Media for a Living Planet: Media reinforces national accountability for environmental conservation through partnership with WWF Pakistan
SAMAA TV and the World Wide Fund for Nature Pakistan (WWF Pakistan) have embarked on an innovative nation-wide partnership at WWF Pakistan’s Wetlands Centre located in Kakapir Village near Sandspit. The partnership intends to enhance public awareness on critical environment challenges, bringing forth the collective and individual responsibility for nurturing the natural resources and associated biodiversity in the country.
WWF Pakistan being one of country’s leading field based scientific organisation working in Pakistan for past almost 40 years joined hands with SAMAA TV, one of the national leader in the dissemination of news and public service messages to the nation. It has already displayed a solid commitment to illuminating and enlightening the public on environmental issues.
SAMAA TV through their corporate social responsibility programme will work with WWF Pakistan to heighten awareness among their viewers about the significance of Pakistan’s natural resources and the need to preserve them along with information about sustainable development and best management practices in nature conservation in Pakistan.
Dr. Ghulam Akbar, Regional Director, WWF and Mr. Amir Jahangir, CEO, SAMAA TV signed the partnership agreement. Also present at the ceremony were Dr. Ejaz Ahmad, Deputy Director General, WWF Pakistan, Mr. Anwar Naseem, Director Finance and Administration, WWF Pakistan, Ms. Marriyum Aurangzeb, Head-Corporate Relation WWF, Mr. Jonathan Mark Director SAMAA TV and Ms. Hina Akhtar, Senior Manager Strategic Communications, SAMAA TV and other senior officials of both the organisations.
At the auspicious occasion of the signing of the MoU between WWF P and SAMAA TV, Dr. Ghulam Akbar highlighted the importance of the partnership and encouraged others in the journalism community to follow suet. Dr. Akbar also congratulated SAMAA TV for being a pioneer and leading the efforts to create an eco sensitive and aware community by using the influential electronic medium.
Mr Amir Jahangir expressed his admiration for WWF Pakistan’s commendable conservation efforts for past three decades across the country. He also conveyed his enthusiasm and zeal by articulating SAMAA TV’s commitment and Support to the partnership.
Key elements of the partnership include five scholarships of public university students for masters in environmental sciences in consultation with scientific research department of WWF Pakistan, launching of structured thematic green media campaigns every month for people to participate in various initiatives such as ‘Say No to Plastic Bags’, ‘Earth Hour’, ‘Beach Cleaning’, ‘Plantation,’ and ‘Make Your Carbon and Water Foot Prints Small and Green’, all of which are designed to be visually appealing and environmentally informative.
The principle platform for this will be an innovative and information-rich spot called the “Conservation Minute,” which will be a one-minute environment-related message every day to be jointly developed by SAMAA TV and the WWF P. Another means of heightening people’s environmental awareness via SAMAA TV will be through the airing of documentaries, along with related talk shows and panel discussions both during regularly scheduled air-time and on significant International Environmental Days.
And in a bilateral information collecting, news sharing and capacity building component of this partnership the WWF Pakistan will involve SAMAA TV reporters and producers in exposure visits, help them with aspects of environmental reporting and nature photography while SAMAA TV will involve WWF P staffers in their environmental reporting activities and keep them immediately informed and involved in fast-breaking environmental news events.
We at WWF Pakistan, hope that this partnership sets a strong precedent and paves the way for other media channels to follow in SAMAA TV’s unique steps.
