This training aims to provide provisions for ITB Public Relations personnel who are engaged in journalism. Every day, ITB Public Relations Team prepares 1-3 news per day. Therefore, basic knowledge is needed to maintain the quality of the news written.

Head of ITB’s Bureau of Communication and Public Relations (BKHM), Dr. Naomi Haswanto, S.Sn., M.Sn., in her speech said, publication activities are essential for an institution in disseminating information to the public. Many interesting activities at ITB needed to be published, such as student activities in UPT UKA/UKP, achievements, and student profiles.

“Currently, the Bureau of Communication and Public Relations is given the mandate to maintain the ITB website by releasing news every day routinely. At this time, the news released ranges from 1-3 news every day. This can certainly be improved, considering ITB has many activities,” she said.

This training program presents three speakers, namely the Editor-in-Chief of People's Minds, Dr. Hazmirullah with the topic “Writing Public Relations News”, Public Relations Photographer of Bandung City Government, Agvi Firdaus with the subject "Public Relations Photography”, and Reporter / Editor in ITB Public Relations, Adi Permana with the topic "ITB News Curve.” The participant who attended are very enthusiastic, judging from the number of participants who attend, which is around 200 people, as conveyed by the Head of UPT PSDM ITB, Lusia Marliana Nurani, Ph.D.

How to Write a Good News?

PR Editor-in-Chief, Hazmirullah said, news must meet the feasibility of having a fast (actual), real (factual), important, and interesting element. Good news should be structured, i.e., news headlines, news time (dateline), and news terrace (leads). The news is compiled following the concept of an inverted pyramid (single or stacked). News coverage must also contain elements 5W+1H.

“There is no defined theory about writing, like riding a bike, the more we practiced, the more adept we’ll be,” he said.

The training continued with a presentation from Agvi Firdaus on public relations photography. He explained that public relations photography has a vital role in creating vivid illustrations of activities in organizations, institutions, or companies.

Public relations photography is a method of communication to create a positive image of an organization or agency based on respecting common interests by using the photography medium.

Agvi provides tips for taking pictures of an activity. First, avoid group photos that look stiff. This aims to make the image look more alive. Second, the photographer must be sensitive to supporting ornaments in the environment inside the frame. Lastly, it must be creative and take various references.

"Good photos are created not only from the camera used but from instincts used by photographers," he explained.

Meanwhile, Reporter and Editor at ITB Public Relations, Adi Permana said, there is a difference between news written by the mass media and news released by public relations. According to him, news from a public relations perspective aims to improve an agency’s reputation and positive image.

He explained some critical aspects of ITB news ranging from types of ITB news, title writing, date, dateline, body news, etc. He hopes that through this training, the units/faculties/schools in ITB can help news publications to improve the reputation of ITB.

Repoter: Tarisa Putri (Teknik Kimia 2019)
Translator: Aghisna Syifa R (Biologi, 2020)