Television and climate change: CFI and IRD are organising a training course on the production of short news reports for Maldives National Broadcasting Corporation, with support from the UNEP
Television and climate change: CFI and IRD are organising a training course on the production of short news reports for Maldives National Broadcasting Corporation, with support from the UNEP
From 5 to 16 July, further to the request of Maldivian State Minister of Tourism Thoyyib Mohamed, CFI and the IRD, a research institute for development, is organising a workshop in collaboration with backing from the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). This first ever workshop for the Maldives National Broadcasting Corporation (MNBC) will focus on producing short programmes on the topic of global warming and its consequences, and more specifically on rising sea levels in the archipelago.
This initiative comes in response to a situation that has become a major political and ecological issue for the Maldives. The people need to be alerted to the rising sea level that exposes them a little more every day to the risk of a tidal wave.
Meeting the training expectations of MNBC
Over a period of two weeks, two teams each comprising a journalist, producer and cameraman will produce short subjects to be broadcast by MNBC.
The aim of this training course is two-fold:
 Producing news reports on environmental issues in the Maldives
Acquiring the methodology to produce a scientific subject
Thus the trainee journalists, producers and camera operators will hone their skills in the following fields:
Writing a scientific report
The specifics of this theme: duration, production and broadcasting requirements, checking sources and references
Gathering information from specialists and the population, outline of the subject and the script
Preparing the filming (schedule, location, organisation)
Specifics of filming
Reacting quickly according to shooting time (lighting, camera positioning)
Interviews, lighting, camera placement
Knowing how to seize unforeseen opportunities
Editing
Digitalisation
Selecting the images
Placing the commentary and music if necessary
One half-day, prepared with the UNEP and the Alliance Française in Malé, will be allocated to issues relative to the ozone layer. Different angles of the question will be addressed, especially outreach to public opinion with the screening of the film Small Islands, Big Impact by Sri-Lankan director Nalaka Gunawardene.
Four specialists will provide this training:
- Pascale Chabanet, Ph.D. in Marine Environment, author of many publications on the topic and a stakeholder in many research projects, will cover the content of the subjects from 5 to 9 July.
- Luc Riolon, award-winning author-producer of many scientific films, will coordinate the aspects of the course associated with filming and editing from 5 to 16 July.
- Brigitte Surugue, Productions Manager, IRD Audiovisual will lead the trainees through all stages of the training.
- Nalaka Gunawardene, Managing Director of TVE Asia Pacific, has produced many television programmes on the topic of the environment. Since 2000, Nalaka has been working in collaboration with UNEP in Paris and Bangkok on ozone communication issues.
Making a long-term commitment with the IRD and UNEP
To improve the quality of the programmes focussing on the environment and ensure their sustainability, CFI, the IRD and UNEP have joined forces to train television professionals in developing countries.
For Brigitte Surugue, Productions Manager, IRD Audiovisual, "These training initiatives aim to shape regular production of vulgarisation programmes on television channels in developing countries."
Mr. Rajendra Shende, Head OzonAction, UNEP DTIE, Paris pointed out that “Engagement of the media to shape the public minds in a small island country like the Maldives is sine qua non for action. At a time when we’re actively pursuing the climate benefits of ozone layer protection, the vital need of time is public awareness, people empowerment and mass participation. UNEP OzonAction is partnering with CFI and Maldives to spark such empowerment”.
Etienne Fiatte, Managing Director of CFI emphasised that “this operation clearly reflects one of CFI’s priorities, that of helping TV channels in the south train their professionals on the production of news reports relative to climate issues”.
Initiating the dialogue between the specialists and Maldivians
After this course, the Alliance Française in the Maldives will organise a conference on 12 July in Malé on global warming, during which the news reports produced by the MNBC professionals during the course will be screened. This footage will be enhanced by subjects produced by UNEP. This conference will be hosted by Pascale Chabanet, Luc Riolon, Nalaka Gunawardene and Brigitte Surugue, Productions Manager at IRD Audiovisual.
Through this project, CFI, the IRD and UNEP aim to improve the circulation of information to the public with a blend of objectivity, teaching ability and creative flair.
Press Officer
Sandra Rocheteau, Press and Events Manager:
+33 (0)1 40 62 32 27 or sru@cfi.fr
Canal France International, subsidiary of France Télévisions, has acted for the past 20 years as the French operator in media development aid for 150 partners from southern countries,
with support from the French Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs.
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