By Raja Syuhada
GOMBAK, 15 April 2015: It’s Journalism Day today held at HS building as part of Media and Communication Week, 14Â to 17Â April, organised by IIUMToday that was filled with exhibition and workshop on photojournalism, mock Press Conference, and a forum entitled “Media Downplaying of Issues Involving Muslims.”
A mock Press Conference was held at the Speech Lab, HS building from 11.15am until 1.15pm. The supervisor of the event was Puan Salbiah Said, an experienced journalist and a trainer from BERNAMA. She started by giving a briefing on what a spokesperson for a Press Conference should be. One important point, she said, was an ability to answer whatever questions that are put forward by the journalists.
The programme continued with a task given to the students to conduct a mock Press Conference from the students that have been divided into two groups, one on the Goods and Services Tax (GST) and the other “Kita Lawan” We’ll Fight” group. Both groups needed to discuss the implementation of the GST. The GST group represented the government while the ‘Kita Lawan” group represented a non-governmental body.
The programme became merrier with spontaneous questions asked by a group of students who played their role as reporters representing the different media.
The mock Press Conference was an interesting event that gave students the exposure on handling issues with the media. The programme ended with a comment by a lecturer of Communication Department on the performance of both groups.