Dhaka, October 28, 2024 South Asia Center for Media in Development (SACMID), in collaboration with DW Akademie conducted a one-day roundtable on “Future Journalism.” Held at the Hotel Bengal Canary Park, the session gathered journalists, academia, and media professionals to generate idea on the important issues, essential competencies and training frameworks needed for future journalism fellows in Bangladesh.
This joint initiative aligns with SACMID and DW Akademie’s shared mission to strengthen quality journalism, empowering local journalists to adapt to evolving media landscapes and restore public trust.
The day began with welcome speeches from SACMID’s Deputy Director, Syed Kamrul Hasan, and DW Akademie’s Coordinator, Jimi Amir, who expressed gratitude for the participation of leading voices in Bangladeshi journalism. Mr. Hasan highlighted the organization’s commitment to media literacy, media quality, and the need for sustainable training modules that address misinformation, digital literacy, and ethical journalism practices in its works.
The roundtable’s agenda was designed to facilitate a deep, interactive exchange on key topics, emphasizing several core areas for the module. Participants engaged in group discussions, using innovative brainstorming techniques to identify and refine critical topics. Mr. Mainul Islam Khan from DW Akademie facilitated the event, steering conversations on challenges, opportunities, and essential tools that could elevate journalism education for both current and future journalists.
Reflecting the optimism and enthusiasm of the participants, SAM Jahan noted, “I’m truly optimistic about this initiative that it will be able to salvage the true mandates of this noble profession.” Echoing the importance of the future-oriented focus, Qadaruddin Shishir added, “In this era of rapidly evolving journalism, we need to focus more on futuristic practices. This session is a timely initiative in this direction.” Nazia Afrin remarked, “The discussion on ‘Future Journalism’ will pave the way for young minds for dynamic journalism. It will create space and scope for learning and evolving engagingly.” Mohiuddin Syfullah Shuvro also expressed his support, stating, “This initiative will help the future journalists as soon as the outcomes will be brought to practice.”
This project, titled “Journalism of the Future – Sustainable Quality Media to Regain Trust,” includes a fellowship program that will select 30 young journalists and journalism students from five public universities (Chittagong University, Rajshahi University, Khulna University, Barisal University, and Cumilla University) and the particular districts across Bangladesh. Through hands-on training, this initiative aims to equip newly started journalists and journalism students with essential skills, paving a structured path toward resilient, high-quality journalism fit for the future.
The roundtable concluded with a vote on the preferred topics and sub-topics for the training module. SACMID and DW Akademie expressed their anticipation for the fellowship program, empowering the next generation of journalists with skills crucial for navigating the dynamic landscape of future journalism.