Group Assignment: Planning the Global Media and Information Literacy Week Webinar
To be honest, I haven’t put much thought towards the webinar. The collaborative effort seemed premature given the limited interaction I had with my classmates. We were unable to properly convene but given the approaching timeline and the urgency to provide a substantial agenda, the class was able to manage something feasible. We used the classes WhatsApp group to facilitate something immediate. My early intention was to review UNESCO’s website to review the theme and identify possible suggestions for our group project. My approach was individual but the chat provided a suitable forum to table ideas quickly and get group buy in as quickly as possible. I believe what we managed is useful given the varying schedules of parties involved. I made two suggestions:
Rebuilding public Trust in the Media as Independent Publishers
Challenges in defending Free Expression and Democratic Process
Given the 2026 theme, “ We All Play a Part – Media and Information Literacy for the People”, and my interest as a media practitioner I thought it best to focus on a target audience that was familiar. Journalists and communication professionals immediately appeared to be the most appropriate group to focus on. I also know that participating in the Media Institute of the Caribbean’s 2026 Media Summit as well as my research presentation at the UWI 2026 International Media Conference function as signals guiding my study in the course. To me the decisions align. All I need is group buy-in.
Execution is a very important aspect of my approach to the course. I wish to review, analyze, and posit my understanding towards Communication Studies in tandem with a result-oriented implementation strategy that is championed in my daily practice as a digital and media consultant. I want to see the results just as much as I want to prove the theories informing my own thesis.
My commitments at this stage of organizing the webinar include: i) Co-ordinating buy-in and participation of the Media Association of Trinidad and Tobago to engage its membership around the discussion and event attendance ii) Creating the promotional artwork and supporting content programme to promote the event. We are actually building track as the train moves towards the station on 28th October 2026.
Draft Artwork for Save the Date Announcement
While the agenda is pending I am also considering inviting two other panelists to the webinar: Mr. Darren Hosang-Rudder, Director at Influencer Agency Restayge, and Mr. Joshua Seemungal, independent Investigative Journalist at ROOTT. The intention is to round out the discussion at the webinar to include other relevant aspects that emerge in the distribution of information when practitioners operate outside legacy media institutions. Influencers and independent journalists also play a part in the dissemination of information and are just as important as the broadcast of traditional media. Once the team confirms the theme and agrees to the artwork (as well as the pending content programme to promote the webinar), I will share this suggestion. We already have the early buy-in at the Media Association of Trinidad and Tobago through verbal agreement. Formal letters and announcements are pending approval and distribution.
