Sep 8, 2015 | AMIC Communication Awards
Filipino journalist and communication practitioner Juan L. Mercado has received the 2014 AMIC Communication Award.
Mercado is founding Director and Trustee of thePress Foundation of Asiaand founding Director of the Philippines Press Institute. He is an illustrious pioneer in the field of Asian journalism and mass communication.
Mercado started his illustrious journalism career in the 1950s as a reporter with the Cebu daily newspaper, the Southern Star. He became an associate editor of the same paper before joining the Evening News in Manila.
He was based at the United Nations in New York for the Evening News (1961-1963). Upon returning to the Philippines, he worked as Manila-based correspondent for several foreign publications.
Mercado co-founded Depth Newsas a ground-breaking service of the Press Foundation of Asiain the 1960s. Depth News provided development news and features to newspapers and radio stations in Asia and the developing world. It was active for more than 20 years.
Mercado was founding Director of the Philippine Press Institute, and co-founded the Philippine Press Council.
In 1972, Juan L. Mercado was detained with 21 other journalists when martial law was declared by then Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos. While no charges against him were ever filed, Mercado and the other detained journalists were kept under city arrest. During this period, he edited several ‘underground’ newspapers.
After his release in 1975, Mercado joined the United Nations as Communication Director of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) regional office in Thailandand later at the FAO headquarters in Rome, Italy.
After the 1986 People Power Revolution in the Philippines, and after 19 years of UN service, Mercado returned home and resumed his media work. He continues to write as one of Manila’s leading newspaper columnists to this day.
Sep 8, 2015 | AMIC Communication Awards
Filipino journalist and communication practitioner Juan L. Mercado has received the 2014 AMIC Communication Award.
Mercado is founding Director and Trustee of the Press Foundation of Asia and founding Director of the Philippines Press Institute. He is an illustrious pioneer in the field of Asian journalism and mass communication.
Mercado started his illustrious journalism career in the 1950s as a reporter with the Cebu daily newspaper, the Southern Star. He became an associate editor of the same paper before joining the Evening News in Manila.
He was based at the United Nations in New York for the Evening News (1961-1963). Upon returning to the Philippines, he worked as Manila-based correspondent for several foreign publications.
Mercado co-founded Depth News as a ground-breaking service of the Press Foundation of Asia in the 1960s. Depth News provided development news and features to newspapers and radio stations in Asia and the developing world. It was active for more than 20 years.
Mercado was founding Director of the Philippine Press Institute, and co-founded the Philippine Press Council.
In 1972, Juan L. Mercado was detained with 21 other journalists when martial law was declared by then Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos. While no charges against him were ever filed, Mercado and the other detained journalists were kept under city arrest. During this period, he editedseveral ‘underground’ newspapers.
After his release in 1975, Mercado joined the United Nations as Communication Director of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) regional office in Thailand and later at the FAO headquarters in Rome, Italy.
After the 1986 People Power Revolution in the Philippines, and after 19 years of UN service, Mercado returned home and resumed his media work. He continues to write as one of Manila’s leading newspaper columnists to this day.
Sep 8, 2015 | News
As he bowed out as AMIC’s chairperson, Dr. Arun Mahizhnancalled on AMIC members to get rid of the “blind subservience” to the Western perspective in analyzing Asian media and communication systems.
“Far too long, we have submitted and submerged ourselves in Western perspective and Western theories, and worst of all, Western validation of our own nascent attempts to create anything Asian,” lamented Dr. Mahizhnan, speaking during the 2015 AMIC International Conference held in Dubai.
He added, “We have a long way go in establishing an Asian perspective and Asian theories of communication” and “it is going to be even more challenging to do this than before.”
A clear research agenda looms ahead for Asian communicators and scholars to differentiate and distinguish Asian communication practices and build theories based on them.
While there are attempts in the past to ground research in local practice, some try to fit them to Western theories.
More work and people are needed in seriously observing and analyzing Asian media and communication practice
Dr. Mahizhnanwas also commended for his long years of distinguished service to AMIC as chairman and member of the Board of Management, and as chairman of the Board of Directors.
In turn, he cited AMIC colleagues Dr. Ang Peng Hwa and Dr. Eddie Kuo, Mr. Martin L. Hadlow and the AMIC Secretariat for their support to AMIC.
He also expressed gratitude to the American University in Dubai, especially its leaders Sheik Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, President Lance de Masi, Provost Jihad Nader and Dean Ali Jaber, for hosting the 2015 AMIC International Conference.
Sep 8, 2015 | News
The 4th World Journalism Education Congress (WJEC) will be held in Auckland, New Zealand from July 14 to July 16, 2016.
The WJEC will be hosted by Auckland University of Technology’s School of Communication Studies.
It will provide a discussion forum on socio-technological changes that impact on the journalism and journalism education worldwide.
The WJEC was occasioned by contemporary developments that signal significant shifts in the place of journalism programmes within the academe and the broader educational environment, and in relationships with industry and wider society.The implications of this transition will be WJEC’s focus.
Journalism Education in the Asia-Pacific will also be a strong feature of the conference, in partnership with the Pacific Media Centre.
Topics to be discussed at the WJEC include:
- Mobile/Social/User-generated Media and Journalism
- Research Trends in Journalism
- Utilising the Professional Connection Work in Journalism Education
- 21st Century Ethical Issues in Journalism
- Journalism Education and an Informed Citizenry
- Journalism Programmes Offered by the Industry
- Journalism Education in the South Pacific
- Journalism Education in Asia
Conference organizers are calling for abstracts. Please contact: Steering Committee chair Associate Professor Verica Rupar.
For inquiries from the Asia-Pacific, please contact Professor David Robie, New Zealand Country Representative of AMIC and 2015 AMIC Communication Awardee.
More details can be viewed at the WJEC conference website at AUT, and the AUT School of Communication Studies.
Jan 22, 2015 | AMIC Communication Awards
Dear colleagues,
We are pleased to announce that nominations are now being accepted for the AMIC Asia Communication Award 2015.
Since 2006, the prestigious annual ceremony has recognized outstanding achievements in various media and communication fields and categories. This year, another individual will be honored for making an impact on Asian media and communication through his or her work. The nominees’ contributions can be focused on a single country within Asia, a region within Asia, or the whole of Asia. While the nominee need not be from Asia, preference is accorded to regional actors.
Award categories are as follows:
Research—pioneering contributions to the body of knowledge on media and communication research, such as the launching and completion of major research projects or the development of enduring theoretical approaches in the discipline.
Education—legacy in nurturing successive generations of media, communication, or journalism students and scholars.
Institution building—establishment of key communication and media programs, research centres or academic publications.
Excellence in journalism—sustained involvement in public service and observance of the highest journalistic principles.
Others—from time to time the Board may present the AMIC Asia Communication Award to a media practitioner for outstanding commitment to and excellence in their field of endeavor.
Nominations will be accepted from any AMIC member in good standing. The closing date is on 30 March 2015. The award will be presented at the 24th AMIC international conference in Dubai, UAE (10th to 13th June 2015).
Please accomplish the nomination form (also available on www.amic.org.sg). Send the form, together with a nomination letter, to the following:
Ramon R. Tuazon
Acting Secretary-General
Asian Media Information and Communication Centre (AMIC)
E-mail: rrtuazon722@yahoo.com and r.tuazon@amic.org.sg
We look forward to receiving your nominations. Thank you very much.
Very truly yours,
Ramon R. Tuazon
Acting Secretary-General
Download the pdf nomination form
