Howie Severino urges young people to create stories that matter

Young journalists take heed: there is nothing stopping you from creating stories that seek to engage the public in discussion, given the availability of affordable technology and open platforms. What's more, Filipino youth enjoy freedom of speech and civil liberties not available to many of their peers elsewhere in the world.

These were the words of encouragement from multi-awarded documentarist and former GMA News Online editor-in-chief Howie Severino during the opening of the De La Salle University’s Lasallian Scholarum exhibit at Greenbelt 5 in Makati Monday night.

“There is no more technical or economic barrier to produce quality content, [but] remember that your edge as a storyteller does not rely on budget or equipment or having the latest technology. We are going back to the basic journalistic and communication skills, which is the way it should be,” said Severino.

Severino is a two-time winner of the Lasallian Scholarum Award for Best TV Feature, winning in 2005 and in 2009. His work is among the featured winners at the exhibit, together with the story that won GMA News Online the award for Best Story for Youth and Education this year.

Gone are the days when only a few people had access to the tools needed to create quality content—an era Severino described as very “undemocratic.”

“The youth of today is the most empowered generation in history, with access to technology and democratic rights, [to] freedom of expression. It goes without saying that this freedom should be exercised with responsibility,” noted Severino. This is where older, more experienced journalists should come in as role models to set standards for the younger generation to follow, he added.

Social media is another promising avenue where the youth can engage the public in discussion of issues; it is also an area where journalists should exercise responsibility in terms of discerning which content to click and share.

As for reaping awards for excellence such as the Lasallian Scholarum Awards in the pursuit of journalism, said Severino, it is a good experience that should serve as a constant inspiration to do better stories each day.

Sponsored by the DLSU's Office for Strategic Communications, the Lasallian Scholarum Awards, now on its 11th year, contracts an independent media-monitoring agency for the screening of the news and features articles, according to DLSU STRATCOM executive director Jose Mari Magpayo.

Magpayo added that the exhibit aims to highlight the works of outstanding Filipino journalists to inspire others to pursue stories that matter. — BM, GMA News

The Lasallian Scholarum exhibit will be at Greenbelt 5's outdoor exhibit area until Friday, Oct. 31.