Another Podcasting Competition for student journalists
This year, we were there once again at the Student Journalism Festival organised by the National Society of Student Journalists, held for the 33rd time at UP Event Hall in Újpest.
Students from all over Hungary were once again welcomed with a wide offering of activities at the NMHH booth, which proved to be one of the most popular locations at the event. This year, the booth’s offering focused on conscious and safe internet use again. Visitors could test their knowledge on artificial intelligence, social media and online threats by taking part in playful, interactive quizzes. The aim of the activities was not just to entertain, but also to educate and raise awareness. The quiz Generation Z slang for teachers accompanying children was particularly popular, offering a humorous and thought-provoking way to bring together how different generations communicate in the online space. One of the most popular features of the booth this year was the NMHH OPEN Podcast studio with its familiar yellow sofa, where students could ask well-known influencers, athletes and child protection professionals questions. Discussions revolved around topical issues such as online self-esteem, filtered reality, the impact of social media, influencer culture and digital detox. Students got a chance to discuss with their guests the impact of constant online comparisons on young people’s self-image, where the boundaries of privacy lie in social media, how abuse is present in sports communities, what role visibility and follower numbers play in the lives of athletes, and more. The podcasts also covered whether offline time and boredom is a burden or a source of creativity in today’s performance-driven world.
Participants in the podcast competition could choose from big names as we welcomed among our guests Dániel Mukics, spokesperson of the National Directorate-General for Disaster Management of the Ministry of the Interior, István B. Hajdu, one of the most popular sports reporters, Gábor Talmácsi, Géza Mészöly, Axel Országh-Krisz as well as popular content producers and influencers, including Zsomac, Tamás Trunk and zsDav. Child protection and policy experts, including representatives of UNICEF Hungary and the Ministry of Finance, also participated in the discussions.
The Media Festival also provided an opportunity to recognise the winners of the 6th edition of the three-round Big Student Media Test that took place with support from the NMHH. More than 9,000 enthusiastic students took part in the first online round of the competition, from which the top 1,000 players progressed to the semi-finals. The 40 fastest players to answer the questions correctly in the second round got to the final of the competition where they had to demonstrate their media literacy skills once more. Our colleague, Ákos Somogyi, presented the prizes to the young people at the awards ceremony.
Once again, the event showed that online issues faced by young people can only be addressed effectively if education offers an experience, is interactive and based on dialogue. The NMHH’s booth this year also represented this approach.
