KATHMANDU: The UNESCO Office in Kathmandu and the St. Xavier's College Faculty of Journalism recently wrapped off a two-day course on news writing and the application of artificial intelligence (AI) tools in journalism. This was the first time journalism students from four Kathmandu Valley public and community colleges had taken part in a workshop like this.

The workshop included twelve students from Ratna Rajya Laxmi Campus, Madan Bhandari Memorial College, Namuna Machhindra College, and Nepal Commerce Campus. They were joined by fifteen journalism students from St. Xavier’s College to learn key skills in writing article pitches and stories for national and international media.

Experts from both domestic and foreign domains, including AI specialist Naresh Newar, will be speaking at the event. When he talked about AI's role in journalism, Newar counseled students to view the technology as a tool rather than a replacement for their own hard work.

Noting that AI is particularly good at coming up with ideas, Newar highlighted the value of AI in producing ideas, photos, and content for social media. Additionally, he emphasized the significance of comprehending the ethical and practical constraints of AI.

Journalist Bhadra Sharma of The New York Times made a contribution to the class by sharing his knowledge of reporting and creating pitch materials for different media. His lesson improved the pupils' ability to communicate concepts to various audiences.

British writer and educator Louisa Kamal addressed common writing mistakes and shared techniques for improving the quality of written work, offering practical advice to help students become better writers.

Participants were given assignments to practice writing pitches and stories, putting the skills they learned into immediate use. This hands-on approach allowed students to apply their newly gained knowledge to real-world scenarios.

One of the workshop's beneficiaries, Nishant Adhikari of Madan Bhandari Memorial College, emphasized how the training improved his comprehension of AI tools. Although he had some prior experience, the trainers broadened and improved his understanding of the material.

For everyone participating, the workshop proved to be a worthwhile educational experience, especially in terms of honing news writing techniques and incorporating AI into the journalistic process.

The program effectively connected theory to real-world application, giving the upcoming generation of journalists the skills and understanding they need to successfully navigate the changing media landscape.