“Create Your First Report” Professional Development Program

Written by Daniela Bruma

Did you know that the quality of the media content we watch may have a significant impact on our thinking, political inclinations, and even cognitive abilities?

From August 16 to August 24, the professional development program “Create Your First Report” took place at America House.

The program included five on-site sessions, in Russian, and was moderated by Ilona Vedrashko, lecturer at Moldova’s State University and press secretary of the company “MADS Creative Agency”, and Valentin Dromashko, content editor and copywriter at Kivork SRL, member of the Society of Professional Journalists of the USA (SPJ), writer and editor of articles at TravelAnatomy.

During the training, participants were able to better understand the structure of the work of modern media. They became familiar with journalistic ethics, the structure of the TV report, and the differences between European and American journalism. They learned how to write their own report and what kind of media content people nowadays prefer to consume. All the information was very valuable because, in the end, they presented a video report based on their accumulated knowledge.

After the course, each participant saw the journalism world differently. They found out that only by asking challenging questions, identifying alternative opinions, rigorously verifying the facts, and presenting the results in a setting that seems both comprehensive and fair can journalism as a profession gain public acceptance. Journalism at its best helps citizens in navigating life in society.

The information we consume daily is as important as the food we eat. In order for citizens to make the best decisions for their lives, communities, and governments, journalism must therefore give them the knowledge they need. Because they are dedicated to finding the truth and making it available to the public, journalists are obliged to offer a balanced opinion. People’s lives can benefit from the “news”. As a result, it gives individuals access to the most up-to-date information to make informed decisions about all aspects of their lives.

The journalism course “Create Your First Report” was a successful one because non-experienced people were able to learn and apply the knowledge by creating a report for the first time while being trained by two qualified experts.