PPI forum, awards underscore print media values, challenges
MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Press Institute (PPI), the national association of newspapers and online publications in the country, is finally resuming in-person events on April 24 and 25 after almost three years of online activities due to the pandemic.
In partnership with Nickel Asia Corp. (NAC), a longtime principal partner, PPI will hold its annual National Press Forum (NPF) at Citadines Bay City Manila, back-to-back with this year’s Civic Journalism Community Press Awards.
For its 27th edition, the NPF will carry the theme “Midya at Pandemya: Taking Charge of Journalism Post-Pandemic.” The awarding ceremony, meanwhile, may also be viewed via Facebook livestreaming on April 25.
Prior to these events, newspaper owners, publishers, journalists and media executives from PPI-member publications will meet on April 24 to elect the institute’s next set of trustees and officers.
Leveraging
“We are going full blast with these annual events which PPI members have eagerly waited for. Now is the best time to check on each other and discuss issues and concerns that have greatly affected newspaper operations,” said PPI executive director Ariel Sebellino.
Also invited to attend and encouraged to participate are educators, students, members of the business community and the diplomatic corps, government officials, and representatives from local and international civil society organizations who are interested in the issues and innovations in journalism, sustainability, and community engagement.
Serving as keynote speaker is Duuya Baatar from Mongolia, the McCain Global Leader for 2022. Joining her are TV5’s Ed Lingao, Rappler’s Inday Espina-Varona, WIN/WAN-Ifra’s Nini Cabaero, Daily Guardian’s Francis Allan Angelo, PhilStar.com’s Jonathan de Santos, and University of Santo Tomas professor Felipe Salvosa II.
The panel will conduct a discussion on the need for individual journalists and newsrooms to sustain good journalism as they leverage on the power of digital platforms and AI technology.
PPI chair Rolando Estabillo stresses “the need for journalists to recalibrate and step up in the conduct of their work” as local print publications, especially the community papers, face growing challenges in the form of declining readership, disruptive technologies and general shifts in the consumer landscape.
Competitions
This year’s events will also feature competitions for best regional booth and best exhibit of photos and stories on the pandemic.
The Civic Journalism Community Press Awards will once again honor outstanding works in the community press (daily and weekly circulation) in the following categories: migration issues photojournalism, environment, business and economy, editorial page, and editing.
For the daily category, the finalists are Sun.Star Cebu, Sun.Star Davao, Daily Guardian and Sun.Star Pampanga; and for the weekly category, Baguio Chronicle, Mindanao Observer, Mabuhay, Metro Post, The Mindanao Cross, Luzonwide News Correspondent, Eastern Visayas Mail, and Lucena Herald.
The awards program is managed by the Asian Institute of Journalism and Communication.
This year’s events are also being supported in part by the International Labour Organization, Kusog Bikolandia, SM Investments, Unilab, San Miguel Corp., SM Prime, and Citadines Bay City Manila.
