The Centre of Independent Journalism is planning to compile the best practices of reporting on ethnicity in a handbook.

The book is to follow the successful introduction of its new course programme on the topic earlier this year, CIJ executive officer Masjaliza Hamzah said today.

The Kuala Lumpur-based non-profit organisation has so far conducted four courses this year - in KL-Petaling Jaya, Penang, Kuching and Kota Kinabalu.

Because of the good response, another series of courses was being planned, targeting journalists and journalism lecturers and students, Masjaliza added.

She hoped that each course would have a mixed group of participants from Peninsular Malaysia and Sabah and Sarawak.

While planning the courses, Masjaliza said, CIJ was producing the handbook on ethnicity reporting and finalising a training module.

The module could be reproduced and used by others in their training, she said.

"Journalists may have gone through courses on media law and such when they join their profession. But to my knowledge, no one offers a course on ethnicity and the media's role in defining ethnic issues," Masjaliza said.

"Our training programme provides the space and the tools for journalists to think and explore these issues and it suggests guidelines useful to media practitioners."

    

- Bernama