PPF Journalism Training workshop, Dina

Date: March 29-31, 2004
Location: Dina,

Dina is an industrial town, on the national highway linking Lahore with Islamabad. It has a population of 30,000 and is an important market for local industrial and agricultural products. Dina is also a gateway to Azad Kashmir. Important Azad Kashmir landmarks like Mangla Dam and town of Mirpur are only a couple of hours drive from Dina.

Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF) organized a Journalism Training Workshop at a local hotel. The 34 participants of the workshop included 25 men journalists and 9 women consisting of social workers, teachers and other educated women. The participants demonstrated remarkable awareness of social, political and economic issues and displayed keen interest in the workshop.

The PPF media trainers team consisted of Mr. Fazal Qureshi, Chief Editor Pakistan Press International (PPI) and Vice Chairperson PPF, and Raja Naubahar, PPI correspondent in Jhelum, who acted as organizer of th
e workshop.

Participants were taught definition of news, news writing principles, concept of inverted pyramid, principles of five Ws and one H. Each lecture was followed by an open exchange of questions and answers covering a wide range of issues relating to local social conditions.

At each step, participants were given practical exercises. The other main subject of workshop was lecture on writing articles, features and letters-to the- editor. At the end of the day, participants were given assignments.

The closing session was presided over by Mr. Mian Naeem Bashir, Director KDC who distributed certificates among participants. In his brief remarks the Chief Guest praised the workshop and highlighted its importance. He expressed the view that more such workshops should be organized in Jhelum district. At the end, participants filled evaluation forms and gave valuable suggestions regarding such workshops.