Getting serious about training

Media

TRAINING seemed to be the concern among

regional journalists who

attended the Pacific Islands News Associ ation’s annual confer ence in Apia, Western Samoa, last month.

Talks on journalism training needs and opportunities were the

highlight of the four-day

convention hosted by the Journalists Association of Western Samoa.

Keynote speaker for

the training conference, Charla Hatton, public affairs officer of the United States Infor mation Service in Suva, summed it up aptly in her opening address “I know of no issue that so unites journalists in the Pacific as the need for training. And I know of no issue that so divides them as the politics of

training.”

In best journalistic tradition, Hatton outlined her views on what training is or what it isn’t, or rather what it should and shouldn’t be: “Training is an investment in someone with the potential and the desire to improve. It is not a reward for longevity.

Training is a contract between employer, employee and trainer, based on shared ideals of what makes the media good. It is not a substitute for a raise in salary.

“Training is a way for honest, fair journalists to become better. It is not a substitute for integrity. Show me a journalist who will put his or her name on someone else’s work, and I’ll show you a journalist who isn’t going to benefit from training of any sort.” Hatton said

it was the question of ‘who’ was to get trained that created the most friction.

The PINA convention was opened by Congressman Eni H unkin Faleomavaega, of American Samoa. The four days of conferences and workshops culminated with the awards night for the Pacific journalists. Journalist of the Year

was Vasiti Waqa (*lslands Business Pacific,

Fiji); Young Journalist of the Year was Avin Rahish (Daily Post, Fiji); Photojournalist of the Year was Asaeli Lave (j Fiji Times)-, and TV Journalist of the Year was won by Lisa Williams of Cook Islands. PINA president Monica Miller and all executives were returned unopposed at the annual meeting. □

Christine Hatcher

Serious performer: all part of the PINA awards night in Apia