Journalists as Change Facilitators
By M. Antoinette Jerom, November 4, 2021
Three decades as a journalist, renowned for unearthing stories from the local communities, Jose Torres Jr, Editor-at-Large with LiCAS News, shared his wisdom and wealth of experience at the first workshop of the SIGNIS Asia Journalism Desk’s webinar, “Journalism in a Fragmented World” on 2nd November 2021.
How to be a catalyst for change?
By experiencing the problems people are experiencing. Jose emphasized the fact that change is impossible without experiencing the problem. Participants were encouraged to “go down to the grassroots, live with the least, the last, the lost” if they were ambitious in inducing change.
Journalists should adapt to challenges and developments in media. A journalist needs to be a storyteller and facilitator to facilitate change. “A world where information is manipulated by those with means must be changed by those who can, and those who are supposed to be catalysts for change. And that’s us!”
How to choose a story to facilitate change?
Reminiscing his experiences, Jose shared instances where he reported stories that most people were unwilling to report or speak of. Despite being ridiculed for reporting about the potential use of airplanes as bombs to attack the US, he persevered, and when 9/11 materialized, his potential was recognized, and he was appointed as a consultant to the State Department.
Problems are found among the small local communities and not amidst the pomp and glory of big cities. For the correct choice of stories, journalists should step into small communities. “Stories that are not about people are not stories at all. Choose stories for the people and about the people,” he said.
Change does not happen overnight. Jose advised the participants to invest time by living with the communities, speaking to them, understanding, and experiencing their issues.
How to find solutions?
Journalists cannot offer solutions. However, they are equipped with privileged access to experts in the relevant fields who know better than them, to find solutions. Stories that propose solutions in addition to reporting problems are impactful. Journalists should be able to consult and challenge authorities to find solutions.
Jose encouraged journalists to be unafraid of being tagged as biased for the right causes, such as the Truth, Human Rights and Environment. In conclusion, he mentioned that to be a good solution journalist, it was important to form one’s conscience according to the correct fundamentals.
SIGNIS Asia Journalism Desk and LICAS News Asia are the organisers of the SIGNIS Asia Journalism Fellowship Programme on the theme “Journalism in a Fragmented World,” a seven-week programme for lay Catholic and like-minded journalists working in the secular media. Offered virtually, the seven-week webinar brings together 25 selected participants from 14 countries to build capacity and promote exchange among media professionals and journalists who want to use their platform for social change.