Journalists’ Association of Bhutan (JAB) conducted a day-long media literary and advocacy training for the community of Sakteng in Trashigang on October 9.

The programme highlighted the importance of the media, the role of the media in a democratic system, the responsible use of social media, and intelligent reading of advertisements.

“A session on the responsible use of social media included the highlights of the government’s social media policy. Some participants were known to use WeChat,” a press release from the JAB stated.

“The training underlined that, as consumers of media, advertisements should not be taken at face value for not all advertisements are factually correct and stand true to the promise they make.”

A survey conducted as part of the training revealed that the access to the media among the nomadic people is relatively poor. For example, out of 80 participants, only 10 have knowledge of and access to print media.

However, radio and TV are widely used in the community. Fifty-four participants listen to radio and 43 watch Bhutan Broadcasting Service TV.

Rinchen Chozom, a non-formal education student, said that she read Dzongkha edition of Kuensel when she went to Trashigang town.

“Some participants had heard about newspapers but never saw one,” the press release stated.

JAB is conducting the training in four remote communities in four regions of the country – Sakteng in the east, Panbang in the centre, Ada Rukha in the west, and Dorokha in the south.

The training funded by the United Nations Democracy Fund aims to engage the four communities often left out from such programmes.

About 80 people aged between 18-83 years attended the programme.

Staff Reporter