2004 Aug-sept Tbcmedia Update

Our Journey towards Effective “Media Education”
Media: the Salt and Light of the World The 40th year of Inter-Mirifica renewed the inspiration of media practitioners in the service of the Church through a seminar-workshop themed, “Media: the Salt and Light of the World, A New Approach in Communication.” This whole-day activity was set July 31, 2004 at St. Paul’s College, Quezon City. The Philippine Church Communicators’ Network (PCCNET), organizer of the activity, felt the need to concretely draw the line between aesthetics and moral law which was stated in Inter-Mirifica. Primary goal is to instill media awareness and make moral law, ethics and aesthetics applicable in everyday living. A keynote address was given by Fr. Eli Cruz, SDB, a Salesian priest whose priestly ministry is dedicated on understanding, educating the youth through media literacy. He stressed on bringing back the respect for principle and law and cultivating critical thinking for proper discernment of media content. Panel of discussants who contributed in the discussion of ethics and moral law were: Atty. Delia Tantuico, Luis V. Teodoro, Jose Torres, Jr. Current ethical issues on Philippine Media, press and online journalism were the focus of the discussants. In the interaction with students, the discussants emphasized the need for grounded ethical values in today’s media industry no matter how the condition of media practitioners worsens. Critical thinking was also pointed out as a needed skill since most suffered from information overload. Workshops in the afternoon were introduction of alternative ways concepts to discerning media content: writing articles, features for Union Catholic Asian News (UCAN), interacting with radio through Radio Veritas Asia and learning film dialogue in the process of watching films through Titus Brandsma Media. Outputs from the workshop were shared and presented in concluding Holy Mass by Rev. Fr. Carlos Lariosa, SVD.
Mindanao Journey The increasing efforts of Titus Brandsma Media (TBCMP) in giving seminars on media awareness is constantly paying off. A successful trip to Mindanao started the full swing of the media program. Media and Evangelization seminars were given to the three Carmelite parishes in Mindanao – St. Vincent Parish in Patin-ay, Our Lady of Rosary Parish in Rosario and Sacred Heart of Jesus in San Francisco. A one-day Basic Journalism Seminar was also given to staffers of school paper in Mount Carmel College, Agusan.

Assumption College of Davao and Ateneo de Davao University were the beneficiaries of the “Media and Spirituality thru Film Dialogue” seminar-workshop. Both seminar series were attended by students, faculty and non-teaching personnel.
TBCMP goes Southern Tagalog Sr. Natalyn Agustin, OSA, principal of Sta. Monica Academy (SMA) in Baao, Camarines Sur invited TBCMP to give the seminar-workshop on Campus Journalism Course: Focus on Media Analysis and Critique and Media and Spirituality through Film Dialogue. The Journalism Course was given to the staffers of Monican Jr., the elementary publication and Monican Herald, the highschool paper both of SMA. Some staffers of La Consolacion, Iriga also attended the seminar. It was held last August 12-13, 2004. Students and the moderators of both publications were satisfied and happy with the seminar. Joy, the associate editor of Monican Herald, said “the best seminar in Campus Journalism” ever. Fr. Christian Buenafe, O.Carm and Ms. Rowena Ladaga facilitated the course on Media and Spirituality through Film Dialogue to faculty and non-teaching personnel of SMA last August 14, 2004. Highly satisfied with the results, the Agustinian sisters invited TBCMP again for another round of Seminars due last week of September, again in SMA, and La Consolacion, Iriga.

Next stretch, to Cebu and Dumaguete, from August 26-September 4. Featured schools are Rogationist Seminary, St. Paul Dumaguete and University of San Jose Recoletos.