PIB and UNICEF collaborate to sensitize media on COVID-19 in Guwahati

A CORRESPONDENT

DHUBRI: PIB and UNICEF collaborated to sensitize media on COVID-19 and organized webinar in Guwahati on Wednesday. Director General, North East Zone, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, LR Vishwanath, while addressing the third webinar, said that the webinar on COVID-19 would surely help in sensitising the journalists who were in the frontline to cover the pandemic.

The webinar was organized by Press Information Bureau (PIB), Guwahati in collaboration with UNICEF for journalists of Assam. The first workshop for media representatives from 12 districts of Assam was conducted on April 29 and the second workshop was conducted on May 6.

"Media must attribute to the official sources while making news story and should not promote any traditional preventive measures suggested by non-official persons," said senior journalist Samudra Gupta Kashyap while addressing the media personnel on ethics in reporting on COVID-19. He further said that media should properly spread information based on accurate facts on COVID-19 related stories.

The Press Information Bureau, Guwahati organized the Webinar for journalists from 21 districts of Assam and it was conducted by experts from UNICEF and media who took sessions on health, child protection, ethical reporting, children's issues for on-ground reporting and safety guidelines. More than 30 journalists from the 21 districts along with the DIPROs of the districts participated in the workshop through video conference.

While addressing the media, Chief of Field Office of UNICEF, Assam, Dr Madhulika Jonathan said, "Media, among other agencies, have a critical responsibility. They play an important role in raising awareness, dispelling myths, exposing misleading information, as well as in promoting kindness, preventing stigma and building confidence among people by reporting in a fair manner and on accurate reports."

Senior journalist Mrinal Talukdar said that report on human interest and success stories from different parts of the north-eastern region must be given due priority. Positive stories along with photographs must be highlighted as the COVID-19 cases were low in the Northeast as compared to the rest of the country, he added.

Joint Director of DD News Guwahati, Varun Bhardwaj talked about the role of Doordarshan as a Public Service Broadcaster during COVID-19. He asserted that DD News Guwahati was trying to maintain the credibility and authenticity intact while covering COVID-19.

News Editor, All India Radio Guwahati, Manas Pratim Sarma, also talked about role of AIR in creating mass awareness during COVID-19 while Joint Director, PIB Guwahati, Keerti Tiwari, in her closing remarks said that the main aim of the workshop was to sensitize the media personnel of Assam who were in the frontline to cover COVID-19.