Out and about in Nay Pyi Taw, on reporting assignments with students from the Myanmar Journalism Institute (MJI)

Out and about in Nay Pyi Taw, on reporting assignments with students from the Myanmar Journalism Institute (MJI)

From 31 May to 12 June 2016, 19 students doing their initial training at the MJI gained further in-depth experience out in the field, on ten or so reporting assignments relating to social, economic and political change in Nay Pyi Taw, the capital of Myanmar.

After three days researching and defining subject matter in Rangoon with CFI, the students set off on their ten-day assignments in the capital with a view to producing a twenty-page magazine, two pieces for radio and two TV reports; these are to be broadcast via the Myanmar media.

Accompanied by their Myanmar trainers and by three international trainers, they gained further insight into work in the field and more in-depth technical knowledge of traditional media in order to prepare themselves for their entry onto the job market.

The reporting assignments relate to issues raised by the country's ongoing transition to democracy. Students focused their reports on energy resource management, political representation accessibility and the hopes and aspirations of the local population.
A further focus was the impact of the new Myanmar capital on the local population. Built from nothing in under ten years, Nay Pyi Taw is a brand-new city, designed for civil servants. It is home to all government ministries and to all government representatives. This modern city provides new opportunities for the country's economic growth but is likewise synonymous with changes in traditional trades, which will have to adapt to the tourism and services industries that are still in their infancy in Myanmar.

After having defined their particular perspective and chosen medium, the students completed their journalism apprenticeship year at the MJI. The last day of these workshops was devoted to a presentation by each student and an explanation of the challenges awaiting these young journalists in the field.

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