At a time when audiences are increasingly tuning out from the news, journalists from Indonesia, Malaysia, Cambodia, and the Philippines gathered on the world-renowned Boracay Island from February 23 to 26 for a ”Training of Trainers” Bootcamp on climate and environmental constructive journalism.
Organized by the International Media Support (IMS), an international media development nonprofit based out of Copenhagen, Denmark, in collaboration with the Philippine startup Fyt Media, the training aimed to equip journalists and media leaders with the skills to produce engaging, constructive climate stories that engage and empower communities.
“Constructive journalism is best suited for climate reporting because it shifts the narrative from mere catastrophe to actionable solutions.”
—Henrik Grunnet, IMS senior media advisor and one of the bootcamp’s instructors
The bootcamp also taught newsroom and media community leaders how to develop a training plan that they could implement in their own newsrooms and communities.
With funding support from the European Union, the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Norway, the program trained 25 journalists from said four countries in Southeast Asia to go beyond traditional reporting. Participants were introduced to AI tools for climate data analysis, fact-checking methodologies to counter misinformation, and constructive storytelling techniques that highlight both climate challenges and solutions.
Reflecting on his key takeaway from the training, long-time environmental journalist Yogi Tujuliarto highlighted the evolving role of journalists.
“We are no longer just storytellers; we are game changers and should be part of the solution. Our new responsibility is to inspire and empower our audience.”
—Yogi Tujuliarto, CNN Indonesia correspondent
The training also focused on strengthening newsroom capabilities to ensure that media organizations can systematically apply constructive journalism principles. Participants, including those from community media organizations, saw immediate applications for their work.
“The insights into solution-focused storytelling and AI tools for data analysis are particularly helpful for a lean organization like ours. As we implement these learnings, we aim to create impactful stories that empower communities and foster resilience against recurring natural disasters”
—Aireen Jaymalin, content and operations head of the Philippine-based BicoldotPH.
Che de los Reyes, IMS Country Programme Manager, meanwhile emphasized the long-term impact of the training.
“By strengthening the capacity of media trainers, we ensure that more journalists across the region are equipped with the essential tools to combat both climate misinformation and news fatigue.”
—Che de los Reyes, IMS Country Programme Manage
Fyt Media, the Philippine media startup that co-organized the training, is deepening its climate storytelling efforts.
“With Fyt, we endeavor to have a more holistic and cohesive strategy in producing content about the climate crisis.”
—Atom Araullo, Fyt co-founder
On top of producing social-first content on its platforms, Fyt will launch a special section on its website this June – Philippine Environment Month – dedicated to constructive public interest stories from its growing community of campus journalists and development communication students across the country.
With climate change being one of the most pressing issues of our time, the bootcamp reaffirmed the critical role of journalism in driving awareness, accountability, and action. — fyt.ph
