Photo By Staff Sgt. Melanie Trollinger | Spc. Gina Collins, a Castaic, Calif., native now living in Yuma, Ariz., gives a video...... read more read more
MOSUL, Iraq— U.S. Army Public Affairs Soldiers are providing broadcast journalism training for the Mosul's Deputy General of Municipality media team at Contingency Operating Base Marez, Mosul, Oct. 30.
Spc. Gina Collins, a broadcast journalist working with the 130th Engineer Brigade, devised the training for Mr. Ayad, the media team supervisor, and Mr. Emad, the media manager assistant, to enhance their media skills for the DG of Municipality. The media team provides coverage for various projects, meetings and events the DG is involved in.
The goal was to assess the media team in order to develop future training sessions with them. Collins discussed filming, editing, proper sequencing and interview techniques. Once the classroom portion was complete, the team set out with a video camera to conduct a mock interview and film video footage. Collins then helped the team work with video editing software to show them how to create a complete video package.
Ayed and Emad are familiar with many techniques presented during their training, but they said they did not know there was an organized doctrine for Public Affairs and media or names for the techniques they use in their work. Neither has a media background, although Emad has worked as an independent photographer.
Emad graduated from the Railway Institute in Baghdad and worked for Mosul's Municipality as a technician section supervisor prior to working on the media team. Ayad holds a Bachelor's degree in History from the University of Mosul. He worked for Mosul's Municipality in the property section. He began working on the media team because of his interest in journalism.
They said they love working in the media field and want to learn as much as they can. Emad is currently attending a modern journalism class and wants to get more schooling in journalism. Work is often difficult for them however, due to budget constraints, the team said they lack the state of the art editing equipment they need to properly complete projects. The team relies on news station editors to take their raw footage and make a video package. Because of this, much of what they report is lost in the editing process.
Part of the problem, Collins explained, is when the media team attends events, they tape it and provide commentary while they are filming. The training helped teach them how to properly edit their raw footage and provide voice over for the story they are reporting after editing.
Both said they were very pleased with the training, especially the section on interview techniques, editing and voice over. Public Affairs personnel are planning future training which will consist of working on a project start to finish that the media team will submit to local news stations.
"This training is very important for the media team. It will help enhance the fundamentals of Journalism they currently possess, while bringing to light other techniques they might not be familiar with," said Collins. "By being able to deliver a complete, concise message, they will be able to keep the attention of the public to inform them about ongoing projects to improve the city of Mosul."
Emad said the media team is very active, covering more projects in the city than any other media section in Mosul. Amidst reports of Iraqi journalist being targeted by insurgents, Ayad and Emad said they are fearful when they cover events, but they will not let that fear stop them.
"We have the will to do it," Ayad said. "We feel morally obligated to improve not only our family's lives, but the entire city. What motivates us to keep working is the hope that the violence will end because the government will improve [things]"
Both Ayad and Emad hope the U.S. can influence the Government of Iraq to give Iraqi media more freedom. They would eventually like to see Iraq's media meet international media standards and be independent from the government.
| Date Taken: | 10.30.2009 |
| Date Posted: | 11.06.2009 02:03 |
| Story ID: | 41170 |
| Location: | MOSUL, IQ |
| Web Views: | 190 |
| Downloads: | 138 |
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