Audiences worldwide are turning away from the news despite the media's best efforts to grab their attention with 24/7 breaking news cycles, active presence on social media, catchy headlines and striking photos, experts said.
Understanding what the audience wants and serving them stories that are relevant to them are key to bringing audiences closer to the news, they said.
Experts, academics, and journalists expressed their views at the “Spotlighting Diversity: A Constructive Journalism Festival” organized by German media development organization DW Akademie in cooperation with Channel I on Saturday.
Dr Ranty Islam, a professor of digital journalism at Germany's University for Applied Sciences for Media, Communications and Management, presented a keynote at the festival where he addressed and debunked some of the biggest myths about journalism.
In the quest of playing only the role of a watchdog, the media is often portraying a flawed picture of the world that is worse than reality. Due to a lack of diversity of voices within the newsrooms, there is a lack of perspectives, and bringing diverse voices into journalism can help reach and serve a more diverse audience, he said.
Speaking at the event, Florian Hoellen, head of German Development Cooperation at the German Embassy in Bangladesh, said that the potential of solutions to problems is often underreported.
He cited the example that there is a misconception that there is no space for photovoltaics (solar power) in Bangladesh, whereas there is a lot of potential for solar and other renewable energy that remains untapped.
Faridur Reza Sagar, managing director of Impress Telefilm and Channel I, presented a vote of thanks and hoped that journalists will go beyond the surface of news and bring nuances, to bring audiences back to the news.
Journalism teachers from public and private universities discussed the state of media and the role of constructive journalism in the context of Bangladesh at the event.
They were of the view that social media has changed the dynamics of news consumption and that news outlets must adapt to the changes to stay relevant to their readers and viewers.
Participating journalists then presented their reporting projects, inspirations, and challenges they faced while practicing forward-looking and solutions-oriented journalism.
They highlighted efforts of various underreported groups, ranging from marginal farmers becoming self-sufficient in nutrition, to visually-impaired public university students who are overcoming shortcomings by the universities in providing the materials, and young girls in Dalit communities in the country's south getting awareness and support on menstrual hygiene.
Arefeen Ahmed and Natasha Israt Kabir, two development professionals working with persons with disabilities, also shared perspectives at the event on the importance of inclusion in the journalistic narrative and at policymaking levels.
Dr Esther Dorn Fellermann, a project manager and consultant at DW Akademie, also addressed the festival.
DW Akademie launched its second Constructive Journalism initiative in Bangladesh in late 2022.
Under the program, academics from nine public and private universities received online and in-person consultations and workshops on incorporating concepts of constructive journalism in journalism teaching and research.
Journalists from Dhaka Tribune, The Daily Prothom Alo, The Daily Star, Channel I, The Business Standard, UNB, Ajker Patrika, BDNews24 also received training on diversity, inclusion and constructive journalism, and undertook reporting projects.
DW Akademie, the centre for international media development of German public broadcaster Deutsche Welle, is working in 70 countries across the world to support free, independent media, to promote democratic participation, peaceful coexistence, and sustainable development.
DW Akademie has been active in Bangladesh since 2014 and has worked with public and private universities, mainstream media outlets, community radios, and civil society organizations to strengthen journalism education and practice by building the capacity of journalists, educators and students, and forging connections and creating networks of change agents.
