Children’s video news service ‘Prism’ formally launched by bdnews24.com, UNICEF

The world’s first-ever video news service by children has been launched as bdnews24.com and UNICEF take another step to strengthen young voices in Bangladesh.

‘Prism’ was launched on Sunday with the objective to help children to deliver news that concerns the children to policymakers.

Guests and child participants arrived from different parts of the country to join the ceremony at Dhaka’s Bay’s Galleria at 3:30pm.

Over 100 young journalists will be groomed in Prism’s first phase of the initiative that will allow them to cultivate their own views of their rights and the world around them. 

Toufique Imrose Khalidi, Editor-in-Chief of bdnews24.com, in his opening speech, urged the young journalists to be ‘accurate and objective’, which he said were the core ethics of bdnews24.com.

He mentioned several circumstances which made journalism difficult in Bangladesh.

“It’s never been easy to be a journalist in this country… one key problem is polarisation in every segment of our society along political lines, then there is the weakened rule of law, weak democracy, weak institutions, a not-a-very-strong judiciary.

"With increased radicalisation and lack of respect for dissent, risks are far greater for us journalists these days."

“But these are challenges we are ready to face... We are proud of you,” he told the child journalists while addressing them as ‘young colleagues’.

Meher Afroze Chumki, State Minister for Women and Children Affairs, in her speech, said, “Prism will facilitate children at the right age.”

“These children have a lot of potential to take Bangladesh forward,” she added.

Dr Lianne Kuppens, UNICEF Deputy Representative, mentioned bdnews24.com’s ‘Children’s Online News Service’ titled ‘Hello’, which successfully brought children’s voice into mainstream media.

Launched in 2013, the co-creation of bdnews24.com and UNICEF made notable contributions in focusing on issues affecting millions of children in Bangladesh, she said.

Dr Kuppens said although Hello was a success, it could only cover the print segment of the media, whereas there was a significant lack of children’s presence on the broadcast media.

bdnews24.com Editor-in-Chief Khalidi also said the young journalists are ‘pioneers on a global scale’ as ‘no-one of their age has done this before in an organised manner’.

‘I want to speak for all children’
 
Aa Aa Pru Marma, 13, came all the way from Bandarban and spoke as one of representatives of the child journalists of ‘Prism’.
 
“I want to present the natural beauty of Bandarban along with current affairs in my video news,” she said at the ceremony.
 

“I want to present my world, my culture and lifestyle. And I want to speak for all children,” Marma said as guests and her fellow child journalists gave her a round of applause.

Poet Muhammad Nurul Huda, children’s poets Sukumar Barua and Anjir Liton, and several senior journalists were among the guests.

The child journalists were in no mood to let go of the opportunity to interview the guests as they rushed towards them with their digital equipment.

‘Sumon’ from Gazipur interviewed State Minister Chumki for the news service.

The 12th grader told bdnews24.com that he loved working with Prism. He is learning to work behind the camera and to speak in front of it as a presenter.

Some of the young journalists said they wanted to be in the decision-making and Prism, they believed, will prepare them as young professionals.

‘Evan’, from Dhaka, took interviews of the children’s poets.

“I asked them about their childhood. These interviews will contribute in developing our young minds and will guide us to a better life,” he told bdnews24.com.

Working with Prism

A group of media professionals received training from bdnews24.com and UNICEF, who in turn visited seven districts in search of potential child journalists for Prism.

They picked at least 15 children from Narayanganj, Gazipur, Manikganj, Munshiganj, Tangail, Netrokona and Bandarban.
 

The children took their first steps towards a life of a professional by receiving theoretical lessons and hands-on training.

Prism has an editorial team that receives guidance from a group of senior bdnews24.com journalists.

The trainers visit the districts at regular intervals and give feedback to the young journalists.

The children develop the story ideas, which their supervisors approve before they get down to business.

Media clients can subscribe to a service via prism.bdnews24.com that will give them access to contents these young professional will be producing.

All the contents are rights-cleared for broadcast around the world.