By Md.Rezwan Hussain for TwoCircles.net,
Guwahati: A one day workshop on “Citizen Journalism and use of Social media” was held at the Bagh Hazarika Centre for Cultural Studies, Guwahati on March 31 on the initiative of -FACTS(Muslim Youths Forum Against Communalism,Terrorism and Sedition).
The concept of citizen journalism is based upon public citizens “playing an active role in the process of collecting, reporting, analyzing, and disseminating news and information.”
Anjuman Ara Begum delivering her lecture, also seen in the picture Babool Gogoi.
MY-FACTS was formed at the backdrop of assaults (Physical and psychological) on Muslims. The Muslims were perturbed both at the dismal state of affairs and the step motherly attitude of the mainstream media and some government agencies.
“Among various objectives of MY-FACTS, it has an objective of providing a platform to the esteemed members to put forward their valuable views and reviews and personal experiences about all important and pertinent issues without fear or favour. It also has an objective to expose the nefarious designs of communalist, ultra-nationalist & Pseudo –jihadists. Keeping all these in minds the arrangement was made for a workshop on Citizen Journalism and Use of Social Media for publication by the members of MY-FACTS,” said an organiser.
Anjuman Ara Begum, President of Bagh Hazarika Centre for Cultural Studies and a known citizen journalist of Assam, spoke on the importance of citizen journalist and the role they can play for marginalized communities.
Resource persons Syed Miraj and Mr.Babool Gogoi being felicitated by Dr. Md.Khalil (MY-FACTS Member)
Babool Gogoi of Assamtimes.org an online news publishing house, Syed Miraj city-based prominent citizen journalism activist and Syed Mohsin Raza, Online & SM Marketing Strategist, Founder of Social Media Club of Assam were the resource persons of the workshop.
Babool Gogoi stressed upon the judicious use of the tools available such as mobile camera or digital camera for the production of a report.
Syed Miraj emphasized on the importance of alternative media and guided a practical session on journalistic ethics and technique.
Syed Mohsin Raza led the team through the social media available for reporting viz Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn groups, Flickr, Pinterest, Tumblr, Blogger, Wordepress, etc. The statistics of Online media users in India as well as the world were also shown.
The participants were actively involved in interactions with the facilitators and had their doubts cleared. The members of MY-FACTS were enlightened and felt the strength their pen had. Tribal youth leader Manoj Deuri, who also participated, appreciated the initiative of MY-FACTS.
‘Citizen journalists’ of My-FACTS listening intently
Ashiq Zaman, and IRS officer and one of the main pillars of MY-FACTS, said, “we cannot control the main stream media to tell the other side of the story or our side of the story, but obviously we can make our voice heard through social media.”
MY-FACTS plans to popularize citizen journalism through new media in the state, which they find critical in bringing their grievances to the fore, otherwise unheard.
(Md.Rezwan Hussain, is a member of MY-FACTS and participated in the workshop. )
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