AJMI – Doha

Al Jazeera Media Institute welcomed 32 high school students from the Philippine School in Doha over the course of two days, in an educational visit aimed at introducing them to the media field, its key professions and importance of media literacy.

The visit provides students an opportunity to experience news reading from studio and learn about what’s going behind the scene in news and program production. They also participated in a media literacy workshop delivered by Dr. Mai Chikinobu, where she addressed skills for dealing with misinformation and understanding media bias. She said, “Critical thinking and media literacy have become essential to keeping up with news flow in digital age.” She explained that the workshop discussed forms of bias in Western media and she provided examples of Western coverage to war in Gaza, in addition to challenges that face audience as a result of conflicting information and misinformation. She emphasized that evaluating sources and analyzing messages is the first line of defense for protecting public awareness.

Several students expressed their deep admiration for the field visit to Al Jazeera Media Institute, describing it as an inspiring training experience that combined enjoyment with practical knowledge in broadcasting and journalism.

Student Daniel Macalay said the experience opened new horizons for him in media field after he had the chance to directly observe the details of studio work. Meanwhile, Rebecca Kirsten San José said: she learned the importance of balancing speed and accuracy during live presentation, a skill she believes is essential for anyone interested in joining media field.

As toBrisa Arabella Tabuclaon, she stated that the visit completely changed her view on media, realizing that it goes far beyond text writing to include broader knowledge-based and creative dimensions. Other students noted that the visit provided them with a clearer understanding of many concepts related to media literacy and how to critically analyze and deal with information, making them seriously consider studying media and journalism in the future.

The visit also included a meeting with Carlos G. R. Flores Elisouag, senior studio technician at AJ+, who shared his professional journey within Al Jazeera Network, discussing key milestones in his career in journalism and digital production, as well as interactive content he creates for youth audiences around the world.

The visit came as part of the Institute’s commitment to enhancing young generations’ awareness of responsible media and inspiring them to pursue journalism and creative work.