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News World Asia, Singapore, May 2001
The generosity of News World International Limited, TVnewsweb and individual sponsors gave the Trust an important international platform at which to launch the second year of the Rory Peck Training Fund - and connect to a whole new community of freelancers and broadcasters.
Why did we go?
- To raise awareness of the Trust overseas and extend the network of supporters.
- To establish communication channels for the exchange of information.
- To extend our international freelance network and learn about issues specific to Asia.
- To secure the active participation of broadcasters and foreign bureaux.
- To bring the freelance perspective to the growing dialogue on safety and best practice.
What did we find?
On the first day, RPT Chairman Bob Jobbins chaired a session on Safety In the Field. Discussion centred on the responsibilities of broadcasters to ensure the safety of their employees, safety training, insurance and codes of practice. The most intense questioning came from the conference’s strong freelance contingent, ensuring that panelists Amal Jayasinghe (AFP Sri Lanka) Kevin McQuillan (ABC Australia) Rodney Pinder (Reuters TV) and Sanjeev Srivastava (BBC India) were themselves put in the firing line for well over an hour. Across Asia, a large and increasing number of freelancers are providing content for broadcasters, agencies and news portals. Many work on a ‘local hire basis’. It became clear that awareness of safety issues is low on the agenda for most broadcasters, hostile environment training is not currently available and many freelancers work with inadequate or no insurance cover.
The discussion could have gone all morning which proved how much these issues, close to the heart of the Rory Peck Trust, are rising to the forefront of the Asian newsgathering community.
What did we achieve?
- A welcoming and practical response from freelancers, broadcasters, agencies and bureaux to the presentation of the Trust’s work and its promotional video.
- A first ever meeting between the three major employers of freelancers in Asia - production houses Asia Pacific Vision, AsiaWorks and Hallion Productions, providing a new forum for the exchange of information.
- Publicity for the international launch of the second year of the Rory Peck Training Fund.
- A network of key
freelance and broadcast contacts who will be able to help the Trust
by:
- providing lists of broadcaster contacts and introductions.
- distributing our information, in particular Awards entry forms
- giving us feedback on local issues
- alerting us to potential beneficiaries
- assisting our search for funds, sponsors and contributors to the Training Fund
- giving us, where possible, a platform for publicity
- helping us increase our database of freelancers
- reinforcing practical solutions to the issues of safety awareness and best practice
Where do we go from here?
A page of the Rory Peck website is to be devoted to Asia with content provided by the Asian production houses, freelancers and broadcasters. A pilot training project for freelancers is under discussion. We have begun a database of Asian freelancers, broadcasters, agencies, production companies and press - a communications blueprint for our overseas activities which will enable us to extend awareness and application of our work around the world.
Tina Carr, Director, The Rory Peck Trust
Issue 9
June 2001
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