Kids Witness News: A Global Film-Making Education Programme

[Media Invite]


Kids and teenagers today are more opinionated than ever before, but often lack platforms to express their thoughts and intentions. With this in mind, Panasonic developed Kid Witness News (KWN), a global film-making education programme that aims to help children around the world between the ages of 12 and 18 develop their self-confidence, creativity and communication skills through video journalism. 

KWN is a hands-on video education programme that Panasonic organises as part of its efforts to support education. The company lends video cameras and other broadcast and video production equipment to participating primary and secondary schools. Since the programme began in the United States in 1989, more than 175,000 children have participated over the last 26 years.



This is the first time the global awards ceremony was held in Southeast Asia, Singapore. Montfort College of Thailand won the Grand Prix for its video "Blind's Diary" in the Panasonic Kid Witness News (KWN) Global Contest 2015.  And the team from Clementi Town Secondary School of Singapore clinched the "Creative Media” award with its production “Social ME-dia” as they explored the way youth perceive their self-worth through their persona on social media. You may watch all their videos here.


With Singapore's team: Clementi Town Secondary School



I had the opportunity to attend a Sports Video Workshop conducted by the Olympic Broadcasting Services (OBS), Head of Production, Mr Mark Wallace. The amount of work put in to bring out the best visual effect to the audience in front of the television is beyond what I had estimated. The numbers of camera, the types of camera, the lens to use, the tools needed to install the camera, the locations to install the cameras, the angle to shoot, the lighting, even the sound effect, are all carefully planned and executed!

If you are keen to have your child learn video journalism, do check out his/her secondary school's Course Curriculum Activities (CCA), some schools may have this activity.  Alternatively, you may check with Singapore Media Academy for their courses available.


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