August Newsletter 2010

Maastricht - August 5, 2010

World class media thinkers such as Jeff Jarvis, Rafat Ali and Mark Glaser will join EJC for a day of debates on the future of journalism at PICNIC 2010. Held in Amsterdam, the event is a renowned annual platform for creativity and innovation. Covering the successes and failures of recent years in the media industry, as well as the growth of public engagement, EJC’s exclusive one-day programme will focus on the real need to reconstruct journalism and its relationship with the citizen and society. Further information: Biba Klomp ».

Looking for a niche online community thats brings together journalists from all over the world? EJC's Online Community is a growing platform for media industry professionals. Share ideas, comments and contact details with journalists in your field, join specific topic groups, and network - all within a collaborative and creative environment ».

The annual European Security Research Conference is a crucial part in the evolution of civil European security research. Due to be held in Ostende September 22-24, this year's edition will be organised by the Belgian Federal Science Policy Office under the Belgian Presidency of the EU. Within this context the EJC is organising a one and a half-day briefing, tackling the current state of play on security research, its challenges and its opportunities in the future. Further information: Cristina Romero ».

In late September, 15 EU journalists will travel to Kiev to look into Ukraine's energy sector reforms and changing politics. Is the post-Soviet republic becoming increasingly pro-Russian or just less pro-European? The state of the country's democracy and the prospects of the EU's energy security will feature in the programme. Further information: Cristina Romero ».

Registration is open for Data-driven journalism: What is there to learn?, a one-day roundtable organised on 24 August, 2010 in Amsterdam by EJC in collaboration with the University of Amsterdam. Sign up now to see a packed programme of speakers, including representatives from The New York Times, Open Knowledge Foundation, Ultra Knowledge, Medienkombinat, Hacks/Hackers, and IBM. Share your thoughts pre-event at the EJC Online Community’s dedicated DDJ group, or follow the Twitter hashtag #ddj. Further information: Liliana Bounegru ».

Taking place between August 25 - September 5, the EJC-KPF Fellowship has selected six European journalists to participate in a press programme covering Korea's political, economic and social issues. On location in the Korean peninsula, topics will include North Korea’s nuclear agenda, whilst visits will be made to the Demilitarised Zone, Jesu Island and other key locations. As an aside, EJC looks forward to welcoming its next Korean fellow in September, Mr Kim Cheol Young from Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation. Further information: Maria Manta ».

Around ten Serbian journalist students will enjoy a media visit to the Netherlands this August 15 - September 12, sponsored by the OSCE Mission to Serbia and organised by EJC. Along with a one week practical internship at the Tilburg journalism school, the students will visit the ICTY in the Hague and major Dutch media outlets. Further information: Marjan Tillmans ».

The EJC’s series of four information briefings for journalists on EU enlargement came to an end recently, marking the culmination of over six months dialogue with Turkish and West Balkan journalists on this issue. Targeting journalists from print, radio and broadcasting media from Turkey, Croatia, Serbia and FYROM, the goal was to highlight what EU membership has brought to the current member states. The seminars - in Madrid, The Hague and Warsaw - also successfully facilitated reporting and interviews. Further information: Rina Tsubaki ».

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July Newsletter

Maastricht - July 12, 2010

'Data-driven journalism: What is there to learn?' is the title of a roundtable set for 24 August in Amsterdam, co-hosted by EJC and the University of Amsterdam. The event gathers data-driven specialists, sharing news and views while producing a guide for journalists entering the field. To attend the event, contact Liliana Bounegru ».

Fifteen EU journalists will visit Belarus in late July as part of a five-day seminar on the European Neighbourhood Policy. As President Lukashenko seeks a third way between Moscow and the West, our reporters examine his commitment to democratic reforms. For more info, contact Branka Kostovska ».

The EJC is happy to announce a partnership with IHECS (Institut des Hautes Etudes des Communications Sociales - Brussels) for its new Executive Master programme in European Journalism. Starting this autumn, it will give professional journalists the tools they need to dig deep into European topics. For more details, see the IHECS website. ».

EU finance ministers take a final decision on Estonia's entry into the Eurozone in mid-July. In parallel, the EJC is holding a three-day briefing in English solely for Estonian media, with the chance to meet EU lawmakers, independent experts and Brussels correspondents. ».

Food science is big news these days, with more and more researchers speaking with journalists on a regular basis. The EJC therefore plans to train food researchers in media skills as part of a new project called MAITRE. Negotiations are ongoing, but the launch is set for the first half of 2011. For more info, contact Howard Hudson ».

Need to write about 'credit default swaps' but don't know where to start? 'Journalists@Your Service' will hold a workshop on financial jargon for non-financial journalists based in Brussels. Hosted by Nicolas Veron of Bruegel, the economic think tank, it will help generalist reporters to understand and correctly use such terminology. For more info, contact Cristina Romero ».

Several winners from TH!NK3: Developing World will be invited to a workshop on professional online journalism from 17-20 August in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, co-hosted by the EJC, Konrad Adenauer Foundation in Singapore, Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman and the Asian Center for Journalism. The winners will be announced on the TH!NK3 website by the end of July. ».

"A virtual press office at my fingertips? Unbelievable! And completely free!" – just one reaction to Press4Transport (P4T), a project bringing new visibility to transport research. P4T is an online press office where transport news releases are fact-checked and distributed across Europe to a variety of media. To submit your material, contact Maria Laura Franciosi ».

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June Newsletter 2010

Maastricht - June 14, 2010

Europe’s monetary union has been challenged as never before. Will tensions subside? Will they break apart the eurozone? The EU has repeatedly affirmed its view of the Western Balkans as future EU members, provided they fulfil accession criteria. Western Balkan journalists are invited to gather from from 12 to 14 July in Brussels for an EJC seminar on economic and monetary affairs. Economics reporters from Albania, Bosnia, Croatia, Kosovo, Macedonia, Serbia and Montenegro are invited to apply online at www.ejcseminars.eu or contact romero@ejc.net for more information. ».

Once again the EJC with the Japanese and Korean Press foundations is holding two respective exchange programmes. Ten EU journalists, six travelling to Korea and four to Japan, will follow a programme on the politics, economics and cultures of their destination. Apply for the Japan programme before 27 June 2010. Apply for the Korean programme between 12 June and 1 July. ».

Find out the stories behind the football, with the European Journalism Centre's newest website, World Cup Watch. Monitoring the international media as well as top websites and bloggers, World Cup Watch handpicks the best features and analysis of South Africa 2010, from its environmental implications to its social impact. Take a new look at the tournament today. ».

A 2-day seminar in early June brought media NGOs from Central, Eastern and Southeastern Europe to Maastricht. Staff from various organisations shared their best practice, warned of pitfalls, and discussed the long-term value of the global media development market. Read more in Eric Karstens’ primer on EU funding for NGOs. ».

On 11 June the EJC joined POLIS to discuss the opportunities and challenges of networked journalism at The Value of Journalism conference in London. The event examined the value of connectivity – especially social media – and how Web 2.0 enables greater context, more non-linear stories, and better interactivity. See an archive of the livestream as well as interviews with some of the key speakers on EJC's Future of Journalism website. ».

Volcanoes, break-away republics, the Israeli army, Caspian oil pipelines, fire temples and a host of top EU speakers: the European Neighbourhood Journalism Network has been busy recently. Since April, training teams have travelled across the region to generate high impact stories on the EU’s European Neighbourhood policy. Read over 100 stories from the last two months alone, along with the discussions surrounding them. ».

We are in the midst of launching a vast survey for journalists to assess the state of the media in the EU. Set out in collaboration with UK-based The Evaluation Partnership and Italian-based Economisti Associati - along with media focus groups from various European countries - the survey feeds into a feasibility study for a media mobility project. ».

SYNC3 received a seal of approval from the European Commission this May, at the first review meeting for the project, which combines the posts and views of bloggers and citizen journalists in the context of traditional news media. Expect the official European Commission review report in a month, whilst the first integrated SYNC3 prototype is planned for release in September. ».

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May Newsletter 2010

Maastricht - May 7, 2010

A limited series of two-day EJC seminars will enable European journalists to better analyse the pros and cons of life under the Lisbon Treaty, from citizens' rights to foreign policy and new powers won by the European Parliament. Five of these seminars will be offered throughout May and June for regional and national broadcast and print journalists from the EU27. The NGOs, Commission staff and Brussels-based journalists who gather at these sessions will assess also the roles of Catherine Ashton and Herman van Rompuy. To join us, please contact: Cara Smith. ».

We want you to show us the social, economic or climate changes happening in your community - one cl!ck at a time. Submit your photos before June 28 to our 'Changing World' photo competition and become eligible to win a prize as you help us build a mosaic of what's happening around our world. Prizes include a Canon SLR and two FLIP Mino HD cameras. Log on, sign up and upload via Facebookor clickaboutit.net. ».

Journalism educators are welcome to join the EJC from 20-22 May in Paris to meet members of EJTA, the European Journalism Training Association, as it hosts its 20th annual conference at UNESCO. Members will discuss recent changes in journalism and how these affect teaching and curricula. Professor George Brock of City University London, Mark Lee Hunter of INSEAD Social Innovation Centre and Guy Berger of Rhodes University in South Africa will present during the conference, titled "The Future of Journalism Education". For more details please visit EJTA's website. ».

Together with Internews-Ukraine, the EJC is helping to organise the training course: ‘How does new media optimise publishers’ work? From internal information streams to external progress’. Professional journalists, editors and civil activists are welcome to apply to attend sessions in Kiev (22-23 May), Odessa (25-26 May) or Kharkiv (29-30 May). Apply here. ».

The EJC has been collaborating with the World Bank Institute on its project, ‘Mobilizing Youth Against Corruption’. From 26 until 28 May, the EJC will offer training on investigating corruption with the help of Brussels-based organisations. Participants will also assess the often blurry line between lobbying and policymaking. To learn more about the project, contact: Cristina Romero. ».

A springtime focus group gave media professionals a first glimpse of the SYNC3 user interface, showing how bloggers respond to traditional news sources. Meeting at EJC Maastricht, the journalists, bloggers and new media specialists reported that SYNC3 could help media monitoring as well as research. Please click here for more details and a picture of the user interface. ».

Climate change threatens development in the poorest regions of the world. A group of select journalists from African, Caribbean and Pacific countries will travel to Brussels to assess and report on the progress of EU pledges made at the UN Climate Change Conference. The briefing will last from 31 May until 2 June, which runs in parallel with EU Green Week – the largest annual event on European environment policy. To learn more about these journalists and their work, please contact: Cara Smith. ».

We would like to warmly welcome Korea’s Taehoon Lee and Japan’s Kazuya Ohmuro, who have recently joined our team in Brussels. Over the last five years, Asian fellows like Taehoon and Kazuya have provided valuable links between European and Asian media. They work on joint research projects and share expertise with Brussels-based correspondents. ».

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Sentiment analysis in the blogosphere: the potential of SYNC3

Maastricht - April 7, 2010

The journalists, bloggers and new media specialists who looked at the first prototype of SYNC3 indicated that the SYNC3 Workspace could be useful for media monitoring as well as media research.

The SYNC3 system, an EU co-funded project, is an attempt to map the blogosphere. Its Workspace allows users to map and track the sentiments of bloggers and citizen journalists pertaining to particular news events. Such mapping sheds light on the formation of public opinions.

A March focus group at the EJC’s office in Maastricht gave media professionals a chance to see the SYNC3 Workspace and give feedback.

SYNC3 is the product of a consortium that includes the EJC, L3S, RIA Novosti, Google, Xerox, Athens Technology Centre and other partners.*

Key distinctive feature of SYNC3: sentiment analysis

The media experts who met in Maastricht showed great interest in sentiment analysis, the most distinctive feature of SYNC3.

Many questions were raised about the sentiment analysis model: “How do you determine sentiments? How do you decide what is negative and positive? How does the system deal with the various degrees of positive and negative sentiments?”

Sentiment analysis of blog posts works by categorising blog posts as positive, neutral or negative. It examines the sentiment of the author not only toward her subject, but also named entities identified in the news item, such as persons or organisations. All participants saw this feature as one of the system’s most useful.

The media experts who met in Maastricht agreed that it is important for the user interface of SYNC3 to clearly distinguish between news articles, blog posts and news events. Users want to know what kind of sources they are working with.

Collaboration features and potential users

The Workspace tool allows users to make their own information and news maps and add content to them collaboratively or individually. The potential users saw an applicability for SYNC3 in media monitoring activities, academic media research as well as in a newsroom. The Workspace enables journalists to see the differences in how news events are covered in traditional articles and blog posts.

The SYNC3 Consortium has just started a project period of integrating all major system parts together and plans to have the first full prototype ready at the end of this year.

Note to editors:
SYNC3 was launched in March 2009. Co-funded by the European Union, it aims to track the posts and views of bloggers and citizen journalists in the context of traditional media news.

The latest news is available on the project website http://www.sync3.eu, and also through Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn updates.

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February Newsletter

Maastricht - March 1, 2010

To learn more about our upcoming events, projects and seminars, please visit our digital newsletter.

Highlights:

Covering the recovery
We are looking for established regional journalists to participate in an EJC conference on European economic policy and new ways to cover the ongoing crisis, March 15-16 in Brussels. The discussion will build upon our Covering the Crisis discussion from November, 2009. Contact: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).

Swansong for the euro?
The economic crisis is a major test for the eurozone. Will it stay intact? Will it lose its weaker member states? This briefing will explore the EU’s economic strategy for 2020 and new rules for financial markets. Francophone journalists should apply to: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

Enabling reporting partnerships in Africa
‘East for South’ will send 60 young journalists from new EU states and sub-Saharan Africa to report on EU development policies. Teams of journalists will pair off, report from the field, and learn from veteran journalists at EJC and Deutsche Welle. New EU and African journalists should apply via the website: east4south.org.

Rethinking development
Registration is open to online writers around the world for TH!NK3 Developing World, the third round of our European blogging competition. A two-day launch event will begin 22 March. Find out more here.

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December Newsletter

Maastricht - December 27, 2009

Out with the old, in with the newsletter… Intentions set for an insightful 2010!

LETTERS

A note from Wilfried Ruetten, our director
We would like to thank all of you who made 2009 a year of abundant, colourful work for the EJC community. We organised and hosted more than 70 briefings for professional reporters and students. From the ground up, we organised two blogging competitions. We staged two international conferences. Over the course of the year, we met more than 1,000 journalists, including 800 from the EU, and more than 100 international journalism students.

We heartily thank all of you who visited and collaborated with us. We hope you find it worthwhile and continue to engage.

Special thanks to our partners and affiliates, as well as to EJC staff in the Maastricht and Brussels offices, for all the great work done in 2009.

Our 2010 diaries are filling up quickly. But we will always have time for a coffee with you at one of our seminars or at our offices. We’re open for input on what went well and what could be improved. You may also reach me via e-mail.

REACHING OUT

EU4Journalists: Now in Croatian and Turkish
We are pleased to announce that the main content of the EU4Journalists website is available in Croatian and Turkish. The site is a useful tool for any journalist seeking accurate, up-to-date background information about the EU and its institutions.  It is now available in 24 languages.

New guidebook: covering development
The EuropeAid project To Act you have to Know, with the People in Need Foundation (Prague), will in January publish the EJC handbook, Reporting Development.

This practical guide, written by the EJC’s Oliver Wates together with Reuters, will be distributed to journalists who report on development issues in the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary and Poland. It will be available in local languages and English.

For more information, please contact EJC’s Marjan Tillmans.

CASAM: Help shape the future of the Internet
We are looking for professional TV and video journalists, video librarians, documentary makers, video editors and video bloggers in or willing to travel to Berlin, Prague, Lisbon or Hilversum.
Attendees will have the honour of testing a futuristic tool for multimedia annotation. Sessions will last between 45 and 60 minutes. Participants will test the first prototype of CASAM with the project partners. No travel or other costs will be covered. To apply, please e-mail EJC’s Eric Karstens. Please give details about your professional background.

Toward Press Freedom, 2.0
We have joined four other Dutch nonprofit organisations in the Press Freedom 2.0 consortium to help build local professional journalism capacity, raise ethical standards and improve media literacy in developing countries.

The consortium includes World Press Photo, European Partnership for Democracy, People on a Mission and Free Voice. The group has been working in recent months with dozens of local partners in the global south on a substantial grant request to work in that area. E-mail EJC’s Josh LaPorte for more information.

Pacific exchanges
We are most pleased with this year’s successful collaboration with Korean and Japanese press foundations. The year’s end saw the departure of our visiting fellows and a fabulous event celebrating Korean food. More than 200 Brussels-based correspondents attended.

Fellowship exchange programmes with the Nihon Shinbun Kyokai (NSK) and the Korea Press Foundation (KPF) will continue in 2010 to offer European journalists the chance to visit Korea or Japan. In return, Korean and Japanese journalists will live and work in Brussels for three months.

PRIORITISING PROJECT EUROPE

Covering the Lisbon Treaty
  It took eight years to negotiate and ratify: the Lisbon Treaty, which came into force 1 December, lays the foundations for greater EU influence in the new world order. Journalists are invited to apply for our unique series of in-depth briefings on this new treaty. Briefings are co-organised with the European Commission in the coming months. Online applications will be available at www.ejcseminars.eu.

New job in Brussels?
The past year has been a bustling one for Journalists at Your Service (J@YS). But don’t worry: We’ve got plenty of energy to help new correspondents navigate working life in Brussels. In 2009, J@YS held two Newcomers’ Briefings. Reporters were introduced to the European Citizens Consultations with the King Baudouin Foundation and the European Commission. Other J@YS initiatives in 2009 included collaborating on panel discussions with Transparency International, ERA, the German Bar Association and the US Mission. For more on upcoming events, e-mail EJC’s Hélène Massart.

All aboard Press4transport
Since its launch in September, PRESS4TRANSPORT continues to accelerate. The website press4transport.eu went live to showcase survey information about sustainable surface transport projects across the EU. The site is available in seven languages.

After the survey process is complete, PRESS4TRANSPORT will disseminate press releases to a wide range of EU media on behalf of the project.

Exploring the euro area
Between February and June, 2010, the EJC and DG ECFIN will host a series of seminars for financial and economic journalists from Europe. A specific workshop will be held for reporters from countries outside the euro area.  The three-to-four-day briefings will include sessions on the EMU and enlargement of the euro area. Selected journalists will also have the opportunity to visit the ECB in Frankfurt.

Precise dates will be posted at ejcseminars.eu.

Unfinished business: crisis in financial journalism
China and India command the attention of global economic thinkers, yet business journalism in these states remains undeveloped. Who will be the independent watchdogs in these rapidly expanding economies?

An EJC conference book to be published in March will explore this and other questions raised at last month’s Covering the Crisis conference, two days of intense interaction and fruitful debate between leading global players from the world of financial journalism: the FT, The Economist, Bloomberg News, BBC and Columbia Journalism Review.

After you read the impressions of Juliane von Reppert-Bismarck and Cristina Romero, please find more quotes, videos and photos at www.coveringthecrisis.eu.

Keep Th!nking
TH!NK2 bloggers were in Copenhagen from 15 to 20 December to attend the COP15 conference. Adela Trofin (Romania), Federico Pistono (Italy) and Diego Casaes Silva (Brazil) reported from COP15 via their blogs on www.thinkaboutit.eu.

Between 15,000 and 20,000 people attended the world’s largest climate change summit, including 85 world leaders.

We warmly thank the European Commission and Dutch Ministry for Education, Science and Culture for supporting the TH!NK2 project.

PASSPORT TO COLLECTIVE, NETWORKED MEDIA

On the EU’s doorstep
Starting in February, selected European journalists will journey beyond the borders of the EU and visit a number of European Neighbourhood countries. Eight seminars will take them to ENP countries: Belarus, Ukraine, Georgia and Azerbaijan, then south through Syria, Israel, Tunisia and Morocco. Each of the intensive five-day workshops will centre on a different country through meetings with officials, independent experts and field visits.

Applications open in January 2010 at ejcseminars.eu.

Media literacy for Macedonia
The EJC is thrilled to announce it has been elected to another two-year term on the board of directors for the Macedonian Institute for the Media.  We are presently running a multi-year Matra programme, Media Literacy Education in MK.

Media literacy will be embedded in the core curriculum of all courses held in primary and secondary schools where Albanian, Macedonian or Turkish languages are spoken. This initiative was mentioned on the Dutch embassy website in Macedonia. For more information, e-mail Josh LaPorte.

Toward a new ecosystem at WEF
EJC Director Wilfried Ruetten has again been invited to be a member of the Global Agenda Council on the Future of Journalism, run under the auspices of the World Economic Forum. This group of experts has come up with a substantial paper on the future journalism. It states, “journalism is vital for building societies. It is a systemic part of the social environment. We need to build a new technical, political and financial ecosystem to support it.”

Covering the beautiful game
We recently finished the Sports and Society Workshop series in Africa along with Free Voice and World Press Photos. At the series of practical workshops for African journalists in the run up to the World Cup 2010, journalists were required to write stories about events surrounding and related to the games. Workshops were held in Accra, Ghana; followed by two in Cairo (one for radio, one for print); one in Lagos, Nigeria (radio); and two final workshops (one for radio; one for print, in French) in Ouagdougou, Burkina Faso.

Story outputs will be published or broadcast by participants’ media outlets. Of the 72 journalists who participated in the training, 18 will be selected to cover the World Cup.

MOVING ON

After two years in the Brussels journalistic arena, EJC project manager Rodolfo Perez-Saracibar is leaving our team. We thank him for the excellent work he accomplished during his time with us. We wish him good luck and all the best for his future endeavours.

After three years behind the lens, EJC associate producer Bernd Kapeller is leaving our Maastricht office. We’ll miss his sense of humour and wish him all the best for the future.

UP AND COMING

Journalism 2020
11 January, Brussels
EJC joins the University of Missouri’s Transatlantic Center for a half-day conference at the Residence Palace in Brussels. We’ll discuss the impact of convergence journalism, economic models and international coverage in a globalised world. Wilfried Ruetten will be among the panelists. For more information, please e-mail the conference organisers.

WEB NEWS

** Twitter

—EJC is still larking around as @ejcnet. Follow us!

** iTunes

—Download EJC podcasts, including the EU4Journalists weekly roundup

** Facebook—Join our Facebook community for the inside track on events and developments!

MOST-READ ARTICLES OF 2009

The road to journalism: Why we choose to be journalists

Top journalists give tips on YouTube

Scaring up an audience in the attention economy

European Institute of Technology: KIC(K)starting innovation or networking itself to death?

Media Pluralism Monitor unveiled

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Korea’s cuisine comes to the Residence Palace in Brussels

Maastricht - December 6, 2009

The first of December was a magical evening for nearly 200 international journalists who attended the “Korean Cuisine” event organised by the Korean Embassy in Brussels and the European Journalism Centre.

The fruitful collaboration of the EJC with South Korea and the Korean Press Foundation initiated three years ago has brought to Brussels so far five Korean journalists. Each spent three months in Brussels. European journalists have flown to Korea for a fact-finding tour lasting around two weeks. 

The idea of bringing to Brussels a well-known Korean cook - Kim Soo-Jin, who is also a food consultant to the South Korean first lady Kim Yoon-ok – originated with the embassy when EJC suggested having a Korean event to publicise Korea among the press corps.

In less than two months the idea became a “kaleidoscopic” reality, with an expert team of Koreans working intensively for two days to prepare the complex dishes and present them in a fantastic show satisfying the eyes before pleasing the palate. The EJC contacting the Brussels press corps to inform them about the initiative.

Many of the journalists who participated had never tasted Korean food before; the experience for them was a very pleasant surprise. The gentle notes of Arirang and other famous Korean songs echoed in the Residence Palace restaurant hall while the guests queued at the entrance eager to have a break from the usual EU policy talks. Their expectations were fulfilled.

An explosion of colours welcomed the guests entering the restaurant hall: the colours of the artistically arranged dishes – from kimchi to bulgogi to bibimbap and other delicacies – was the first “coup d’oeil”, combined with the appetizing smells of the chapchae being cooked under their very eyes by the expert Kim Soo-Jin, dressed in a splendidly decorated “Hanbok” (the embroidered flowing robe in a very tasteful combination of pastel colours).

For the eyes there were also other surprises, like the exhibition of photographs taken by a group of European journalists visiting Korea last summer. Korea, seen through their eyes, appeared as a very colourful place but also a very welcoming country with skyscrapers vying for space with orderly parks, steep mountains swarming with hikers, people selling their wares and children playing. There were sumptuous dishes and live fish for sale in markets.

Guests in Brussels that night shared a common impression that the country is full of surprises, a different image from the technologically oriented country mass-producing portable phones and T-shirts to the whole world. The food was a particular surprise for everyone: special plum wine served in bamboo containers, delicious Korean pears looking like gigantic apples, mushrooms and ginseng: that omnipresent Korean root that seems to cure all illnesses.

The welcome speech by the Ambassador H.E. Park Joon-woo opened the ceremony followed by a brief address by the EJC director Wilfried Rütten. After the “official” part of the evening concluded, the chef took over with her explanation and demonstration of how to cook a Korean dish followed by the “tasting” session, which was an absolute success.

- Maria Laura Franciosi-Thuburn, senior EJC correspondent

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November 2009 Newsletter

Maastricht - November 24, 2009

Where science meets finance and runs with the story!

HEADLINERS
———————————————
## Covering the Crisis: Every angle examined
Complexity, timing and barriers to sources are among difficulties financial journalists encounter in the course of their reporting, a group of 25 speakers concluded at an EJC Interface conference on the role of the media in the financial crisis on 9-10 November in Brussels.

A historic lack of connection with academics, bloggers and other experts may further inhibit financial coverage at mainstream media outlets. Writing for a public that may have low levels of financial literacy is also problematic.

These and other conclusions were drawn when a cadre of business reporters, academics, officials and financial experts gathered in the heart of Europe to discuss how the crisis was covered in financial and general media in Europe and the US.

Former Danish prime minister Poul Nyrup Rasmussen and financial futurist Bernard Lietaer were among the 25 speakers at our event, which also included Ásgeir Jónsson of Iceland’s Kaupthing Bank, Financial Times associate editor Wolfgang Munchau and Danny Schechter, the US “news dissector.”
More information at the conference website.

## Assisting development
The EJC will launch a series of information briefings on the EU’s external aid this month. We will provide journalists access to concrete projects implemented in developing countries and experts on related EU policies. Topics range from climate change, instability in areas with food and water shortages and a case study on aid in Morocco. For further information please visit Aid in Motion or contact EJC’s Cara Smith.

## EJC competition wins European web award
We are thrilled to announce that the TH!NK ABOUT IT: Climate Change blogging competition, a joint project with the European Commission, has won a European Public Affairs Award. The EPA jury chose TH!NK, a community of bloggers from 40 different countries, as the Web 2.0 Campaign Of The Year. 

KNOWLEDGE BUILDING
———————————————
## Through the eyes of candidate countries
In September and October, the EJC brought groups of journalists from Croatia, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Montenegro and Turkey to Luxembourg for press visits. These events, organised by the EJC with the financial support of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Luxembourg, aimed to familiarise participants with the European institutions in the Grand Duchy. In addition to institutional meetings, participants visited Schengen, where the borders of Germany, France and Luxembourg meet and an agreement of the same name was signed on 14 June, 1985. 

## EJC: Innovate to Inspire
In mid-October, we brought together a dozen thought leaders for the conference, Youth Media and the Next Generation Classroom. Please visit our website for a summary, interviews and links to

all the presentations.

NEW HORIZONS
———————————————
## EU-Russia talks
Climate change is expected to be one of the most important topics discussed at the upcoming EU-Russia Summit in Stockholm on 18 November. In anticipation of this summit, the EJC has organised a series of exclusive meetings in Stockholm. Fifteen Russian journalists will meet a group of Swedish politicians to include environment minister Andreas Carlgren and several MPs. The journalists will be briefed on the latest issues dominating the EU-Russian agenda: energy security, economic and financial crisis, and commitment to multilateralism.

## Ahead with the Spanish Presidency
The forthcoming Spanish Presidency will face many challenges. Its agenda includes the restoration of confidence in the financial markets, combating the negative impact of the crisis and the creation of long-term solutions for sustainable growth and employment. Our four-day workshop will provide fresh, updated information from officials and independent experts on the strategies and policies to be implemented throughout the first half of 2010.

## From Belarus, China and Syria to the heart of Europe
In the upcoming weeks three groups of tenacious journalists arriving from Belarus, China and Syria will visit Brussels. They will investigate current trade, political and economic relations impacting these countries and the EU. A thorough consideration of press freedom will also be at the forefront of discussions.

## RELATE: Science writing on tour
If you’re a journalism student or rookie reporter beginning your career in science writing, we welcome you to apply now for the next round of RELATE. Visit us for more on our REsearch LAbs for TEaching Journalists (RELATE) project or contact EJC’s Howard Hudson. Our new deadline is 30 November.

## SYNC3: Help us map the blogosphere
Our SYNC3 project seeks to assess the credibility of unknown bloggers. We are presently collecting training materials to help researchers evaluate the results of our initial automatic analysis and to fine-tune the machine learning process. Please help us collect a list of credible bloggers. Send your recommendations in the form of the URL of the blog (in the English language please) to info@sync3.eu or use the feedback form. For more information, please contact EJC’s Miroslav Hazer.

UPCOMING EJC SEMINARS
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## European Neighbourhood Policy: Energy and sustainable development 17-21 November, Brussels and Baku
An intensive five-day briefing scheduled in Brussels and Baku offers the chance for reporters to deepen their understanding of the EU’s relationship with Azerbaijan within the framework of the ENP. Energy and sustainable development in particular will be discussed. For further information, please visit EJC seminars.

## CFSP-ESDP 30 November-1 December, Brussels
The EU says it actively promotes human security around the world. This means tackling the root causes of conflicts, such as poverty and injustice, and utilising multilateral solutions. Learn more at our next Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP) seminar. Please contact Helene Massart.

## Newsroom Management workshop 9-11 December, Maastricht
The workshop allows participants to test management techniques in discussions and role-play. We provide tools to help managers deal with the challenges of motivating staff and running an efficient newsroom. Per Andersson, former editor of the Swedish Channel 1 news programme, leads this course. We welcome your application. Contact EJC’s Bianca Lemmens.

WEB NEWS
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** Twitter—EJC is still larking around as @ejcnet. Follow us!
** iTunes—Download EJC podcasts, including the EU4Journalists weekly roundup
** Facebook—Join our Facebook community for the inside track on events and developments.
**Delicious Cozy up with in-depth reading on the future of our industry with EJC’s recommended reading list.

Posted on November 24, 2009 by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).
Filed under announcements.

October 2009 Newsletter

Maastricht - October 13, 2009

EJC: Programmes as colourful as the autumn

ENABLING INFORMED REPORTING

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## Covering the Crisis: Media in the Meltdown

We’re bringing business reporters, editors and experts to Brussels to consider the media’s role in the financial crisis. Join us on 9 and 10 November as we question why journalists didn’t – or couldn’t – alert the public to the coming economic crisis. We invite you to help examine lessons learned for business journalism.

This conference will feature Greg Philo of Glasgow University, Ásgeir Jónsson of Iceland’s Kaupthing Bank and American media critic Danny Schechter. Visit Covering The Crisis or contact EJC’s Bianca Lemmens or Raymond Frenken.

## PRESS4TRANSPORT: Curating transport research

Building on the success of our PressenSave initiative, the EJC will soon open a virtual press office to communicate newsworthy research initiatives about Sustainable Surface Transport, or SST. We will help national and regional SST projects inform mainstream European media outlets of their innovative work. This EU-sponsored initiative includes a digital platform to highlight national and regional transport projects for press consumption free of charge.

Our PRESS4TRANSPORT partners include scientific experts in the field of transport research as well as media specialists. Acting as media specialists, the EJC’s role will be to alert journalists to newsworthy SST studies taking place across the EU.

GLOBAL FUSION

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## Travels to Transnistria

EU reporters travelled in September to Transnistria - a de facto independent republic formed after the break up of the Soviet Union - for a European Neighbourhood Policy briefing. After attending meetings on the “frozen conflict” in Brussels and Chisinau, journalists travelled to the border area between Moldova and Ukraine. There they met in the “Supreme Soviet” (ie Parliament) and reported from the streets of Tiraspol.

## Waking in the Land of the Rising Sun

In early October, four European journalists travelled across Japan for the Nihon Shinbun Kyokai (NSK) and EJC Fellowship Programme. These journalists toured several cities and were exposed to various aspects of Japanese culture.

Meanwhile, the EJC hosted 14 Japanese journalists at the seminar: “Introduction to the EU with a Focus on Environment”. Japanese colleagues were introduced to the inner workings of EU machinery as they got a taste of life as a correspondent based in Brussels. The programme primarily concerned itself with exposing the European perspective on the world’s ever-evolving environmental situation.

## TH!NK2: Climate Change

More than 90 bloggers from 40 countries met in Copenhagen on 21-22 September for the launch of our second international blogging competition.

Our platform now hosts almost 200 articles and more than 700 comments about the challenges facing the UN Climate Change Conference, COP15. The kick-off event featured a conference at the ‘Bella Center’ - the arena for the UN summit - with Søren Hermansen, Time Magazine’s Hero of the Environment 2008, Tascha Eichenseher of National Geographic, and François Roudie of the European Commission. Join the discussion at thinkaboutit.eu.

VISIONS

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## Innovation Days

On 13 October we will host an experts’ meeting on intellectual property rights with speakers from Google and Creative Commons. The event is part of the first European Innovation Summit, hosted by Knowledge4Innovation, at the European Parliament Brussels 13-14 October.

On 15 and 16 October, EJC will host a conference tagged “Innovations in youth media and Next Generation Classroom” following up on the Interfacing Innovation conference we held April. Apply now: Contact EJC’s Biba Klomp.

## Covering cracked ceilings

We recently handpicked 30 reporters - representing European nations including Turkey and Iceland - to attend the official launch for the EU’s Network of Female Entrepreneurship Ambassadors. The network’s aim is to see that women will run half of all companies throughout Europe.

Prior to 5 October launch, the journalists met Therese Albrechtsson, a 24-year-old Swedish Business Ambassador and the winner of Europe’s Best Young Entrepreneur prize in 2008. Albrechtsson sold her first and most successful business and currently owns two companies in the fashion and IT sectors.

## RELATE: Apply now for rounds two and three

We’re rolling on to rounds two and three of the EJC initiative to introduce emerging science journalists to working scientists. Journalism student or rookie reporters interested in career science writing are invited to apply. Click here for more on “REsearch LAbs for TEaching journalists,” or RELATE. Join our Facebook group or contact EJC’s Howard Hudson. Visit here for eligibility criteria. New deadline: 30 November.

## Joining the ranks

Two groups of journalism students are set to learn about working as correspondents in Brussels. American students (Oct. 12-15) will meet officials from the US Mission to the EU and hear presentations on transatlantic relations and the US image abroad. Subsequent to their country’s “yes” vote to the referendum, Irish students (Oct. 14-16) will attend - amongst others - a session on how the Lisbon Treaty will change the European Union.

## SYNC3: Tracking blogs, mapping news, sharing opinions

RIA Novosti hosted SYNC3’s third consortium meeting on 1-2 October. The Moscow meeting explored the results of the user requirements survey. Partners agreed on system architecture, moving the project into exciting new phases. EJC will classify content over the next five months to provide training material for the machine learning process. Contact here

## Newsroom Management workshops
 28-30 October, Moscow
9-11 December, Maastricht

The EJC is holding two workshops in its Newsroom Management series, first at the premises of Russian press agency Ria Novosti, then at the EJC in Maastricht. We focus on management techniques by testing them in discussions and role-play, helping managers find solutions for challenges including motivating staff and running an efficient newsroom. Per Andersson, former editor of the Swedish Channel 1 news programme and a trainer in newsroom management since 1995, will lead the courses. Please apply now for the December workshop in Maastricht. Contact EJC’s Bianca Lemmens.

Posted on October 13, 2009 by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).
Filed under announcements.