and get your facts RIGHT.

Thanks APJC for such fruitful, in fact very helpful training – it encourages us to improve our performance and make a change when we all return home to our respective countries for the betterment f our own people and our own country.

APJC fellowship 2015 participants