Online campus journalism seminar held

LEADING wireless services provider Smart Communications, Inc (Smart) recently conducted a seminar on online campus journalism in Davao City.

This is in line with journ.ph, the company's new corporate advocacy that aims to promote creation of content by campus journalists as part of its Internet for All initiative and Kabalikat sa Edukasyon community partnership program.

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In attendance were some 45 faculty and student journalists from Ateneo de Davao University, Davao Doctors College, Holy Cross Davao College, Liceo de Cagayan University, Mindanao State University, General Santos City, Notre Dame of Dadiangas University, Notre Dame of Marbel University, UP Mindanao and Xavier University, Ateneo de Cagayan.

Participants listened to lectures and participated in workshops on Multicultural Mindanao by Minulani executive director Nestor Horfilla, Mindanao Situationer by Carol Arguillas of Mindanews, Narrative Journalism by renowned writer and theater director Mozart Pastrano, Community Journalism by Mindanao Times editor-in-chief Amy Cabusao, Photojournalism by Mindanews and Inquirer photojournalist Bobby Timonera, Video blogging by video blogger and director of flippish.com Kring Elenzano, and Web 2.0 by Asian Correspondent writer and blogger Edwin Espejo.

Participants also registered and made use of demo accounts for the journ.ph website, Smart's platform for its online campus journalism program.

Smart's journ.ph program is anchored on a multi-pronged approach.
First, the program relies on partnerships with schools, community newspapers and local journalists that promote user content generation and open source development.

Second, through the program, trainings are conducted on various online campus journalism related topics and basic web skills.

Third, through the journ.ph website, the schools are able to have their own campus newspaper online, where they can post news and updates and which they can edit anytime and anywhere as long as there is Internet connectivity.

The journ.ph platform is developed by Smart's partner, the Ateneo Java Wireless Competency Center.

A similar run was held in Cebu late last year in partnership with Sun.Star Cebu.