Crossed Perspectives: Empowering and Inspiring Productions
Related project
Media for One healthThrough solution journalism, storytelling, and in-depth articles, Meng Seavmey, Phannga Southiphong, and Francis Dave Orcio are dedicated to discussing health and environmental issues in Cambodia, Laos, and the Philippines, embracing the holistic "One Health" approach.
Reframing the conversation around health and the environment is essential. Meng Seavmey, a Cambodian journalist at Thmey Thmey News, shares her excitement about a report she completed in late 2024 as part of the CFI project "Media for One Health": "We met a farmer who manages his crops according to the seasons and uses the most of his waste and that of his animals. Everything around his land is lush and green!"
This appetite for connecting challenges with solutions is echoed by her Filipino colleague, Francis Dave Orcio, a journalist at Cignal TV: "I covered the invention of a polymer foam designed to absorb oil spills in Mindanao. My article explored the scientific aspects while highlighting its practical applications for affected communities."
"In our upcoming productions, we will implement smartphone filming techniques learned during our training in Thailand in early 2025", promises Phannga Southiphong, deputy director of the information department at Lao National Television.
Storytelling and solutions
The three journalists, already experienced in addressing environmental and public health issues, have gained a fresh perspective on the "One Health" approach through CFI's training. Francis reflects, "I now have a deeper understanding of zoonoses and the critical need to foster coexistence between humans and wildlife. During my visit to a temple in Chonburi, Thailand, I witnessed the delicate balance that thousands of bats maintain within their ecosystem."
"This field visit allowed me to interview a scientist from the National Center for Epidemiology and learn about how diseases can be transmitted from animals to humans", adds Phannga.
These new insights enrich their already impressive journalistic journeys. Seavmey notes, "with access to new information sources like experts, I have specialized in infectious disease topics. We can now tell stories in longer formats but with simpler language, allowing us to better describe not just the responsibilities of authorities but also the solutions available".
Collective Effort
In Laos, Cambodia, and the Philippines, audiences are embracing the "clarity and relevance" of these new "more interactive" productions that resonate with their voices. However, Phannga Southiphong, Meng Seavmey, and Francis Dave Orcio urge their respective ministries to share more information and statistics. They also suggest that CFI develop new sessions to continue the important work already underway: "field reports from villages, scientific communication, mobile journalism, and storytelling with infographics and animations to simplify complex topics".
All three aim to expand this team dynamic to inspire other journalists in their countries to produce videos, shows, and articles on the "One Health" approach to "encourage public participation in the collective effort. We must all be prepared, as a new pandemic could arise, whether its origin is human or animal..."
A unified approach for a shared community of destinies.
* The "One Health" approach encourages a rethinking of health by acknowledging the interdependence of human well-being with that of animals and ecosystems. It leverages the close and interconnected relationships among these areas to create new methods for disease surveillance and control (source: World Health Organization).
Comments gathered by Emmanuel de Solère Stintzy (Journalistes Médiateurs)
