Student journalists gear up for election coverage

USP Journalism staff and students pose with representatives from Fiji media organisations after the first virtual seminar on basic guidelines for reporting on elections at the US Embassy on September 12. Picture: SUPPLIED/US Embassy Suva

By KAELYN DEKARUBE

As part of their coverage of the 2018 Fiji election this month, USP Journalism student reporters participated in a recent three-day virtual seminar on election reporting, organised by the US Embassy in Suva.

The virtual seminars were facilitated by journalism professor Gary Kebbel, who teaches global news, mobile and social media at the University  of Nebraska-Lincoln, and is a member of the US State Department Speaker Program on reporting on elections.

Final-year journalism student Mereoni Mili said the seminars were timely and relevant, with Fiji heading to the polls on November 14.

“As a student reporter covering elections this year for the first time, I found the workshop very useful and helpful. It broadened my understanding of the basic guidelines for reporting election,” she said.

“The seminars also provided an insight into the kinds of issues we could report on for our election coverage. One of the most important things I learnt was the role of the media to provide equal and unbiased coverage for all political parties.”

Professor Gary Kebbel engages with USP Journalism students during a virtual seminar on election reporting at the US Embassy in Suva. Picture: SUPPLIED/US Embassy

Another student, Mitieli Baleiwai, said the experience provided an opportunity to learn different reporting styles.

“Professor Kebbel showed us different approaches to covering election stories and how we could use these approaches to help people vote for the best candidate that would represent their interest,” he said.

Professor Kebbel focused on basic guidelines for reporting on elections, responsible election coverage and fact-checking candidate claims during the hour-long seminars on September 12, September 19 and September 26 respectively.

The coordinator of USP Journalism, Dr Shailendra Singh, who attended a workshop with the students, said the exercise was integral to preparations for the election coverage.

He said the seminar supplemented USP Journalism’s in-house workshops to prepare students for the event.

Among other things, the in-house workshops covered Fiji’s electoral system, the country’s political landscape, the challenges faced providing fair and balanced coverage within available time and resources, story selection and the overall responsibility of the journalist to the public. An important element of the workshop was the safety and security of journalists.

Dr Singh added the election was too good a learning opportunity to be missed in terms of applying theoretical knowledge with professional practice and experiencing the outcome.

“The idea of covering the elections is part of authentic learning in which students perform real-world tasks to bring out the practical and meaningful application of the theories and concepts learnt in the classroom. Students come to terms with both possibilities and limitations of normative journalism theories, that is the difference between how journalism ought to be practiced in an ideal situation and how it is actually practiced, based on the realities and constraints in the field,” he said.

USP Journalism students will be covering the 2018 General Election under the supervision of Dr Singh and Geraldine Panapasa, the supervising editor-in-chief of the campus-based newspaper, Wansolwara. The objective of the election coverage is to give students practical experience about an important democratic process while also becoming acquainted with key issues affecting the country as well as understanding the election process.

The Wansolwara elections team, comprising three staff members and 10 final-year journalism students, will cover major areas in the Western Division from Sigatoka to Korovou as well as major parts of the Southern and Central divisions. Wansolwara will publish a special edition on the election, focusing on the human interest elements as well as a content analysis of people’s expectations of government.

* Kaelyn Dekarube (Nauru) is a final-year journalism student at The University of the South Pacific in Suva.

USP Journalism staff and students with US Embassy public affairs officer Rebecca Archer-Knepper (middle back) and freelance journalist Lice Movono (second from right back) after the final virtual seminar with Professor Kebbel. Picture: SUPPLIED/US Embassy Suva

Wansolwara supervising editor in chief Geraldine Panapasa (middle) and final-year journalism students go through in-house training on election reporting. Picture: ROHIT KUMAR

Final-year journalism students with their media accreditation from the Fijian Elections Office. Picture: WANSOLWARA STAFF