About 220 journalists from across the globe took part in an online workshop on 18 April aimed at shifting newsrooms toward solutions-oriented reporting and closer collaboration with civil society to counter news avoidance and reduce conflict. The HWPL International Workshop on Peace Journalism Studies, held under the theme “Reporting Solutions in the Age of News Avoidance: Strengthening Audience Agency through Media-Civil Peace Collaboration,” brought practitioners and researchers together to explore how media can report pathways to resolution rather than only episodes of violence.
The event featured three presenters who contributed to Volume 4 of the Journal HWPL Peace Journalism Studies, including Indonesian reporter Achmad Yani of Indepthnews.id. Yani presented research titled “The Role of International Media Narratives in the De-escalation of the Thailand–Cambodia Conflict,” an analysis of 19 major international news articles. He told participants that roughly 64 percent of the sampled coverage concentrated on military clashes and political tension, while the experiences of more than 200,000 displaced civilians received scant attention. Yani argued this framing narrows public understanding and urged journalists to include victim-centered perspectives and reporting that explores peaceful solutions and post-conflict needs.
Another contributor, Ida Yusnita of mediabanjarmasin.com, framed peace as more than the absence of armed conflict. In her presentation, “Peace: A Human Right That We Must Protect Together,” she said peace must be grounded in security, equality and justice and stressed the shared responsibilities of the state, society and the media. Yusnita called for practical measures including tolerance education, anti-discrimination policies and stronger independent outlets to protect human rights and promote social cohesion, reinforcing the view that journalism can play a constructive role beyond documenting violence.
Despite its virtual format, organisers said the workshop facilitated active engagement through breakout discussions where participants debated how to craft news that inspires hope, the ethical limits of positive narratives, and the mechanics of partnering with NGOs and community groups. Speakers and attendees examined ways to make reporting more useful to affected communities and to strengthen audience agency so people are less likely to disengage from coverage of complex conflicts.
A notable development at the workshop was the launch of the Media Association for Global Peace (MAGP), a Substack-based platform designed to connect journalists, media outlets and non-governmental organisations across borders. Organisers described MAGP as a networking and resource hub to support the global expansion of peace journalism initiatives, facilitate cross-border collaboration and help reporters access research, training and civil-society contacts necessary to pursue solutions-oriented reporting.
The online workshop arrives amid an ongoing regional conversation about media practice and safety. In recent months Pacific media have seen heightened scrutiny over access and journalist protections, underscoring the practical challenges of reporting in contested environments. Organisers said the move toward peace journalism seeks not to silence hard reporting on abuses or clashes but to broaden coverage so displaced civilians, reconstruction needs and justice processes receive sustained attention.
Organisers signalled plans to use MAGP to sustain the momentum from the workshop, encouraging journalists to adopt victim-centered approaches and to pilot collaborations with NGOs. By promoting reporting that links events to possible remedies, the initiative aims to reduce public disengagement with news while amplifying the voices of affected communities and the institutional changes needed for durable peace.