The German international broadcaster Deutsche Welle has launched its fifth annual blogging competition.

The awards will recognize excellence in blogging, podcasting and videoblogging in 16 categories in 11 languages. Languages include: Arabic, Chinese, German, English, French, Indonesian, Dutch, Persian, Portuguese, Russian and Spanish.

Bloggers and blog-readers from across the world have until September 30 to submit their favorite blogs for consideration. From October 27 to November 27, users will be encouraged to vote online for their favorites.

Winners will be selected by both online voting and a jury; winners will be announced at a public event on November 27 in Berlin.

For more information, visit http://www.thebobs.com/index.php?l=en.

https://www.ijnet.org/ijnet/training_opportunities/deutsche_welle_launches_annual_blogging_competiti

Journalists are invited to apply for a six-week course on the use of the Internet for research, publication and distribution, to be held in Hilversum, the Netherlands, from May 11 to June 19, 2009.

Applicants from 57 countries can apply for fellowships offered by the Dutch government to pay for travel expenses, accommodation and the course fee. The deadline for course applications is October 1 and the deadline for fellowship applications is December 1.

The course will focus mainly on content, in addition to technical skills, and will explore the potential of the Internet as an important source of information; discover how the Internet can best be used as a communication tool; and examine participant-specific uses of the Internet for publication and distribution.

For more information, visit http://www.rnw.nl/rntc/courses/IfJ2009.php.
Print

https://www.ijnet.org/ijnet/training_opportunities/internet_course_to_be_offered_in_the_netherlands

Journalists are invited to apply for a six-week course on the use of the Internet for research, publication and distribution, to be held in Hilversum, the Netherlands, from May 11 to June 19, 2009.

Applicants from 57 countries can apply for fellowships offered by the Dutch government to pay for travel expenses, accommodation and the course fee. The deadline for course applications is October 1 and the deadline for fellowship applications is December 1.

The course will focus mainly on content, in addition to technical skills, and will explore the potential of the Internet as an important source of information; discover how the Internet can best be used as a communication tool; and examine participant-specific uses of the Internet for publication and distribution.

For more information, visit http://www.rnw.nl/rntc/courses/IfJ2009.php.
Print

https://www.ijnet.org/ijnet/training_opportunities/internet_course_to_be_offered_in_the_netherlands

The experiences of both secular and religious Dutch Muslims will now be shown to the public and discussed through a new public broadcasting project in the Netherlands called Zenit.

The project will broadcast soap opera and comedy series as well as programs that appeal to “secular as well as religious Muslims.” According to Radi Suudi, one of the project’s initiators, Islamic beliefs will not be discussed.

For more information, go to http://blogs.rnw.nl/medianetwork/new-dutch-public-broadcaster-for-muslim….

https://www.ijnet.org/ijnet/training_opportunities/public_broadcasting_for_muslims_planned_in_the_ne

The experiences of both secular and religious Dutch Muslims will now be shown to the public and discussed through a new public broadcasting project in the Netherlands called Zenit.

The project will broadcast soap opera and comedy series as well as programs that appeal to “secular as well as religious Muslims.” According to Radi Suudi, one of the project’s initiators, Islamic beliefs will not be discussed.

For more information, go to http://blogs.rnw.nl/medianetwork/new-dutch-public-broadcaster-for-muslim….

https://www.ijnet.org/ijnet/training_opportunities/public_broadcasting_for_muslims_planned_in_the_ne

STATEMENT

Of the National Association of Independent Mass Media of Tajikistan and the Union of Journalists of Tajikistan regarding persecution of the journalist Tursunali Aliev for his criticism of the authorities.

The National Association of Independent Mass Media of Tajikistan and the Union of Journalists of Tajikistan express their concern about persecution of Tursunali Aliev for his criticism of the authorities. The two organizations are concerned about the fact that journalists become subject to persecution for their professional activities when they try to protect interests of citizens, the society and the State.

On 9 August 2008 the Sughd province prosecutor’s office filed a case against Tursunali Aliev on Article 135, Part 3 (libel) of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Tajikistan. The grounds for initiation of the criminal case was an article titled “Shame on chairman”, published on 12 September 2007 by the “Tong” weekly. Tursunali Aliev has been working in the media for more than forty years; he is a member of the Union of Journalists of Tajikistan.

In his feuilleton the author discloses facts of wrongful activities of the authorities in Jabborrassoulov district of Sughd province. After the publication, Ayub Ochilov, chairman of the district was dismissed from his post. The prosecutor’s office initiated a criminal case against the chairman’s deputy, N. Rakhmatov.

Along with that, a year ago, after the publication, the law enforcement agencies undertook attempts to bring Aliev to responsibility, although the journalists was trying to reveal the truth and was protecting the interests of the State and the society. The prosecutor’s office did not initiate the case against the author in view of the absence of corpus delicti.

regardless of this fact, a year later, the Sughd province prosecutor’s office got back to this issue saying that the previous decision was “ungrounded”, and initiated a new case against the journalist.

Legal experts interpret the actions of the Sughd province legal enforcement agencies as deliberate persecution of Mr. Aliev. These actions serve to the interests of certain high-ranked officials and are seen as intimidation of journalists.

The National Association of Independent Media of Tajikistan (NANSMIT) and the Union of Journalists of Tajikistan require an objective approach to the investigation of the criminal case in order to avoid personal and corporative ambitions and to ensure the supremacy of the rule of law.

Akbarali Sattorov,
Chairman of the Union of Journalists of Tajikistan

Nuriddin Karshiboyev,
Chairman of NANSMIT

NANSMIT

On 28 August, Rano Karimova, former broadcasting coordinator at a private Asia TV channel in the city of Khujand, Sughd province applied to the city court with a plaint note against the managers of the TV station asking to reinstate her in her former position.

Karimova states that she was dismissed because of a personal conflict with a secretary, and in that situation, Azam Akbarov, director of the company took side of her adversary.

NANSMIT Monitoring Service

A six-week course for international journalists on «Internet for Journalists» will be held in Hilversum, the Netherlands, from May 11 to June 19, 2009. Deadline to apply: October 1.

The course, aimed at journalists from developing countries, aims to strengthen the ability of journalists and of the organizations they work for to use the Internet for the purposes of research, publication and distribution. By the end of the six week course, being offered by Radio Netherlands Training Center (RNTC), participating journalists should be able to work as Internet journalists/producers.

Applicants must have a secondary education, professional education or training in media, a minimum of three to four years experience, computer skills and a good command of English. Applicants from eligible countries can apply for a fellowship, whereby travel, accommodation and the course fee are paid for by the Dutch government.

For more information, go to http://www.rnw.nl/rntc/courses/IfJ2009.php or contact RNTC at info@rntc.nl.
Print

https://www.ijnet.org/ijnet/training_opportunities/netherlands_course_will_focus_on_internet_for_int

On 9 August 2008, the Sughd province prosecutor’s office filed a criminal case against Tursunali Aliev, a local journalist who is accused of libel and defamation (Article 135 of Tajikistan’s Criminal Code). The motive for filing the case was an feuilleton titled “Shame on chairman…” written by Aliev and published on 12 September in the “Tong” newspaper.

The publication revealed facts of illegal privatization of public property in the district. After the publication, chairman of the Jabbarrasoul district in Sughd province Ayub Ochilov was removed from office. The province prosecutor’s office filed a case against the chairman’s deputy, Mr. Rakhmatov; although, later, the investigation was terminated.

Attempts to bring Aliev to criminal responsibility were made almost a year ago, shortly after the publication of his article. But the prosecutor’s office found no components of crime in his professional activities.

Now, the Sughd province prosecutor’s office has returned to this issue and filed a new case against Aliev.

NANSMIT Monitoring Service

“Legal aspects of journalism” is the title of the workshop held from 22 to 24 August in the city of Penjikent, Sughd province.

The seminar was organized by the NGO “Women of the East” under financial support from the Norwegian Helsinki Human Rights Committee.

During the two-day training course, the Penjikent journalists learned about changes and amendments to the Law “On printing and other mass media”, and with other legal bases of journalism, such as access to information, collection of data, limitations in access to publically important information, etc.

One of the most topical issues discussed at the seminar was the theme of rights and duties of journalists. It became obvious that not all of the local media professionals are familiar with their rights, which, in turn, leads to self-censorship among journalists.

Participants acknowledged that self-censorship is becoming a common feature of Tajik journalists, who “adjust” their materials to what is considered to be acceptable among the authorities. Thus, they do not dare to tread on forbidden ground, avoiding serious political, social and economic issues.

NANSMIT Monitoring Service