Sharif Khiam Ahmed

Memories of Home , our visual story series on Myanmar memories of the Rohingya living in Bangladesh, won the Telly Award in three categories in the US in May last year. The two trophies for the award came from New York to Washington DC, and finally to Bangladesh. Coincidentally, I received the Edward R. Murrow Award trophy from FedEx on the same date in 2022.  Finding this on Facebook Memory surprised me. But as I took the trophy this time from Emma Say, Head of Video at BenarNews, accepting the honor was much more meaningful for me. A delight also comes from being awarded along with Abdur Rahman . As a local journalist from any place outside of the capital succeeds, I feel thrilled. That's where I began my journalism career as well. As I mentioned earlier, " Memories of Home " was a life-changing event for me as a journalist. I've never had to spend as much time in the field and at the table while producing a series.  Many thanks to Kate Beddall, my managing editor...

Photo: Abdur Rahman Humanity is going through an enigmatic time right now, as it does at every turn. In December 2023, from Bangladesh, I saw that many poets, painters, singers, authors, and filmmakers have already become digital content creators, either because of various trappings of capitalism or due to technological blessings. This medialization has made every attempt to commercialize any artistic efforts. And contemporary journalists have gradually turned into viralists. In a nutshell, "journalism" in the present era is greatly influenced by "viralism." Has our media literacy or common sense evolved as tools like social media and smartphones have developed?

I'm in my 20th year in journalism. As a professional journalist, I still need to learn something new to survive, even after 19 years. Analyzing myself, this is the fundamental reason I am still attracted to journalism. Learning anything new is always a challenge that I relish. Thus, my journalism has had the most impact on who I am. Consequently, I want to carry out two initiatives to mark this 20th year. 1. I'll draft a manuscript titled "The Sequences of Various Thoughts." I want to portray the tale of a local newspaper reporter's journey to become an international media journalist and the evolution of his diverse viewpoints. 2. I want to do "visual interviews" with some of the people who have taught me a lot or from whom I need to learn a lot as a journalist. They are mostly journalists. I'll also chat about mass communication with other pros. I posted these ideas on my blog and personal Facebook timeline to inspire myself. But, my friends, if you...