BMF Launches First Ever National Media Training In Collaboration With 9.9 School Of Convergence, India

Online, July 30, 2012 (Newswire.com) - Bhutan Media Foundation, which has the mandate to support the wholesome development of media in the Kingdom, will be organizing five training sessions for the media from the 24th of July to the 12th of August, at Thimphu. These sessions will cover:

1) Intensive Course on Basic Journalism for English Reporters

2) Basic News Reporting and Writing Course for Dzongkha Reporters

2) Intensive Editing Course for English and Dzongkha Editors

3) Intensive Course on Marketing Management for Media for Circulation and Marketing Managers

These training sessions have been especially tailored and custom-designed to meet the current challenges faced by Bhutanese media professionals. It is being held for currently serving Editors, Reporters, Circulation and Marketing Executives from the various media organizations. The various courses, with intensive sessions, will be conducted in both English and Dzongkha by three national and seven foreign trainers from the 9.9 School of Convergence, New Delhi, India. All of them are highly competent and vastly experienced.

The course module has been formulated carefully by the Foundation in close consultation with the trainers to address the pressing needs of Bhutanese media. The session for journalism covers topics ranging from different facets of today's journalism, planning, types of research and the essential of news reporting, to news desk organization, writing for online, basics of sub editing, social responsibility, interviewing skills and techniques to ethics and morality in journalism.

The editing course covers topics ranging from the responsibility and changing role of the editor, prerequisites of the editor as a leader, forward planning, research, types and styles of scripting, story writing techniques and methods, importance of referencing, qualities of a good editor, and the role and selection of stringers, to media ethics and responsibility.

The marketing and circulation course covers potential sources of revenue for a news agency, how to manage circulation, Dos and Don'ts in Public Relations, Advertising Models, Funnel and Deals to Negotiation Skills. For higher effectiveness, all sessions are planned to be highly interactive with practical assignments, role play and discussions around case studies.

The training has been planned to cover all forms of media, including print, audio and visual media. These five specialized targeted trainings for media professionals aimed at addressing their current challenges, are being held for the first time in the country and will now be conducted and supported by the Foundation as regular annual training programs. Over the coming months, BMF will be carrying out numerous capacity-building initiatives for different media professionals from varied backgrounds. These training programs are being rolled out the capacity gaps have been identified. This was done through the 'Capacity Need Assessment' exercise for the media that the Foundation carried out in 2011.

Bhutan Media Foundation was established through a Royal Charter issued by His Majesty the King on February 21, 2010 to foster the growth of a strong responsible media capable of playing an important role in the social, economic and political growth of the nation. It is the intention of the Foundation to support the wholesome development of the media so that it can carry out its roles and responsibilities in the interests of democracy.

According to Lily Wangchhuk, Executive Director of Bhutan Media Foundation, "Following the Foundation's wide consultation with the media since its establishment, we believe as a young democracy with a young media that Bhutanese media is faced with several challenges and constraints. Key among these is the challenge of the lack of availability of trained and experienced media professionals, which has affected the professionalism and maturity in Bhutanese media. It is the objective of the Foundation to address this challenge through capacity-building programs for various target groups."

Commenting on the training program, Gunjan Aggarwal, Associate Dean, 9.9 School of Convergence said, "We are really excited about collaborating with Bhutan Media Foundation to further the cause of creating a responsible and strong media talent in the Kingdom of Bhutan. We are getting very senior journalists, with over 25 years of experience of teaching and journalism in India and abroad, to be a part of the training program."

These trainings, which are part of the activities being implemented under the Foundation's Strategic Plan (2012-2016) are intended to professionalize the Bhutanese media which will help build a vibrant democracy. Over 135 participants are expected to participate in these trainings, with 116 from the Bhutanese media and 19 from other media-related agencies as well as young graduates.