GEYC, in partnership with "Dimitrie Gusti" Technological Highschool from Bucharest, has organised a workshop on the subject of Journalism and Media Literacy.
The workshop took place between 7-11 November 2023 and it introduced 23 active young participants to the subjects of:
- Principles of Journalism and Journalistic Ethics
- Introduction to articles and interviews
- Journalism in The Age of Social Media
- Introduction to Podcasts
- Photography, Video & Journalism
The children participating in the workshop displayed a broad awareness of journalism as a concept, showcasing an understanding of its fundamental elements and ethical considerations. While they possessed a general knowledge of the topic, their grasp of specific terminology, especially concerning propaganda and standard journalistic ethics, was limited.
Regarding their awareness of the situation in their own country, the children exhibited a modest level of knowledge, recognizing a few institutions and journalists but lacking comprehensive context about the current state of journalism.
The workshop proved to be highly engaging for the children, with many expressing that it was the most interesting activity they had encountered in recent months. Despite their limited exposure to formal training on journalism, they actively participated in discussions and activities.
Examples mentioned during the session included well-known media outlets such as RECORDER, GEN STIRI, PRO TV, as well as recognition of individual journalists in new media. The children exhibited a healthy skepticism toward mainstream news, relying more on alternative platforms like Instagram and TikTok for information. Video news consumption emerged as the predominant trend among them, reflecting a preference for visual content over traditional text-based formats.
In evaluating the power of different media forms, video emerged as the most popular and effective tool, providing context and relatability to news stories. The children expressed a keen interest in incorporating the knowledge gained from the workshop, particularly in understanding propaganda, into their future consumption and evaluation of journalistic material.
While they had vague awareness of the social media channels of European institutions, their knowledge of EU media was limited. Nevertheless, the workshop succeeded in fostering a curiosity and critical awareness among the children, equipping them with valuable skills to discern and evaluate information in the realm of journalism.
In terms of their knowledge of the podcasting scene in their country, the participants were well-versed in numerous Romanian podcasts. They expressed a high level of interest in the subject matter and were enthusiastic about engaging in podcast-related activities during the training session.
Several examples of podcasts were mentioned, with a particular focus on Romanian comedians like Micutzu and Bobonete, as well as the internationally renowned Joe Rogan. During the training, the participants collaboratively produced a 5-minute podcast episode discussing the effects of video games on young people.
The participants had not engaged in similar training sessions before, making this workshop a unique and novel experience for them. Their interest in podcasts extended to their reliance on podcast content as a trusted source of information, given the extended time they spent with the individuals they were listening to.
The European Commission support for the production of this publication does not constitute an endorsement of the contents which reflects the views only of the authors, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.
CERV-2022-CITIZENS-CIV - 101081482