Lecturers get an inside look into how news for youth is made at ST News Literacy Champions event
The programme supports lecturers so they can better infuse current affairs and build news literacy in their classrooms.
On September 28, lecturers from tertiary institutions received an inside look into how ST News creates content for youth, as part of the ST News Literacy Champions event. The one-and-a-half-hour workshop held at the News Centre in Toa Payoh North was attended by 41 lecturers from various polytechnics and the Institute of Technical Education.
Journalist Gerry Wong, known as "Gerry" from ST's "Gerry and Mandy" short-form video series, explained that younger audiences now prefer fast, engaging, relatable, and digestible news. He highlighted the shift towards visual storytelling and more sincere approaches to presenting news to viewers.
Executive producer Farzanah Friday emphasized the importance of staying updated on fast-evolving trends and topics that matter to young audiences while experimenting with different content styles. The event was part of the ST News Literacy Champions programme, a free, year-long initiative aimed at supporting lecturers in infusing current affairs and building news literacy in their classrooms. Participants receive tailored resource packages and free ST subscriptions to better integrate news into their teaching.
Lecturers found the event helpful in understanding how to engage young people with the news. Charlotte Char from Republic Polytechnic's Centre for Foundational Studies appreciated the opportunity to learn about engaging young people with news, particularly through videos. Rebecca Lim from Temasek Polytechnic's School of Humanities and Social Sciences noticed a change in her students' news consumption habits and found value in using videos as hooks to capture their attention.
James Sharpe from Ngee Ann Polytechnic's School of Film and Media Studies appreciated the reassurance that the industry's direction aligns with the aspirations of young journalists in mass communication diplomas. He valued the chance to connect with other educators who share similar concerns and challenges. ST editor Jaime Ho emphasized the collaboration with polytechnic and ITE lecturers to make news more relatable to younger people, acknowledging that they get their news from various sources and formats, especially on social and video platforms.
Written by urgent.news from Straits Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
