Toronto, March 13, 2009 — In dozens of countries around the world, journalists regularly face obstacles in order to get the news out. Whether the threats be judicial, physical or otherwise, these dedicated and principled individuals continue to work tirelessly — often risking their lives — so that the news media remain free.

Canadian Journalists for Free Expression (CJFE) bestows two International Press Freedom Awards every year to recognise journalists who demonstrate extraordinary courage in pursuing their profession under difficult or dangerous circumstances. In 2008, CJFE honoured journalists from Sudan and Zimbabwe.

To be eligible for the awards, applicants must be nominated by an organisation or individual. Self-nominations are not accepted.

Nomination Criteria for the International Press Freedom Award

The winner of the award will be a journalist or media organisation who:

reports on human rights issues or other issues, or from regions or countries, not often covered by other media;
demonstrates a commitment to human rights by reporting without bias, sexism, racism, etc.;
has not won a major press freedom award from another organization;
will benefit from international exposure due to the difficulty/threats caused by their work;
has overcome enormous odds simply to produce the news;
and has taken personal risks or suffered physical reprisals for working as a journalist.
Download a Nomination form

This should be accompanied by a cover letter and samples of the nominee’s work if applicable.

The cover letter should explain how you know this person and why you believe this person deserves the award.

Each award consists of a framed plaque and cash prize of CDN $3,000. They will be presented to the winner at a ceremony in Toronto in November 2009.

Submissions must reach CJFE by April 30, 2009

For further information or to submit a nomination, please contact Julie Payne at CJFE,
555 Richmond St. West, Suite 1101, PO Box 407, Toronto, Ontario M5V 3B1 Canada,
tel: +1 416 515 9622, fax: +1 416 515 7879 or e-mail

http://cjfe.org/releases/2009/11032009award.html

U.S. Embassy Dushanbe is soliciting statements of interest from newspapers published in Tajikistan to host a resident trainer to help improve the professional reporting skills and increase circulation.

The Embassy will fund an American print media trainer who will spend a total of 3 months (over a 6 month period) with one print outlet with the purpose to improve reporting standards, news room operations, and business management of the newspaper through marketing and advertising. The expert is expected to work closely on daily basis with reporters of the newspaper, editors and business managers. The training is offered in English with Tajik and/or Russian interpretation, as needed. Strong commitment from the newspaper’s management to the program is required.

Eligibility criteria:

· Management commitment to core values of fair and accurate journalism;

· Willingness to consider new approaches and to change;

· A minimum of five staff members;

· Established advertising department or a staff member dedicated to advertising issues;

· Readiness to accommodate the international trainer in the office of the newspaper;

· Preference given to a newspaper with a Web site or a plan to launch one.

Application requirements:

· Letter stating what the newspaper wants to improve and why (1 page maximum);

· Organizational structure and lines of authority;

· Resumes of editor in chief, editor, and/or deputy editor.

The complete applications should be submitted either in Russian, Tajik or English by Tuesday, March 31, 2009.

Electronic or paper applications should be submitted to the following address:

U.S. Embassy Dushanbe, Public Affairs Section

109 A Ismoili Somoni Avenue

Dushanbe, Tajikistan

Attention: Jackie McKennan, Public Affairs Officer

Emails: McKennanJK@state.gov, AlievaNS@state.gov

For questions please contact Jackie McKennan at 229-2351 or Nigina Alieva at 229-2318 and 90700 5001.

US Embassy

The International Center for Journalists seeks nominations for the 2009 Knight International Journalism Awards. The Awards recognize outstanding international journalists who demonstrate an extraordinary devotion to the craft by upholding and promoting the highest journalistic standards, despite overwhelming challenges. Deadline: April 13, 2009

Who qualifies: Professional journalists, media managers, citizen journalists and digital news innovators who demonstrate an extraordinary devotion to the craft, often in the face of extreme hardship. Recent award winners include a free-press champion and editor from Belarus, a human rights reporter from Uganda, a blogger monitoring police abuse in Egypt and an investigative reporter in Burma. Honorees receive a trip to the United States and a $1,000 cash prize, presented at ICFJ’s 25th Anniversary Awards Dinner on Nov. 12, 2009, in Washington, DC.

IJNET

After joint appeal with Amnesty International for an end to online censorship, Reporters Without Borders issues report on “Enemies of the Internet”

Reporters Without Borders today issued a report entitled “Enemies of the Internet” in which it examines Internet censorship and other threats to online free expression in 22 countries.
“The 12 ‘Enemies of the Internet’ — Burma, China, Cuba, Egypt, Iran, North Korea, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Tunisia, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Vietnam — have all transformed their Internet into an Intranet in order to prevent their population from accessing ‘undesirable’ online information,” Reporters Without Borders said.
“All these countries distinguish themselves not only by their ability to censor online news and information but also by their virtually systematic persecution of troublesome Internet users,” the press freedom organisation said. Reporters Without Borders has placed 10 other governments “under surveillance” for adopting worrying measures that could open the way to abuses. The organisation draws particular attention to Australia and South Korea, where recent measures may endanger online free expression.
“Not only is the Internet more and more controlled, but new forms of censorship are emerging based on the manipulation of information,” Reporters Without Borders said. “Orchestrating the posting of comments on popular websites or organising hacker attacks is also used by repressive regimes to scramble or jam online content.”
A total of 70 cyber-dissidents are currently detained because of what they posted online. China is the world’s biggest prison for cyber-dissidents, followed by Vietnam and Iran.

http://www.rsf.org/article.php3?id_article=30543

97 years ago, on 11 March 1912, the first issue of the Tajik newspaper Bukhoroi Sharif (Sacred Bukhara) came off the press.

Five Tajik journalists have received the national Lakhuti prize for their input in the development of Tajikistan’s media. The prestigious award is named after Abdulkosim Lakhuti, one of the founders of the contemporary Farsi-language literature.

NANSMIT monitoring service

The Tajik National news agency Khovar and the Azerbaijani TREND news agency signed a partnership agreement.

The agreement defines aspects of cooperation in the spheres of information and multimedia, and professional exchange of experience between journalists. The agreement enables the Tajik Khovar news agency to enhance its international image and expand dissemination of its information.

TREND is an international news agency founded in 1995 in Azerbaijan. TREND produces information in five languages, including English, Russian, Farsi and Arabic. The news are placed at the web portal www.trendaz.com TREND provides its subscribers quality video and photo materials, analytical publications and experts’ opinions.

NANSMIT monitoring service

A New Media and Internet Publishing seminar sponsored by Transitions will take place in Dushanbe on 27-29 March 2009.

Participants in the event, designed for citizens of Tajikistan, will learn the latest trends in online media — including blogging, podcasting, community-building, citizen journalism, and online promotion — from some of Central Asia’s leaders in the field.

Application deadline: March 9, 2009For more information or to apply, go to: http://training.tol.org

http://training.tol.org

A team of researchers representing the Tajik branch of the US-based NGO Urban Institute has started a study titled “Relations between authorities, population and the media”.

The research will be carried out in the city of Kulyab, Khatlon province. Zafar Mirzoev, manager of the local Urban Institute office in Kulyab says that this work will be accomplished by means of an anonymous opinion poll involving questioners.

Upon the accomplishment of the study, Urban Institute intends to carry out practical seminars – initially “training for trainers”, who later will be working with representatives of local administrations, the media and public at large.

http://www.asiaplus.tj/

The Tajik Ministry of Agriculture appealed to journalists soliciting for a closer cooperation. “The Ministry is ready to react and take decisive measures after critical and analytical publications,” – said Narzullo Dadabaev, head of the Ministry’s press service.

The Minister of Agriculture, Kosim Kosimov also considers that the media should participate in the resolution of problems in agriculture.

The Minister has recently signed an order, which, in particular, says the following: “Heads of jurisdictional units, enterprises and organizations, i.e. subordinates to the Ministry must take decisive measures in response to analytical and critical publications in both domestic and foreign media”. The order also obliges agricultural officials to present reports on these measures to the Ministry.

For the time being, there are 46 jurisdictional units under the Ministry, including the state unitary enterprises, administrative units, etc. Seventy three percent of the population reside in rural areas; about 700 thousand people are employed in the agricultural sector.

http://www.asiaplus.tj/

Mahmadsaid Ubaidullaev, speaker of the Tajik Parliament had a meeting last week with Izatullo Zargomi, chairman of the Iranian TV & Radio Committee.

According to the Parliament’s press service, the parties discussed aspects of cooperation between the two countries in the sphere of telecommunications, information technologies and joint implementation of broadcasting projects.

Zargomi told the press service that his agency is planning to organize a series of TV and radio programs about Tajikistan to facilitate the promotion of Tajikistan’s achievements and help the country’s economy attract the Iranian capital.

Ubaidullaev mentioned the necessity of studying the Iranian entrepreneurial experience in order to facilitate the development of free economic zones in Tajikistan. Broadcasting can play a very important role in that.

The Iranian guest also told the press service about the intention to broadcast the celebration of Navruz (Vernal Equinox) from Tajikistan via the Iranian TV and radio channels.

http://www.asiaplus.tj/