Child-sensitive reporting, media urged

JOURNALISTS should be more sensitive in covering children and children’s issues. Newsrooms must also consider establishing a children’s beat to make more responsible and

substantial stories about children.

These are some of the main discussions in a recent regional training workshop on child protection and childsensitive media reporting dubbed, “Mainstreaming Children’s Issues in the Media: Getting the Story Out without Doing Harm”, organized by The Positive Discipline Project of Plan International in partnership with the Philippine Press Institute ( PPI) and the Kapisanan ng mg Brodkaster ng Pilipinas (KBP).

Fifteen Visayasbased journalists from PPI member- publications and six from KBPmember broadcast organizations attended the seminar-workshop last March 28-29, 2015 at Harold's Hotel in Cebu City.

“When doing stories about children, the question you should ask yourself is: what’s in the best interest of the children?” asked freelance journalist and PPI in- house trainer Tess Bacalla, who also served as seminar-director.

The Positive Discipline Project is a threeyear initiative that aims to contribute to the protection of children from all forms of violence. Supported by the European Union, the project is implemented by Plan International, the Philippine Legislators’ Committee on Population and Development, and Lihok Pilipina Foundation.

As part of its efforts, The Project partnered with the PPI to promote child- sensitive media reporting in the Philippines by conducting a training program for journalists about child protection laws and protocols.

“The media serves as the voice of society to stop violations of children’s rights. At the same time, it can also be a role model of child protection reflected through its child-sensitive reporting,” said Jayson Lozano, Project Manager of Plan International

The Visayas leg gathered child- rights experts from Plan International, journalists and local child rights groups and government officials in discussing local and international guidelines in reporting on children and protecting children from all forms of violence, the positive and non- violent approach in disciplining children, community and government efforts in safeguarding children’s rights, and other measures to undertake to become more sensitive and responsible in covering children’s issues.

Resource speakers from Plan International, PPI, and KBP presented guides, tips, and guidelines on how media should report on children.

PPI also presented two separate studies done in 2003 by the Asian Institute of Journalism and Communication (AIJC) and the Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility (CMFR) on the news media coverage of children.

In writing stories about children, Bacalla, who herself has written several stories on children, reminded the participants to enrich the debate and to expand the discourse.

“How do we mainstream children’s issues? How do we amplify children’s voices and those of advocates?,” Bacalla asked. “How do we have a development mindset?”

KBP Legal Counsel and Spokesperson Atty. Reggie Jularbal who presented the KBP’s Broadcast Code also encouraged media practitioners to follow the guidelines. “This way, we are able to minimize harm against children.” Jularbal was part of the consultative committee in revising the media guidelines in reporting on children of the Department of Justice (DOJ).

In October of last year, the PPI and Plan International organized a trainers’ training workshop on child protection and child-sensitive media reporting in Quezon City. Two more workshops will be conducted in Mindanao and Luzon to complete the series. PPI

Photo by Kenneth Rodado RESPONSIBILITY. Making the plight of children around the country known entails huge responsibility from media. A conscious effort and an iteration of standards and ethics will help us be better messengers and promoters of children’s welfare.