March Newsletter 2013

Maastricht - March 13, 2013

Last call for journalists and creative minds looking to innovate development reporting. Break the old stereotypes concerning global development reporting and pitch us your original story ideas. You've got until 25 March to apply for funding for your journalistic storytelling creations. The average grant is expected to be about €20,000. Submit your story pitches via the online application form. 

To be eligible, journalists and media outlets must target primarily audiences in France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. All other journalists can enter the competition by collaborating with media organisations that fall under this category.

If your story proposal is not yet ready, keep an eye out for the launch of the second and third rounds of open call for proposals. Sign up to our mailing list and be the first to receive our updates.

For more information, please check our FAQ guide or drop us a line at info@journalismgrants.org ».

The EJC, together with the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC), ran a comparative pilot study looking at mainstream media's treatment of migration issues.

Our findings revealed that mainstream news media tend to adhere to journalistic standards when covering migration matters. And yet, migration is frequently framed and presented in a way that may counteract journalistic ethics, strongly influenced by each country’s own specific national focus and lacking a global perspective on the issue.

These findings were presented and debated at the 5th Global Forum of the UN Alliance of Civilizations, which took place in Vienna on 28 February. The proceedings can be seen here. Read the full press release here and a summary report of the study here ».

Are you looking for work in the field of journalism but can’t seem to find the right employment resources? Give JournaJobs a try. Our job listing service is tailored strictly to journalists, which means only jobs closely related to journalism are published. For real-time updates, you can also connect to JournaJobs via its Facebook page and Twitter feed.

Thousands of visitors check out JournaJobs daily. Join them, and let us do the job searching for you ».

As the presidential election campaigns reached fever pitch in Kenya, the EJC implemented a four-day workshop on 25-28 February on "Reporting Development During Elections". The workshop focused on how to find and craft stories on development issues in spite of the barrage of political rhetoric and vague party manifestos that characterise election periods.

The course addressed mainly regional and community media professionals, with journalists coming from Eldoret, Kapchorua, Kisumu, and Mombasa. It was funded by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as part of its Press Freedom 2.0 programme.

For more information please contact Project Manager Marjan Tillmans ».

If you haven't checked out our Emergency Journalism initiative yet, you should definitely do so. The online platform aggregates relevant news and resources for media professionals reporting in volatile situations. It is regularly updated with the latest tips on efficient use of online resources in support of emergency reporting.

We'll be addressing the topic in several EJC events in the coming year so stay tuned! You can also follow us on Facebook and Twitter (#emjo) ».

The ongoing MAITRE programme is offering additional events in May:

• at Dunarea de Jos University of Galati, Galati (Romania), 15-16;
• at the Federation of Hellenic Food Industries in Athens, 22-23;
• and at the Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, Paris, 27-28

Applications to any of these seminars can be found on MAITRE's website.

MAITRE´s platform: Join the Conversation

You can also visit MAITRE’s platform, an online database that connects researchers and fellow journalists.

For further information, please contact
Cristina Romero ».

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February Newsletter 2013

Maastricht - February 4, 2013

The EJC is inviting journalists and press organisations to apply for media grants for innovative storytelling of global development issues.

Applications are accepted via the Innovation for Development Reporting Grant Programme (IDR), launched in 2013 by the EJC with support from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The project aims to reward quality journalism and advance a new and distinctive agenda for development coverage.

A selection of state-of-the-art reporting projects of great impact and high visibility will be awarded funding, starting at a minimum of €8,000. We will launch three rounds of open calls for proposals in 2013 and give away a total of 25 to 30 grants.

Please send us your story pitches by 25 March. Apply here ».

The EJC is launching a new collaboration programme with the European Patent Office on the occasion of the 2013 European Inventor Award.

This year’s award ceremony will take place on 28 May in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. We will be organising an exclusive three-day press trip for a group of 30 specialised journalists from the 38 European Patent Organisation member states covering economic and innovation issues.

More information will be available shortly on the EJC homepage ».

The EU has been among Bangladesh's three biggest grant donors, contributing to its efforts to meet its Millennium Development Goals. In order to provide a better understanding of the country and its path towards development, the EJC, in collaboration with the European Commission DG Development and Cooperation - EuropeAid, is organising a three-day field visit to Dhaka and its nearby provinces from 18 to 20 March.

Our press trip will give selected foreign correspondents from South Asia and the EU27 the opportunity to learn more about the EC-Bangladesh Country Strategy Paper, visit EU-funded projects, as well as interview locals and other relevant stakeholders.

Please contact Cara Moore for more information ».

The Directorate-General for Economic and Financial Affairs (DG ECFIN) produces short-term macroeconomic forecasts, focusing mainly on Member States, the Eurozone and the EU.

In collaboration with DG ECFIN, we are tailoring a press workshop for a group of 18 specialised journalists from the EU27 covering economic and financial issues. Participating journalists will have the unique opportunity to attend the winter 2013 European Economic Forecast press conference, given by Olli Rehn, Vice-President of the European Commission, responsible for Economic and Monetary Affairs and the Euro. The seminar will be held on 21-22 February in Brussels.

Click here to apply ».

The EJC, together with the European Commission’s DG for Mobility and Transport, is hosting the seminar The Future of Flying: Prospects and Challenges in Air Transport on 28 February in Brussels. In this workshop, we’ll take a hard look at the Single European Sky project, passenger rights, safety measures, and the Emissions Trading System. We’ll also be conducting a debate with high-level experts from the European Commission and external representatives from the Airline industry.

The seminar will include a Q&A session with the Vice-President of the European Commission and Commissioner for Transport, Siim Kallas.

Get more details and register here ».

The Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) for the period 2014-2020, with its new Financial Regulation, in force since January, aims to create the conditions necessary for the EU to spend its funds in a simpler, more efficient way.

This will be the focus of our seminar "New Rules for the Union's Budget", organised together with the European Commission’s DG Budget, on 6 March in Brussels. Our event caters exclusively for 24 journalists specialising in EU affairs.

For further information, please contact Elise Rochez ».

The Eurogroup and the ECOFIN Council will be meeting on 4-5 March to discuss and develop future measures supposed to set Europe on a path to recovery.

The EJC, together with the European Commission’s DG Economic and Financial Affairs, will be offering journalists a sneak preview of these measures in a seminar that will take place in Brussels on the same days, giving you the chance to debate about these developments in real time with EU officials and independent experts.

Get more details and register here ».

Supporting countries' efforts to overcome state fragility, to address its root causes, and to tackle its consequences is an integral part of the EU development and cooperation policy.

To raise awareness about these issues, the EJC and DG Development and Cooperation will organise a two-day workshop in Brussels on 12 and 13 March. A group of 15 European top-tier journalists, specialised in foreign affairs, will be selected to attend this event.

For more information, please contact Lisa Bushart ».

The EJC/OKFN data journalism mailing list has recently become the data technology hub for more than 1,000 members. This community is a place for journalists, graphic designers, civic-minded developers, statisticians, and open data enthusiasts to exchange knowledge and share their work and ideas. If you are interested in how data can be used in the service of journalism we invite you to join the community and become part of the conversation ».

The EJC is proud to announce it is part of the Ecorys-led consortium, which has been awarded a four-year European Commission framework contract for the provision of integrated communication services in the fields of education, research, training, youth, multilingualism, culture, sport, and audiovisual actions. Our other high-level partners are Burson Marsteller and BBC Studios and Post Production.

These services will be delivered in all EU 27 Member States, EFTA/EEA countries, and candidate countries.

For more information, please contact Bianca Lemmens ».

The EU-funded project MAITRE aims to tackle the science-press relationship surrounding food related issues. Interested? Join one of our MAITRE workshops these coming months:
· Bern, Switzerland, 7-8 February;
· Osijek, Croatia, 12-13 February;
· Trieste, Italy, 21-22 February;
· Espoo, Finland, 11-12 March;
· Kaunas, Lithuania, 19-20 March;
· Äs, Norway, 9-10 April;
· and Cork, Ireland, 17-18 April.

You can apply to any of the above-listed seminars via MAITRE´s website. ».

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November Newsletter 2012

Maastricht - November 24, 2012

Recent draughts have caused upheaval in the lives of more than 12 million people around the Horn of Africa, bringing hunger throughout the region. While the international community has reacted substantially to this humanitarian crisis, addressing root causes of food insecurity remains essential.

Beginning 4 December, our unique seminar will give journalists a chance to report on longer-term EU projects aiming at strengthening the local and regional economies and helping the population to better withstand future crises and protect their livelihoods during droughts. Correspondents based in the EU are invited to apply for a chance to have their travel and accommodation covered while they attend the two-day seminar. 

Twelve EU correspondents based in Kenya also have the chance to attend. The programme will provide insights into the EU’s development efforts in Kenya and include visits to sustainable food security and security projects around Isiolo and Mombasa. Click here to apply..  ».

With important decisions about the future of Greece, Spain and the banking union on the agenda for the last two months of the 2012, it is a crucial time for the eurozone. Two separate groups of journalists specialised in covering economic and financial issues will have the opportunity to come to Brussels for a pair of seminars. The first will coincide with the Eurogroup, the latter during the last European Council of 2012.

For more information about attending the seminar taking place on 3-4 December, click here or contact Desiree Ketabchi.

For information about the seminar taking place on 13-14 December, click here or contact Clara Maxwell. ».

The EU single market recently celebrated its 20th anniversary. In the past two decades, the internal market of the EU has contributed to job creation and making Europe increasingly competitive. The EJC, in cooperation with the Regional Representation of the European Commission in Bonn, will host a two-day seminar starting 5 December in Frankfurt for 20 German journalists. We will address the past achievements and future challenges of the European single market. A focus will be put on the developments in the digital market. The programme also includes participation in the monthly press conference at the European Central Bank. Interested journalists should apply online or send an email to Lisa Bushart. ».

Together with the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations, the EJC has launched a global data journalism project to study media coverage of migration. The project involves prominent journalism institutions such as Deutsche Welle and the University of Missouri School of Journalism. Sue Le Mesurier, Head of the Migration Unit at the International Federation of Red Cross, will support the project as a migration expert. Results will be presented at the UNAOC Global Forum in Vienna in February 2013. The project has received funding from the Open Society Foundation. For more information please contact Bianca Lemmens. ».

During Hurricane Sandy, journalists played an important role in verifying crowd-sourced, user-generated information. But a number of challenges were identified in handling data during unpredictable emergencies. What are the lessons learned from Sandy, as well as previous events in disaster-prepared countries like Japan and Australia? Throughout November and December, Emergency Journalism will focus on these two countries as case studies. Follow the series via its newly launched Facebook page here. ».

In cooperation with the Luxembourg Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the EJC will host a two-day meeting starting 29 November on the post-Revolution media landscape in Tunisia. The discussions will gather five European journalists and seven Tunisian journalists in Tunis and Hammamet to speak about the reform of the media landscape in Tunisia, journalists' sources and the perception of the Tunisian situation in the European press. For more information please contact Elise Rochez. ».

In October, we spent two enriching weeks implementing journalism training and press freedom events across Bolivia in close cooperation with our local partner Fundacion para el Periodismo (FPP). 

More than 300 participants attend the panel discussion, “The future of journalism and the role of media in the digital era” in the capital La Paz. Panelists included journalist and former Bolivian president Carlos Mesa, Bolivian journalist Juan Carlos Salazar, Miguel Winazki director of the Clarin Journalism School Buenos Aires, and Pulitzer-prize winning American journalist Josh Friedman. 

EJC also concluded an advanced level training for the future teachers of FPP, and a general reporting course for young Bolivan journalists in the regional city Cochabamba led by long-time EJC trainer Oliver Wates. We wound down our trip with a series of topical journalism courses on Reporting Development issues and Commodities Reporting, which took place high in the Andes at 3700m in the traditional mining town of Oruro. The EJC’s Bolivia programming is part of a five-year grant from the Dutch foreign ministry as part of the Press Freedom 2.0 consortium consisting of four other Dutch partners. ».

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October Newsletter 2012

Maastricht - October 15, 2012

Our Online Journalism Community reached 3000 members on 26 September!

We are delighted to connect so many journalists from around the world. The community, which is a place for reporters and editors representing all mediums to network and share their work and ideas, is currently home to an audience of 3036 journalists.

We invite you to join your colleagues around the world. Click here to become part of the conversation ».

Our newest web offering, the Emergency Journalism website, made its debut at the PICNIC Festival 2012 in Amsterdam. We hosted a session there entitled “Maps, the Power of the Crowd, and Big Data Verification”, where we asked the big questions: How can data best be verified and what is the role of the media in this process?

Please enjoy our full coverage of the event, which includes interviews with speakers such as Charlie Beckett from the Polis Institute, and David Clinch from Storyful, and can be found on the recently launched EJC website Emergency Journalism.

To learn more about our work in this area, contact Rina Tsubaki ».

Economic growth is essential for struggling European economies and the role of small and medium enterprises is at the centre of attention for the economic revival of the EU. In order to bring together business organisations, European, national and regional government, academia and the media to discuss how to help SMEs go for growth, the Cyprus Presidency and the European Commission, are organising the 2012 SME Assembly. To cover this event, the EJC is inviting 30 journalists to Nicosia on 15 and 16 November.

Contact Desiree Ketabchi for more information ».

Our MAITRE project continues to enable researchers and journalists across Europe to have productive conversations about food science.

Upcoming MAITRE seminars:

• Teagasc, the Irish Agriculture and Food Development Authority, Dublin: 17 & 18/10/12
• The Estonian University of Life Sciences, Tartu: 30 & 31/10/12
• The University of Valencia, Valencia: 15 & 16/11/12
• The Institute for Food Technology, Novi Sad: 21 & 22/11/12
• The Hellenic Food Authority, Athens: 29 & 30/11/12
• Campden BRI, Budapest: 5 & 6/12/12

Applications to any of these seminars can be made via MAITRE´s website ».

In collaboration with the Open Knowledge Foundation, the EJC has organised the Open Interests Europe Hackathon, a two-day event beginning 24 November at the Google Campus Cafe in London.

Join us to help build tools, platforms and maps to investigate lobbyists’ influence and where the money goes in the EU. The event is sponsored by Knight-Mozilla OpenNews. Get more details and register here. For more information about our Data Journalism activities contact Liliana Bounegru ».

Take time to update your knowledge of the ongoing European economic crisis. The EJC is currently selecting 18 business and financial journalists from the 27 EU countries to partake in a press seminar in Brussels on 6-7 November. This two-day seminar is sponsored by the European Commission’s Directorate General for Economic and Financial Affairs and is part of a successful series on the economic crisis. During the two-day event, we will explore new angles and approaches to covering Europe's ongoing economic woes. From bailouts to currency, these sessions will address all the key questions.

Contact Desiree Ketabchi for more information ».

In September, journalists anticipated and learned about the European Central Bank 's revamped bond-buying plans for troubled countries like Spain and Italy. Debt inspectors from the EU, the IMF and the ECB issued verdicts on how Greece has been performing and thus whether to continue with the funding. The EJC's series of events to cover these topics continues with a November 12-13 seminar in Brussels. Eighteen economic and financial affairs journalists from the Euro-area will be invited.

Participants in this seminar will also be able to attend the Eurogroup meeting taking place alongside of the event. Likewise, this press event will benefit from having EU officials and independent experts commenting on decisions that are likely to reach a climax during this European Council meeting.

For further information, please contact Elise Rochez ».

Ahead of Croatia’s planned accession to the EU, the EJC will host, in cooperation with the European Commission, a seminar on 7 November to discuss topics such as rule of law and data protection policies in the European Union, which are central themes in the negotiation discussions.

The EJC is seeking 20 Croatian journalists specialised in legal affairs, technology and consumer issues to attend this one-day event in Brussels. Journalists will have an exclusive session with the European Commissioner for Justice, Fundamental Rights and Citizenship, Viviane Reding, as well as other EU and Brussels based independent experts.

Interested? Apply here ».

The EJC welcomes senior editors and reporters from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, FYROM, Kosovo (UNMIK), Montenegro, Serbia and Turkey to apply for a mid-December seminar in Stockholm. Fifteen will be selected to attend the two-day event.

Held on behalf of the Directorate General Enlargement of the European Commission, this seminar begins 11 December.

Participating journalists will discuss the link between freedom of speech and the EU accession process. The programme will provide an opportunity to visit Stockholm-based international media houses, and to meet and network with local journalists.

To attend, apply here or contact Bianca Lemmens for more information ».

Together with our local Kenyan partner AfricaonAir, the EJC hosted 10 Kenyan journalists at a media training session about coverage of development work. Held in Nairobi in early October, the workshop was led by veteran BBC reporters Joseph Warungu and Hamadou Tidiane Sy.

It mixed practical writing exercises with intensive discussions on the importance of covering development news, ways of humanising stories and pitching them to editors.

Our work in Kenya will continue to raise awareness of development issues with further training workshops that focus on local and community media. Plans are in the works to partner with groups like Project Syndicate that provide top-notch editorials on development-driven issues. The program is part of the five-year Netherlands Foreign Ministry MFSII aid project.

Contact Josh Laporte for more information ».

We know today's journalists need more than training.

They need jobs.

So earlier this year, the EJC soft-launched an international journalism jobs website, JournaJobs. In just three months, it welcomed 250.000 visitors and 1.5 million page views.

Posted jobs can be submitted by media outlets, but are also handpicked and added daily by EJC staff. We add only jobs related to the creation of journalistic content; marketing jobs are not included. Our goal is to continue to improve this site as a free service to our community.

Be sure to check out the website where you can subscribe to a daily newsletter. Journajobs is also on Twitter or on Facebook.

Contact us at info@journajobs.eu with questions and feedback ».

Produced and published by the Russian International News & Information Agency (RIA Novosti) with support from the European Journalism Centre, the Russian translation of The Data Journalism Handbook is now available at the Library section of RIA Novosti’s Corporate Training Centre.

The handbook is a free, open-source book written by dozens of data journalism's leading advocates and best practitioners and aims to help journalists to use data to improve reportage. The original English version is also free at datajournalismhandbook.org.

Hard copies can be purchased from O’Reilly Media or Amazon ».

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September Newsletter 2012

Maastricht - September 11, 2012

At this year’s PICNIC Festival in Amsterdam on 17 September, the EJC is organising a session entitled “Maps, the Power of the Crowd & Big Data Verification”. The EJC has also launched a new website on “Emergency Journalism”, which brings together relevant news and resources for media professionals reporting in volatile situations. The website focuses on tools that use up-to-date digital technology, from content curation tools to multi-layered live maps, to support media coverage of emergencies. To register for the PICNIC event, use the special EJC promotion rate: ejc30P1C. For more information, please contact Rina Tsubaki. ».

The European Single Market has changed the daily lives of 500 million European citizens. Will it survive the unprecedented economic crises? 30 EU journalists are invited to join an interactive seminar in Brussels, on 15 October 2012, where around 800 EU citizens, as well as high-level EU officials, will come together to look at the achievements and challenges of the single market 20 years on. View the preliminary programme here. Journalists can apply here. ».

A fierce autumn is unfolding with unprecedented decisions under way in the Euro area. When the President of the European Central Bank, Mario Draghi, announced in July that the ECB would do whatever necessary to save the euro zone, could we have anticipated his announcement a couple of months later to buy bonds of troubled countries? Amid this economic turmoil, the European Journalism Centre (EJC), in cooperation with the European Commission’s Directorate General for Economic and Financial Affairs (DG ECFIN), is organising a series of six seminars for journalists from the Eurozone countries between October and December 2012. These ECFIN seminars will benefit from having EU officials and independent experts commenting on decisions likely to reach a climax during this autumn's European Council, Eurogroups and ECOFIN meetings. For more information on each of these events, please visit the website. ».

As part of the AGGIS (Action for Good Governance in International Sports Organisations) team, the EJC will take part in the 20th EASM (European Association for Sports Management) Conference. During the conference, which will take place in Aalborg from 18-21 September, the team will showcase the preliminary results of their governance in sport research over two consecutive sessions as part of Play the Game’s parallel symposium programme. For more information contact Biba Klomp. ».

After events triggered by an ever-growing youth movement, high unemployment rates and unfavourable economic conditions, Tunisia was the first country in the Arab world that brought an end to long-standing dictatorial regimes. Young generations helped to spread that essential value of democracy that Europeans call their own. The question is, how did Europe react to this development? Whether it was because of economic, political or cultural reasons, Europe failed to play a role in this crucial development. More should be done to understand Tunisia and the Arab world, their complex societies, their dynamic middle classes, the largely overstated role of religion and their economic development. Through more interaction with Arab peoples, Europeans can rediscover their own identity. Here is where EU institutions could play a crucial role. Within this framework the EJC will organise two briefings tailored for the Tunisian and European media. For more information, please contact Elise Rochez. ».

South Sudan remains a humanitarian and developmental challenge. The problems are chronic and those addressing them are few. The number of refugees and internally displaced persons remain high as aid agencies struggle to provide basic services and must eventually transport refugees further inland into safer and better organised camps. To provide an eye witness view on this humanitarian crisis, the European Journalism Centre will organise a special three-day field visit in Juba with the possibility of flying to the north of the country and visiting one of the refugee camps. There the Humanitarian Office of the EU assists internally displaced people, returnees and refugees and provides basic healthcare, clean water, sanitation and food assistance. For more information, please contact Valentina Bonaccorso ».

In a bid to tackle the increasing frequency of trafficking in human beings, the EU has recently launched a Strategy towards the Eradication of Trafficking in Human Beings, which is a set of concrete and practical measures to be implemented over the next five years: 2012 to 2016. But how efficient will this set of measures be? Will it stop traffickers from making profit through this criminal activity? To answer these questions and to learn more about the policy developments and work of the EU Institutions and Agencies apply here. ».

Over the past few years, we have witnessed various types of major political uprisings and natural disasters in the world. On the occasion of the 20 year anniversary of DG Humanitarian Aid & Civil Protection (ECHO) of the European Commission, the EJC is organising a seminar for 12 EU journalists between the ages of 25 to 35. Held in Brussels on 16-17 October, the seminar will bring the work of ECHO to the attention of young journalists and create an opportunity to network with humanitarian aid and field experts. For more information, please contact Lisa Bushart. ».

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June Newsletter 2012

Maastricht - June 12, 2012

EJC’s new book, Revolution: Share!, takes a fresh a look at the role social media play in pro-democratic movements, and is an exploration into social media’s potential in opposing repressive regimes. It also casts a critical look at how this potential is limited or even neutralised by some of the media’s own characteristics, its use by non-democratic actors, and the very nature of democratic processes. For more information click here ».

How can the Single Market help combat the crisis? Discuss this and other related topics with Commissioner Michel Barnier in Brussels! The EJC is looking for 30 journalists to take part in debates on 28-29 June on the main achievements of the EU integration process. Apply here ».

This year’s NSK-EJC fellowship programme to Japan (18-30 November) is now open for applications. If you are an EU citizen, 40 or under and have at least 5 years experience as a professional journalist you may apply to be one of the lucky 4 to attend this year. The programme will offer a broad overview of the country through seminars by top lecturers on Japanese politics, economics, culture and nuclear energy. For more info on this fellowship programme click here.

Also, there are only a few days left for you to be in with a chance to take part in the KPF/EJC fellowship to South Korea from 20 August to 1 September – you should apply here before 00.00 CET on Sunday 24th June. For further information, click here ».

After the launch at the end of April of the beta version of the “bible” of data journalism, the Data Journalism Handbook, the data journalism saga continues with more exciting news. At the end of May the winners of the first edition of the Data Journalism Awards (DJA) were announced in Paris. The e-book and printed version of the Data Journalism Handbook are planned to be released by O’Reilly Media around mid-June. ».

Yesterday's newsroom was not easy to manage but the newsroom of the future will be a real challenge. The EJC, in collaboration with trainer Per Anderson, has upgraded its Newsroom Management workshop to offer the necessary tools to tomorrow's leaders: How to create a safe and creative atmosphere inside the newsroom, when nothing is safe on the outside; How to lead, write and publish in a true dialogue with your staff and your users; How to work with fast and flexible teams, instead of traditional groups and departements; How to develop your product and your staff when goals and objectives become outdated in a blink. The first workshop in this series will take place in Brussels from 5-7 September. For more information contact Bianca Lemmens ».

In order to meet the demand for a centralised, international journalism jobs listing page, the EJC launched JournaJobs.eu : offering permanent positions as well as temporary work, freelance assignments and internships. It counteracts the fragmentation of the job market while meeting the increasing demand for cross-border journalism in order to keep up with European integration as well as globalisation. The website offers a daily newsletter, Facebook page, Twitter account and a RSS feed so you can stay up-to-date. ».

Fresh from the Icelandic Food and Biotech R&D Institute MATÍS in Reykjavík, MAITRE is embracing the summer with a visit to the University of Bologna in Italy. On 5-6 July, the media training programme will meet with food and nutrition scientists at the Campus of Food Science in Cesena. MAITRE' s seminars will return after the summer break. For more information, contact Cristina Romero ».

Having doubts on accreditation procedures in Brussels? Looking for the telephone numberf of a EU press officer? Our newly updated booklet Reporting Brussels may have the answers for you! For all other queries, contact the Journalists @ Your Service team. The PDF version of the booklet is downloadable from our website and free printed copies are available at the Residence Palace in Brussels ».

Together with its local partner in Georgia, the Georgian Institute of Public Affairs (GIPA), the EJC has run a series of events in the first week of June to examine the role of media in the run-up to the parliamentary election to be held in the country in October 2012. The programme included a series of roundtable discussions led by Pulitzer prize winning journalist Josh Friedman of Columbia University and New York times elections reporter Thomas Edsall, for audiences such as GIPA students/teaching staff as well as local journalists and politicians. For more information contact Marjan Tillmans ».

The EJC would like to thank everyone who joined the foundation in celebrating its 20th anniversary on Monday 4 June. The debate was lively and the EJC team was appreciative to see so many valued partners in the room. Thank you all! All sessions of the conference on the Future of Journalism Education were recorded and will be available through the event website in the course of next week; also check out our Facebook page for pictures and the conference keynote speech ».

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May Newsletter 2012

Maastricht - May 7, 2012

With the launch of the Data Journalism Handbook and the School of Data Journalism training, data driven journalism (DDJ) was the most popular topic at the International Journalism Festival in Perugia, Italy, last week. The collaborative book, coordinated by the EJC and the Open Knowledge Foundation is freely available online. A printed version and an e-book will be published by O’Reilly Media later in May. Tip sheets and notes from the Perugia workshops are available here. More details about the the next DDJ event can be found here ».

The EJC will organise a Press Freedom Debate in Maastricht on 11 May, in cooperation with the city of Maastricht and the Foundation Médaille Charlemagne. Dmitry Muratov, the editor-in-chief of Novaya Gazeta, the Russian newspaper which won the 2012 Charlemagne Medal for European media, will take part in the debate. Applications and interview requests can be sent to Bianca Lemmens ».

Can the EU boost its competitiveness and relaunch economic growth? The EJC and the European Commission's DG Enterprise and Industry are inviting 60 journalists to discuss this question with the European Commission President José Manuel Barroso and Vice-President Antonio Tajani and other EU officials. The high-level seminar will take place in Brussels on 29 May. Apply here ».

The EJC will invite a group of 30 EU journalists specialising in consumer issues for a press seminar to be held in parallel with the 2012 European Consumer Summit taking place in Brussels on 29 May. The event will offer an in-depth look at EU consumer policies on consumer safety, financial services and air passenger rights. Selected journalists will be able to interview EU Health and Consumer Policy Commissioner John Dalli and meet with leading independent experts and Brussels-based correspondents. Apply here ».

As Cyprus takes on the EU Presidency on 1 July at a time of pressing economic challenges, a group of 18 Cypriot journalists will be given the opportunity to meet and interview high-level officials, policy makers and experts during a three-day seminar to be held in Brussels on 30 May-1 June. Apply here ».

With a new story published every day, ThinkBrigaders are actively working together to achieve best practices in multi-media reporting and have contributed more than 30 articles on global topics since the launch of the ThinkBrigade platform on 10 April. Take a look at the latest stories ahead of the Rio+20 Conference to be held in Rio de Janeiro on 20-22 June ».

Through a series of lectures, ad-hoc meetings and tailored visits to take place in Luxembourg on 21-28 June, the EJC will give the chance to a selected group of young reporters from the Western Balkan countries to discuss the EU enlargement process and discover the Grand Duchy and the European institutions it harbours. For more information, contact Elise Rochez ».

European correspondents based in South Africa will soon have the opportunity to discover and visit the most interesting EU funded projects in the country, during a briefing in Johannesburg jointly organised by the EJC and the European Commission's DG DEVCO. For more information, contact Sonia Mihalikova ».

Together with local partner Fundación para el Periodismo (FPP), the EJC implemented three back-to-back workshops led by veteran former Reuters journalist Oliver Wates. Held in Santa Cruz de la Sierra and La Paz, the courses offered training techniques for a group of future FPP trainers as well as intensive practical journalism workshops for reporters from across the country. A total of 46 Bolivian trainers and journalists joined the workshops from 30 April to 12 May and received the joint FPP-EJC course completion certificate ».

This year the EJC will be celebrating its 20th anniversary with a conference on 4 June addressing future challenges to journalism education. The programme includes a keynote speech by Howard Finberg from the Poynter Insitute. Attendance is by invitation-only but proceedings will be made available after the event. For more information, contact Bianca Lemmens ».

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April Newsletter 2012

Maastricht - April 10, 2012

The EJC's new independent online magazine, ThinkBrigade will launch on 13 April 2012 and follows in the footsteps of TH!NK ABOUT IT. Its aim is to showcase best practices of multimedia reporting when covering global topics and will be run by a collaboration-driven team of 35 international reporters. For more information contact Rina Tsubaki ».

Ahead of Croatia’s accession to the EU in 2013, a two-day seminar on 23-24 April in Warsaw will offer 12 Croatian journalists the opportunity to witness the benefits and challenges that EU membership has brought to Poland. The trip will showcase sustainable projects in agriculture and rural development and include meetings with high-level governmental officials and young Polish farmers. For more information contact Diana Lungu ».

On the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the Erasmus programme, the EJC will hold a seminar in Copenhagen on 8-9 May to discuss the impact of Erasmus exchanges on higher education in Europe. The seminar, jointly organised with the European Commission, will delve into the newly proposed EU programme for education, training, youth and sport - Erasmus for All. Apply here ».

To follow up on the major achievements of the European Single Market and its future challenges, the EJC is tailoring five seminars for journalists based in the 27 EU Member States. The briefings will take place in Brussels, Copenhagen, Strasbourg and Rome. The first two in the series are scheduled in June. Apply here ».

The EJC and the Korea Press Foundation are pleased to announce the 2012 edition of their fellowship programme in South Korea. The two-week study trip, to be held on 20 August- 1 September, will feature a series of seminars led by specialists and a three-day tour of various social and cultural venues. Six EU journalists will be selected on the basis of their motivation and ideas for reporting. Deadline for application is 27 May at 00.00 CET ».

The political bargaining over the new seven-year multiannual financial framework has already started. A seminar jointly organised by the EJC and the European Commission’s DG Communication on 14 June in Brussels will give participants the opportunity to meet the Commissioners in charge and attend the RegioStars 2012 Award. Apply here ».

Journalists from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, FYROM, Kosovo, Montenegro, Serbia and Turkey are invited to take a close look at different aspects of freedom of expression in the media during a two-day seminar in London on 31 May - 1 June 2012. The programme will highlight the link between the EU accession process and freedom of speech and includes a visit to a London-based international media house. Apply here ».

The 2012 version of the Reporting Brussels booklet for Brussels-based correspondents and other interested media professionals will be issued at the end of April. The pocket-sized booklet contains updated contact details and tips on covering EU affairs. It will be available in a download version from the J@YS website and in printed form at the International Press Centre Residence Palace in Brussels ».

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March Newsletter 2012

Maastricht - March 2, 2012

Aspiring data journalists, editors and decision-makers in newsrooms are invited to attend the School of Data Journalism hosted on 25-29 April by the EJC and the Open Knowledge Foundation at the International Journalism Festival in Perugia, Italy. Entry to panels and workshops is free, but it is advised to register online to secure a seat in the workshops ».

One year after the Tunisian uprisings that sparked the Arab Spring revolution, the EJC in partnership with the European Commission’s DG DEVCO is offering a group of 12 journalists the opportunity to discuss changes in Tunisian society with local political authorities and experts in Tunis. The three-day seminar on 21-23 March includes a meeting with Commissioner for Enlargement and Neighbourhood Policy Štefan Füle, during his official visit to the country. Register here ».

Are you working on a data journalism project for a media company or a non-profit organisation? Are you a freelancer or individual involved in a data journalism project? Submit your best work before 10 April 2012 and win a chance for a total of six prizes worth 45,000 euros. The Data Journalism Awards is the first international contest recognising outstanding work in the field of data journalism ».

Food and nutrition scientists are invited to register for two new MAITRE media training seminars. The first event will be held on 21-22 March at the TUBITAK-MAM Research Centre in the Turkish city of Gebze. The second course will take place on 29-30 March at the Institute of Animal Reproduction and Food Research (PAN) in Olsztyn, Poland. Register online ».

For the fifth consecutive year the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Luxembourg has commissioned the EJC to organise a series of workshops for young journalists. The first seminar, to be held at the beginning of May, will be specifically tailored to journalists from Turkey and Northern Cyprus. Two briefings for journalists from Balkan countries are scheduled in late June and a workshop for the Tunisian press will take place during the second semester of 2012. Stay updated via the website ».

Forty journalism students from the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary and Poland are currently taking part in a 12-week online training course on best practices in reporting global development news. The programme has been specially designed by the Poynter Institute and features bi-weekly live sessions led by veteran trainer Bill Mitchell. One student from each country will be selected for a reporting trip to Kenya in the fall of 2012. The course is part of the V4Aid Development Awareness project funded by the European Union. For more information contact Marjan Tillmans ».

The final version of the SYNC3 prototype is a search tool that enables journalists, bloggers and media analysts to follow conversations and track sentiments expressed on key issues and events as they unfold online in the traditional media and the blogosphere. The EJC, a partner in the project, is proud to share a patent with the Xerox Research Centre Europe on an innovative algorithm for text classification. The three-year EU-funded research project will come to an end in March. For more information contact Liliana Bounegru ».

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November Newsletter 2011

Maastricht - November 9, 2011

In the wake of the recent Arab Spring uprisings, this year’s European Development Days will have a special focus on issues of democracy and sustainable development. The EJC and the European Commission’s DG Development and Cooperation – EuropeAid are offering a select group of 12 journalists from EU-27 member states the opportunity to attend the event on 15-16 December in Warsaw. Costs for travel, accommodation and most meals will be covered. Apply here ».

CL!CK ABOUT IT, EJC’s international photography competition, is pleased to announce its revamped website, which now features a fascinating selection of winning and shortlisted photographs from all three past rounds. CL!CK’s fourth edition is scheduled to be launched in early 2012. Sign up here to stay updated ».

Fresh from the Estonian capital of Tallinn, MAITRE is now travelling south to the Iberian Peninsula. The media training programme for food researchers will hold its next seminar on 1-2 December at the Research Institute of Technology, Food and Agriculture in Monells (Catalonia) before moving on to the Escola Superior de Biotecnologia in Porto (Portugal) on 5-6 December and the Marine and Food Technological Centre in Bilbao (Spain) on 12-13 December. Apply here ».

Ahead of the Danish Presidency of the Council of the European Union in the first half of 2012, the EJC and the European Commission's DG Economic and Financial Affairs are organising an exclusive three-day seminar on the Economic Priorities of the Danish Presidency. Scheduled to take place in Brussels on 29 November – 1 December, the seminar is especially tailored for Danish journalists covering economic, finance and business issues. Apply here ».

The first comprehensive Data Journalism Handbook started being drafted at the recent Mozilla Festival in London in a session run by the EJC and the Open Knowledge Foundation. Data journalists and developers from leading news organisations and journalism schools are contributing to this ongoing Data Driven Journalism project. Feel free to share your own material and pitch in your ideas via the public data-driven-journalism mailing list, the #ddj or #ddjbook hashtags on Twitter, or by sending an email to bounegru@ejc.net ».

The EJC and the Thomson Reuters Foundation have officially launched a five-year Dutch Foreign Ministry funded programme to establish a financial news service in Zimbabwe. The Source will be a news service owned and operated by Zimbabweans, aiming to serve Zimbabwean media organisations, financial organisations and citizens with accurate and informed business news and analysis ».

The EJC and the Open Knowledge Foundation have started running a series of data journalism workshops on EU spending. The first two workshops took place in September in Utrecht, the Netherlands, and in October in Warsaw, Poland. A collection of useful resources on the topic, such as articles, videos, links to datasets, tools and tutorials, are available at datadrivenjournalism.net ».

The EJC and the Dutch humanitarian NGO Mensen met een Missie jointly implemented a media skills training course in Marsabit, Kenya, for the Kenya Peace Network. The association of over 20 Kenyan NGOs seeks to create an atmosphere of dialogue among the country's ethnic groups in the run-up to the 2012 elections. The two-day practical workshop in October focused on media strategy and skills building for the network’s communication officers ».

Leading thinkers such as sociologist Saskia Sassen, MIT professor Beth Coleman and New York University researcher and artist Mark Shepard took a close look at the potential of urban data environments during EJC’s highly attended From Database Cities to Urban Stories session last September at PICNIC Amsterdam. Videos, articles and pictures covering the event are available at datadrivenjournalism.net ».

Posted on November 9, 2011 by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).
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