Moving beyond the blame game: Introduction to constructive journalism for non-journalists

On March 16, 2023, the EU-funded European Media Facility Lab Armenia initiative hosted a training programme on Introduction to Constructive Journalism for Non-Journalists, co-organised by DW Akademie and EU Neighbors East. The workshop aimed to introduce participants to the concept of constructive journalism, which focuses on solutions rather than simply reporting problems.

The programme covered a range of topics, including the impact of negative news, DW Akademie’s approach to constructive journalism, and supported participants in pitching their own constructive stories. Led by Fahmim Ferdous, Trainer at DW Akademie, the training programme provided non-journalists with insights on how to approach news from a more constructive perspective.

“We are excited to bring this training programme to Armenia and introduce the concept of constructive journalism to non-journalists,” said Fahmim Ferdous, Project Manager and Trainer at DW Akademie. “Constructive journalism is about focusing not only on problems, but also on solving problems. Within the framework of our workshop, we have gathered people that are part of the solution. These are the voices that are often missing from the journalistic discourse. We believe that now EU-funded projects are “armed” better to present their initiatives to the journalists during the next sessions of EU Media Facility Lab.”

One of the participants, Gayane Grigoryan, representing Agate Rights Defense Center for Women with Disabilities NGO, implementing ‘Towards Inclusive Armenia’ project, found the training very interesting: “It allows us to learn from an expert how to work with the media and what tools to use to address messages in a better way”.  She also mentioned that this training was a great opportunity to communicate with other EU-funded projects and learn about their activities: “Due to today’s discussions, I have already learned from the other participants about their upcoming projects in my community and the way I can contribute to it. Therefore, this training can also be a starting point for future cooperation”.

Constructive journalism is an innovative approach to storytelling that can broaden the way people perceive problems. These stories focus on inspiring solutions and critically evaluating their impact instead of solely focusing on problems. By inspiring people to rethink their approach and actions, constructive stories encourage more positive change.

The ‘European Media Facility Lab in Armenia’ initiative is being implemented by DW Akademie and is funded by the European Union in Armenia.

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DW Akademie’s approach to constructive journalism