Reclaiming the craft: Narrative journalism takes centre stage in Chandigarh
Over 50 journalists attend regional finale of Canada-backed workshop, exploring storytelling as the antidote to shrinking newsrooms and digital fatigue
Chandigarh, Updated At : 08:04 PM Feb 11, 2026 IST
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For two days in early February, the hum of routine newsroom urgency gave way to reflection and reinvention at the Chandigarh Press Club.
On February 9 and 10, journalists gathered for an immersive workshop on narrative journalism, an exercise not in chasing headlines, but in understanding how they are shaped. The programme, organised by the High Commission of Canada in partnership with Newsreel Asia, marked the concluding chapter of a regional capacity-building series held across Sri Lanka, Bhutan, Nepal, Bangladesh and India.
Being the final stop in this South Asian initiative lent the Chandigarh edition a quiet significance. It was both a culmination and a call to action.
Addressing the participants, Canada’s Deputy High Commissioner Mark Allen placed the workshop in a broader democratic context. In Canada, he said, a strong, free and competent media is considered an essential pillar of democracy. In an age saturated with information, he noted, journalists carry a tremendous opportunity and responsibility to shape public opinion, speak up for equality and advocate responsible use of natural resources. The real challenge, he emphasised, lies in telling stories in ways that hold readers and viewers long enough to understand the full narrative and its context.
His remarks echoed through the sessions that followed.
The sessions traced the entire storytelling pipeline, from conceiving strong narrative ideas and structuring scripts to hands-on training in video shooting and audio recording. Equal weight was given to post-production, where participants explored how editing techniques can transform raw footage into powerful visual narratives.
Vishal Arora, known for his engaging style and clarity of thought, led discussions on storytelling frameworks and narrative structure. Drawing on practical examples, he demonstrated how a well-built story arc can elevate reporting from information-sharing to meaningful engagement.
Young media professionals Surabhi Singh and Harshita Rathore steered participants into the world of video storytelling. Their focus on visual grammar — framing, sequencing, pacing, sound design and editing principles — offered fresh insights, particularly for attendees rooted in print journalism.
For many of the over 50 participants, including journalists from Delhi, Karnal and Dharamsala, the workshop provided an opportunity to rethink familiar practices in an evolving media environment.
That environment, as the facilitators underscored, is fraught with challenges. Across South Asia, journalism faces shrinking newsrooms, severe revenue constraints, increasing political pressures, public distrust and the relentless pace of digital media that rewards speed and quantity over depth. Audiences, meanwhile, are flooded with content choices across platforms, making it harder than ever for serious journalism to command attention.
The central proposition of the workshop was clear: narrative journalism is not ornamental. It is essential. By weaving context, character and structure into reporting, journalists can cut through noise and rebuild audience trust.
More than a technical training, the two-day engagement served as a reminder that journalism’s strength lies not only in uncovering facts, but in telling them with purpose, clarity and craft.
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