With a readership of more than two million, Urdu dailies are an undeniably significant tool for providing information and influencing public opinion. Similarly, nearly two hundred thousand people read English newspapers. Although WWF-P has been successful in establishing effective English medium coverage, conservation issues are still under-represented in Urdu newspapers. By developing close linkages with the Urdu press, WWF- P will try to bridge this gap in the coming years.

WWF- P has developed a capacity building and professional development skills strategy for the benefit of journalists working in the emerging specialisation of environmental journalism. As part of this strategy, a project has been developed to:

• Share the significance of effective reporting on the environment and sustainable
development issues
• Educate the local media about their influential role in conservation activities
• Involve journalists in environmental issues
• Use print media to enhance awareness among locals, journalists, and NGO personnel
• Identify essential factors for the development and effective implementation of future communication strategies for WWF projects.

As part of the project, groups of leading environmental reporters from influential publications are being taken to WWF project sites to meet local communities and people working in the field and see for themselves what is being done. Widely publicising project activities through the national media will help our community become more aware and appreciative of the environment and development objectives of these projects.

Press Releases/Newspaper Articles/etc

Experience sharing workshops/seminars.

Environmental education
(to highlight the status of selected threatened species of Pakistan).

The Communication Division of WWF - Pakistan is collaborating with the Forum of Environmental Journalists Pakistan (FEJP) in a number of initiatives to enhance environmental reporting. An important objective is to promote education, understanding and awareness of the environment through the honest and accurate reporting of local, regional and international environmental and development issues. FEJP members include journalists working for newspapers, magazines, and radio, broadcasters, NGOs, environmental groups, government departments and agencies and freelancers.

• Presenting workshops for journalists
• Organising campaigns to encourage incorporation of environmental concerns into policy making
•Helping FEJP to disseminate information about the environment and development
• Capacity building of journalists

FEJP Pakistan has chapters in all major media centres, with a Secretariat in Lahore. Membership of FEJP-Punjab is open to all individuals and organisations working in the fields of environment, media, development and conservation in the province. Membership is also open to people and organisations outside these areas who have a genuine interest in the environment and the media. For details contact FEJP at the link listed below.

For more information about the support WWF-P provides for environmental journalists,

Contact: Media Manager
media@wwf.org.pk