For the first time, the University of the South Pacific awarded Best Mobile Journalism Awards on Environmental Reporting during its 18th USP Journalism Students Awards in October 19, 2018.
These awards were created after the Internews’ Earth Journalism Network conducted a Mobile Journalism Workshop on Environmental Reporting with 30 USP journalism students last July 23, 2018 at the university. Part of the workshop was a field visit to the Korova Settlement in Suva, Fiji wherein the students interviewed and gathered information of a group of traditional voyagers from an island in Fiji using their mobile phones.
The Internews’ Earth Journalism Network (EJN) Award for Best Mobile Journalism Documentary recognized outstanding environment documentary using mobile journalism techniques. Mr Jared Koli, a first-year journalism student from the Solomon Islands won this award. He went the extra mile to produce a compelling video documentary entitled, “The Journey” , on the impact of climate change in Fiji using a mobile phone editing software. Special mention also to his group members for contributing to the script and video stills. Mr Koli also shared his winning with the rest of the group members – Chris Ha’arabe, Junior Oiofa, Ben Bilua and Shazleen Bano.
The First-Runner Up Prize for the Internews’ Earth Journalism Network (EJN) Awards for Best Mobile Journalism Documentary was awarded to a group of students in recognition of the effort to produce an excellent documentary on climate change using their mobile phones. This group worked well to come up with an outstanding production. The group is composed of the students from second and final years. The group includes Kaelyn Dekarube from Nauru, Sharon Nanau and Eliza Kukutu from the Solomon Islands, Harrison Selmen from Vanuatu and Kirisitiana Uluwai, who is also the reigning Miss Nadi Bula 2018 queen.
Both awards were presented by Professor David Robie from the Auckland University of Technology (AUT). Professor Robie is the director of AUT’s Pacific Media Centre and the former head of USP Journalism Programme.
