The Philippine office of internet industry giant Google recently gathered a select group from the country’s top news teams to share more efficient ways to conduct newsgathering using the internet.
The worldwide Google News Initiative (GNI), which works with the news industry in the use of online platforms, touched base with Philippine news organizations on August 14 at the Google Philippines office in BGC Taguig.
The GNI event gathered 48 journalists from the Philippines’ broadcast, print, and online media, to introduce new and more efficient ways of newsgathering using Google Search and Tools.
Google Asia Pacific’s Newslab Lead, Irene Jay Liu, addressed the journalists through a video call to introduce the GNI concept. Asian American Journalists Association (AAJA)Asia’s Regina Hing then led the group in trying out the various tools to more quickly search for information while refining processes for newsgathering.
Participants in the ground-breaking Google training for journalists included Atom Araullo of GMA News, Ces Drilon of ANC/ABS-CBN, digital teams from CNN Philippines, News 5, UNTV, Inquirer, PhilStar, Manila Bulletin, Manila Times, and Malaya.
Internet-based news organizations in the GNI class included Rappler, Good News Pilipinas, Philippine Business and News, Esquire Philippines, Adobo Magazine, Cosmo Philippines, Newsbytes, Inside Digital, and blog site When in Manila.
Student publications were also present at the training including teams from the University of Asia and Pacific, De La Salle-College of St. Benilde’s The Benildean, De La Salle University’s The Lasallian, and the University of Santo Tomas’ The Varsitarian.
Google Philippines’ Communication and Public Affairs Lead, Mervin Wenke, told Good News Pilipinas that the goal of the Google News Initiative is to partner with and help journalists thrive in the digital age.
Wenke said that August GNI is one of the ways they provide training to media organizations on available digital tools and technological innovation for news reporting.
“We hope that the attendees will be able to apply what they learned from the workshop so together we can elevate and strengthen quality journalism, and make trustworthy information stand out,” Wenke shared.
Wenke also revealed that the Google News Initiative tie-up with AAJA is “aimed at helping us scale the initiative and workshop to train more media practitioners.”
Google Philippines had previously announced its commitment to help the Philippines grow their internet presence as Google expanded its workforce.
SEND cheers to Google Philippines and the Google News Initiative Class of August 2019, for adopting innovations in digital newsgathering!
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