SHLP news from Kottayam school trending on YouTube, monetisation approved

KOTTAYAM: Children who used to spend time watching cartoons and playing games are now delving into the world of news. The fourth graders of Ramapuram Sacred Heart LP School are taking baby steps in the world of journalism.

It all started after they read the news through a mic in a program titled ‘School Headline’. It became a YouTube news channel this year. The channel goes by the name 'SHLP News'. The incidents that happened in the school from Monday to Friday will be shot in six news reports on Friday evening. The broadcast will be on Saturday. Teacher Joel is there to assist the children in filming the video using smartphones. 44 children, including Gauri Harish, Nivedya Ranjith and Jerry Amal, from two divisions of the fourth grade, are happy over the response the channel created in a brief time.

Each week, different presenters and reporters appear on the screen. Since there is no prompter, the children will prepare the dialogues by heart before the shoot. It is the children who are also behind the voice-over and editing. Local reporter Harish was there to assist them during the initial days.

Their news even made an impact as the panchayat took action within days of receiving the news of the waterlogging in front of the school. Every news bulletin will have a duration of 16 minutes, and it will also include wishes to students celebrating their birthdays on that particular day. The channel has now received monetisation.

“Since the launch of the channel, children started taking news seriously. The habit of reading newspapers also increased, “-Sister Lisa Mathew,​ headmistress.