The International Journalism MA at City University London’s world-renowned Graduate School of Journalism is designed to equip you to start a career in international news reporting, or return to a career with enhanced skills and understanding.

It is designed for students who do not live in the UK. You will leave with contacts in countries around the world, with insight into international news, and with a more profound understanding of other cultures.

You will benefit from:

• A prime location in the heart of London’s media district

• Excellent graduate prospects, with students working for international news organisations like Al-Jazeera, CNN, APTN, BBC World Service, and Dow Jones

• An international focus, 89% of 2010/11 students are from outside the UK

• Experienced faculty and world-famous guest speakers. Recent visitors to the course have included senior figures from Reuters, Channel 4 News, Sky News, APTN, Reuters Iraq and A-24 African network

Places available for the 2011/12 class.

http://ijnet.org/node/92366

Deadline:01/06/11
Kurt Schork Memorial Fund (KSMF)

Submissions are now open for this year’s Kurt Schork Awards in International Journalism, honoring international freelance reporting and local journalists who face risks in covering the news.

Named in honor of the American freelance journalist killed in a military ambush while on assignment for Reuters in Sierra Leone in 2000, the awards are made annually by the Kurt Schork Memorial Fund (KSMF).

Now in its 10 year, entries are being accepted for two categories: freelance journalists covering international news and local reporters covering events in their home country or region. Each winner receives a cash prize of USD$5,000, awarded at a ceremony in London in November.

The stories can be about conflict, human rights, cross-border issues or any controversial matter in a particular country or region. Each submission must demonstrate professionalism, meet international journalistic standards and provide evidence that courage and determination were required to cover the story.

2010 winners were Adrian Mogos (Romania) for his stories on the new slave trade in Eastern Europe and UK freelancer Stephen Gray.

For more information, click here: http://www.ksmfund.org/submission.html

http://ijnet.org/opportunities/kurt-schork-awards-international-journalism-accepting-entries-worldwi

Deadline:01/07/11
UNICEF

Broadcasters who covered the International Children’s Day of Broadcasting can enter a UNICEF competition.

The 2011 International Children’s Day of Broadcasting Awards, sponsored by UNICEF, honor radio and television broadcasters whose programming best reflects the theme: “Girls Are…Boys are…” examining what innate behaviors, abilities and interests correspond to being a boy or girl.

To be eligible for an award, broadcasts must have taken place on or around March 6 in conjunction with the 2011 International Children’s Day of Broadcasting.

Entries will be judged in each of UNICEF’s eight global regions.

The top-scoring entries in each region will compete for a global award. In 2010, the global awards went to programs in Togo, South Africa and Nigeria.

For more information, click here: http://www.unicef.org/media/media_58051.html

http://ijnet.org/opportunities/unicef-awards-international-childrens-day-broadcasts-open-worldwide

Deadline:01/05/11
Third International Festival of Literature and Culture

The third International Festival of Literature and Culture for Slavic Traditions is accepting entries for its literary competition.

Categories include poetry, prose, translations, drama and more. The festival aims to promote the preservation and development of the Russian language, traditions and networking between poets, writers, playwrights and translators worldwide who write in Russian worldwide.

The program of the event includes the meetings with publishers, workshops and other events. The event is sponsored by a number of media and publishing houses. The winners will get partial reimbursement of their expenses connected with their attendance at the festival.

For more information (in Russian), click here:

http://ijnet.org/opportunities/literary-competition-slavic-tradition-festival-opens-worldwide

RECOMMENDATIONS

of participants of the seminar “Legal and ethical bases for media activities in Tajikistan” within the framework of the Project “Promoting development of legal and ethical standards in Tajik journalism” organized by NANSMIT, Internews Network and USAID.
Kurgan-Tube
5 April 2011

Expressing concern about the growing number of legal persecutions of the media and journalists, representatives of the Tajik mass media with different forms of property, public officials and employees of international and public organizations have developed the following recommendations:

To the mass media and media organizations:

— to enhance interrelations and consolidate efforts ensuring solidarity among journalists;

— to acknowledge ethical standards acceptable for all media;

— to strengthen responsibility of journalists and the media for veracity and objectivity of the information they publish;

— to ensure access of the media and journalists to legal services and legal data bases;

— to introduce the position of legal consultant in the media;

— to conduct regular online competitions promoting and strengthening professionalism among journalists;

— to improve working conditions and professional environment for journalists within every medium;

— to promote and support improvement of professional training of young journalists in universities.

NANSMIT

Deadline:15/10/11
Russian American magazine Florida

Russian-American magazine Florida is accepting short stories in Russian for a competition.

Called «Next Stop,» the theme of the competition includes traveling, making friends on the road and the theme of near and far. Experienced authors and beginners are encouraged to apply.

The winners will get cash prizes, ranging from USD$500 to USD$1,000.

For more information, (in Russian) click here: http://www.florida-rus.com/09-10/konkurs.htm

http://ijnet.org/opportunities/russian-american-magazine-accepting-entries-worldwide

Deadline:20/04/11
Transitions Online (TOL)

Media professionals and citizen journalists from Central Asia — Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Turkmenistan — are encouraged to apply for a distance learning course about improving coverage of minority groups.

Called “Painting a Fairer Picture: Improving the Coverage of Ethnic and other Minorities,” it was developed by Transitions Online (TOL), a Prague-based international publishing and media development organization. Citizens of those countries who live elsewhere are also invited to apply. Participation is free of charge.

During the course, participants will take five theoretical modules. Each module consists of a text on a specific subject, questions about the text and a practical writing assignment. Throughout the course an experienced trainer will answer questions and provide detailed feedback on their writing. The working language is Russian and the course lasts five weeks.

Participants who complete the training successfully will be awarded TOL certificates. The top performers will be eligible for full scholarships to TOL journalism training courses in Prague. In addition, successful participants will be offered an opportunity to become paid contributors on Central Asian issues to TOL’s award-winning internet magazine.

The National Endowment for Democracy, a private, nonprofit organization created in 1983 to strengthen democratic institutions around the world, sponsors this project.

For more information (in Russian), click here: http://www.tol.org/client/training/course/21726-painting-a-fairer-picture-improving-the-coverage-of-ethnic-and-other-minorities.html

http://ijnet.org/opportunities/online-course-improving-journalism-coverage-minorities-offered-centra

As much as social media can be a blessing for activists, it can also be their undoing. For a recent example, see how the Tunisian authorities compromised activists’ Facebook accounts.

Access Now, an NGO that campaigns for digital freedom, has just launched a handy and concise how-to guide for activists online. It has «tips and tools for reducing surveillance and monitoring, protecting privacy, and dealing with censorship.»

Even if you’re not an activist, the guide has lots of invaluable online security advice about using HTTPS with email and social networking sites, making smarter passwords, and safely and securely using proxies and anonymizing tools.

The guide is available in English and Arabic, but Brett Solomon, the executive director of Access Now, tells me they’ve had offers to translate it into 10 languages since they launched — «everywhere from Tibetan to Russian to Serbian.»

http://www.rferl.org/content/how_to_stay_safe_online/3544056.html

In March 2011 the NANSMIT Monitoring Service received 17 reports. Ten of them describe the factual situation in the media in the light of socio-legal and political environment; four reports describe direct violations of rights of media professionals; and three reports describe conflicts and accusations against the media and journalists.

I. POLITICAL, SOCIAL, ADMINISTRATIVE AND LEGAL CLIMATE IN THE COUNTRY DEFINING THE FACTUAL SITUATION IN THE MEDIA

1. Public speeches and statements of superior officials defining the factual situation in the mass media

March 2
G. Afzal, chairman of the Khatlon province administration

On 2 March 2011, the authorities of Khatlon province held a meeting with representatives of the mass media. Inter alia, the officials discussed the problems of access to the Tajik TV channels, delivery of periodicals, improvement of the program content of the local TV-5 channel, and cooperation between the media and the administration.

2. Factual situation in the media

March 2
Vechorka, private newspaper, Dushanbe

A new periodical Vetchorka came off the press on 2 March in Dushanbe.

The founder of the new printing outlet is Gulnora Amirshoeva, a former editor of the weekly Vetcherny Dushanbe.

According to Amirshoeva, the new periodical is mainly oriented to municipal news and feature stories. The newspaper must become an “information indicator” of social, political and economic developments in the Tajik capital.

Vetchorka is published in Russian. It is planned to start disseminating the newspaper countrywide. In the nearest future, the newspaper will be launched online.

In January 2011, the former staff of Vetcherny Dushanbe denounced their withdrawal from the media holding Charkhi Gardun after a conflict with its owner, chairman of the Tajik Union of Journalists Akbarali Sattorov.

3. Amendments to the legislation and new draft laws aggravating the media environment

March 11
All media, Dushanbe

A round table on amendments to the Tajik media law in the area of the Internet as a platform ensuring access to information was held in Dushanbe. The event was organized by the Open Society Institute (Soros Foundation).

The amendments developed by two Tajik parliamentarians – Olimjon Salimzoda and Akramsho Felaliev – provoked a big resonance in the Tajik information community.

Participants of the media forum in Dushanbe expressed concern over the introduction of a term “online journalism”. Experts say that the introduction of such terminology may lead to limitations in access to information and new artificial impediments in the domestic media market. Due to such terminology, the authorities can start considering the Internet as the mass media, which can entail application of the media legislation to the online media.

March 28
Parliament of Tajikistan, Dushanbe

On 28 March, the Tajik parliament discussed the draft law “On mass media”.

The press secretary of the lower chamber of the Parliament Mukhamadato Sultonov told the NANSMIT monitoring service that the draft law will be further discussed at the next session of the Parliament.

4. Journalists protecting their civil and professional rights

March 14
Civil society, Dushanbe

The Coalition of Tajik NGOs in charge of an alternative report to the United Nations Committee Against Tortures issued a statement to protect the Asia Plus weekly.

The Tajik Bureau on Human Rights and Rule of Law, the Sughd Bar Association, the Human Rights Center in Dushanbe, the National Association of Attorneys “Sipar”, the NGO “Amparo”, the NGO “RDI”, and the NGO “Equal Opportunities” signed the statement expressing concerns about the frequent lawsuits against journalists and the media, which entail self-censorship and undermine the freedom of speech in the country.

“It is alarming that the journalist who touched upon the problem of tortures is accused of aiding terrorists. It is seen as intimidation of other journalists in the country”, — says the statement.

The Tajik Coalition of NGOs calls upon the Tajik law enforcement agencies to carry out urgent investigations on the cases described in the article written by Ramziya Mirzobekova and published by Asia Plus, and to present the results of these investigations to the public.

II. VIOLATION OF PROFESSIONAL RIGHTS

1. Accusations of libel and insult

March 29
Charkhi Gardun, private newspaper

The court hearing on the case of the former Tajik parliamentarian Saivali Nurov against the private weekly Charkhi Gardun is adjourned until 5 April.

Nurov applied to the court after the publication of an article titled “Will the official-hooligan appear in court?” (27 July 2010). The former parliamentarian says that the article defames his reputation and demands to bring the medium to responsibility according to Articles 135 and 136 (Libel and Insult respectively) of the Tajik Criminal Code.

March 31
Makhmadyusuf Ismoilov, correspondent, Nuri Zindagi, Sughd province

The correspondent of the Nuri Zindagi weekly Makhmadyusuf Ismoilov has beenunder custody for four months in the city of Khujand.

Initially, the correspondent was detained for his publications containing criticism of the authorities. However, the court incriminates him four articles of the Criminal Code, including “extortion”, “incitement of religious and racial feud”, “libel” and “insult”.

Colleagues of Ismoilov told the media that the journalist and his relatives experience pressure from the law enforcement agencies who conduct the investigation.

2. Impediments to professional activities

March 9
Bahriddin Sangmadov, correspondent, Pazhvok, Kulyab, Khatlon province

The correspondent of the Pazhvok weekly in the city of Kulyab Bakhriddin Sangmadov told the NANSMIT monitoring service that he is being intimidated by the police. On 8 March, he was detained near the premises of the Kulyab university while filming the cutting of trees.

Sangmadov says that the main reason for his detention and the conversation with the police is his cooperation with the Pazhvok weekly.

III. CONFLICTS. VIOLATIONS INCRIMINATED TO THE MEDIA AND JOURNALISTS

1. Protection of honor, dignity and business reputation

March 14
Asia Plus, Farazh, Ozodagon, private newspapers, Dushanbe

The Sino district court in Dushanbe adjourned the hearings on the case of the judges of the Tajik Supreme Court against three private weeklies – Asia Plus, Farazh, and Ozodagon – until 17 March.

The judges applied to the court demanding a moral compensation from the newspapers in the amount of 5,5 million Somoni (about $1,250 million) after the publication of articles quoting the attorney Solijon Juraev who accused the Tajik legal system and particular judges of corruption. Juraev was quoted as speaking publically at a press conference in Sughd province.

On 4 March, the court presented the results of an independent linguistic expertise implemented at the Institute of Language and Literature under the Tajik Academy of Sciences. The expertise proves that the publications in the three periodicals contain no libel or insult against the judges.

This report is based on compiled materials from the media and private information presented by correspondents of the NANSMIT Monitoring Network

Coordinator of the Monitoring Service
Abdufattokh Vokhidov

Project Manager
Nuriddin Karshibaev

Make a Lasting, Visible Impact on Media and Society

The Knight International Journalism Fellowship program helps to create news outlets and programming, training centers and schools, and innovative resources to improve the quality and free flow of news in the public interest around the world. Send us your ideas for a fellowship project. If your idea is selected, we will recruit and support a journalist or media manager to work on a fellowship project for at least a year. Or send in a proposal for a project you would like to run as a Knight fellow. For more information about the program’s criteria, please click here: http://knight.icfj.org/GetInvolved/ProjectCriteria/tabid/826/Default.aspx

1. What is the primary goal of the Knight International Journalism Fellowships?

Knight International Journalism Fellows work with local partner organizations to make lasting, visible changes that improve the quality and free flow of news in the public interest around the world.

Fellows have established media training centers, journalism associations, academic programs, citizen journalism networks, and units of investigative reporters. They have created mobile news services and online databases to track corruption. They have developed topical journalism manuals and curricula in more than a dozen languages. With the help of our fellows, local journalists have improved environmental, business and health coverage, and uncovered corruption and mismanagement, improving living conditions in their societies. Each project is designed to ensure that the impacts and achievements last beyond the fellowship.

2. Where do fellows work?

We work in Latin America/Caribbean, Central Europe/Eurasia, Asia/Pacific, Africa, and the Middle East. We target countries where there is great opportunity to make a lasting impact. Examples of opportunities for fellowship projects:

•New leadership or improved media laws have opened a window for better journalism
•An end to conflict has enabled the growth of independent media
•Digital tools have created new ways for citizens to become active participants in their societies
3. What do fellows do?

Fellows help media organizations launch new content on the most-urgent issues of our time, from climate change to democratic reform to life-threatening diseases. Media working with Knight fellows have developed voters’ guides before elections in Cambodia and Ghana, news programming for a newly privatized radio station in post-conflict Rwanda, ongoing television programs on social issues in Lebanon and Jordan, and a television news agency staffed by women in Bangladesh.

Knight fellows have used internet and mobile phone innovations in Bolivia, India, Malaysia and Tanzania to improve the flow of information from under served areas to major media that influence policy makers.

Their projects must produce lasting, visible change.

See a list of our current projects by topic.

4. Can I propose a fellowship?

We welcome fellowship proposals at any time. To propose a project, submit a fellowship proposal. Candidates who wish to propose a project and become a Knight International Journalism Fellow should submit a proposal and a fellowship application.

5. What types of proposals will you consider?

Successful proposals will outline a very specific idea and the lasting, visible results that will be achieved at the end of the fellowship. Examples.

We are not likely to approve proposals that are simply about to training journalists or teaching students. We also are not likely to approve proposals that require substantial amounts of funding to achieve objectives.

6. How can I propose a project?

Submit a fellowship proposal.

7. How can I become a fellow?

•Apply for a current fellowship opening posted on our website
•Submit a fellowship proposal and a fellowship application.
8. What are the requirements to become a fellow?

Fellows should meet these requirements:

•Strong leadership qualities
•Entrepreneurship; ability to identify opportunities that produce results
•Fluency in the language of the country
•Demonstrated knowledge of fellowship focus
•Minimum of 10 years of journalism, multimedia technology and/or media management experience
9. Can I use this fellowship to fund my education or give me the skills I need to advance my career?

This fellowship builds the capacity of media in the host country or region. It cannot be used to fund the education or development of the fellow.

10. Is there a deadline for application submissions?

Applications are accepted throughout the year unless otherwise specified in specific fellowship openings. To see current openings, click here.

11. What is the selection process?

Fellowship applications and proposals are evaluated on a rolling basis. Finalists may be invited to ICFJ’s office in Washington, D.C., for interviews. If that is not feasible, they will be interviewed by ICFJ’s regional representatives or by phone. Our regional and at-large advisory committees help us to develop good projects and recruit and select top fellows.

Fellows selected for the program attend a week-long orientation program in Washington, D.C. The orientation program takes place twice a year.

12. How long does the fellowship last?

Fellowships last at least one year. Fellowships can be extended at the discretion of ICFJ’s Knight International staff.

13. What does the fellowship cover (financial, health, and benefits)?

During the fellowship, each fellow receives an allowance for transportation, professional and living expenses, and an honorarium. Fellows also receive an allowance for health-insurance coverage in their home countries and emergency coverage if they are working outside their home country. Fellows receive two weeks of paid vacation per year.

14. Can fellows work on other projects or continue to work as journalists during their fellowships?

Fellows work full-time on their projects. Since they are considered business consultants, they may not work as journalists during the fellowship.

15. For applicants whose native language is not English: Do I need to translate everything I send in, including my work samples?

Applications, CVs and resumes should be in English. Relevant work samples or supporting material for project proposals may be in the applicant’s native language.

If you have additional questions, please contact Program Officer Pedro J. Rodriguez at prodriguez@icfj.org or 1-202-349-7638.

http://ijnet.org/node/91662