Journalist Workshop
Concept note - Turning Water into News
Journalist Workshop at the 2011 World Water Week in Stockholm
Water is becoming more topical in news streams around the world, reflecting journalistic awareness of the severity of the escalating global water crisis. Water reporting has also become more diversified, as reporters tackle the water aspects of topics such as climate change, food and energy production and consumption, political borders and negotiations, nature preservation and health. However, reporting on water-related issues is still often down prioritised against other pressing news. The water aspects of climate change or the aftermath of catastrophic natural disasters are often seen as "slow news", despite the increased awareness among journalists.
Aim of the Workshop
The aim of this workshop is to get participants to share experiences on how they turn "water into news". The workshop will be divided into three parts: short presentations, panel discussions, and group work. Participants will be encouraged to share experiences from their own unique reporting environments on how to scale up reporting on water issues. The workshop also aims to help journalists make the best out of the World Water Week, by giving them logistical, and content-related experience on how they could cover the week as efficiently and smoothly as possible.
Setting
The workshop will take place at the Press Center (Press Conference Room) at the Stockholm International Fairs on Sunday, the 21 August, 2011 (the first-day of the World Water Week). The workshop will be a half-day event between 13:30 and 17:00. It will include a half-an-hour break where participants will receive refreshments, and will be followed by a meet-and-greet mingle among journalists and communicators attending the World Water Week, ahead of the Mayor's reception at 19:00.
Organiser
The event is arranged by the Stockholm International Water Institute's Communications Department. SIWI is especially thankful to all speakers and moderators who committed themselves to participating at the workshop.
Programme
Moderator: Rami Abdelrahman, Communications officer at SIWI
| 13:30 |
Welcome to Workshop and World Water Week |
| 13:45 |
Choke Point: the Water-Energy Challenge in the US and China Carl J. Ganter, Director, Circle of Blue |
| 14:05 |
Local to Global: the Challenge of Reporting Water in the Ecosystems and Cities of South America |
| 14:25 |
Water: One of the World's Most Under-Reported Stories |
| 14:40 |
Reporting Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 15:00 |
Group Discussion
|
| 15:30 |
Coffee Break |
| 16:00 |
Round-Up from Group Discussion by Moderator |
| 16:05 |
Panel Discussion The panel will include:
|
| 16:50 |
Wrap-Up of the Workshop |
| 17:00 |
Mingle for Communicators and Journalists at the Press Centre |
| 18:00 |
End of Workshop |
Registration
Participating at the workshop is free of charge for journalists attending the World Water Week. There is a limit to the number of journalists accepted to take part on a first-come-first-serve basis.
You have to register to guarantee a place, to do so, please write a request to join the session to: rami.abdelrahman@siwi.org
