Sep 24 2008
IJNet Brings Journalists Together
You won’t be surprised to hear that, even with the restrictions American reporters sometimes encounter while trying to follow a story, journalists from many nations have it much worse. The International Center for Journalists works at improving the newsgathering skills of reporters throughout the world. ICFJ recently redesigned its Web portal, called IJNet, to facilitate communication between journalists thousands of miles apart.
I spoke with Johanna Carrillo, director of IJNet. My questions are in italic. Ms. Carrillo’s answers are in bold. I thank her for her time and assistance.
Would you tell me about the International Center for Journalists?
ICFJ is a media training non-profit organization based in Washington, D.C. Our mission is to promote high-quality journalism throughout the world with the belief that good information helps people make better decisions about their lives - in everything from governance to money matters to environment and health. Since 1984, ICFJ has worked directly with more than 40,000 journalists from 176 countries.
Aiming to raise journalism standards throughout the world, ICFJ offers hands-on training, workshops, seminars, fellowships and international exchanges to reporters and media managers around the globe.
How did you come to work for the center?
As many other ICFJ staffers, I started as an intern. After a few months I was offered a position as the Spanish Editor of the International Journalists’ Network, IJNet. Today, almost five years after I first arrived at ICFJ, I am the Director of IJNet.
What is IJNet? Who can access the site?
IJNet is the world’s premier online resource for the media assistance community. Since its launch in 1998, IJNet has built a reputation for being the best, most comprehensive resource for journalists, media managers, media assistance professionals, journalism trainers and educators, or anyone else with an interest in media training.
Because of its multilingual services - Arabic, English, Persian, Portuguese and Spanish with Russian to come - and the variety and breadth of its content and capabilities, media professionals from around the globe use and rely on IJNet.
What should I expect to find at IJNet.org?
On IJNet you can find:
- A free, weekly e-mail bulletin - in English, Arabic, Persian, Portuguese or Spanish - offering the latest media assistance news and upcoming training events for journalists
- A comprehensive list of journalism training opportunities and deadlines searchable by date, country, region or topic
- Webb on the Web, IJNet’s column on all things digital, written by digital media consultant Amy Webb. In this weekly column, Amy provides multimedia tips, reporting advice and strategies for incorporating technology into the newsroom.
- Training materials, organized by topic.
- Information on upcoming e-learning courses for journalists in addition to courses offered by the International Center for Journalists.
We also have a section for the Global Forum for Media Development (GFMD) that is a resource for media development organizations and practitioners on every continent. Users can create advanced profiles for their organizations and for themselves where they can highlight their work, post news and invite others to join their personal network. Media Development Organizations can learn about the work of other groups; showcase their work to an international audience; learn about new tools
and program ideas; improve their knowledge of project design, monitoring and evaluation; build new partnerships; and participate in meetings.
How many journalists use the site? What are they able to do through it?
We have more than 17,000 visitors from an average of 180 countries. We also have more than 18,000 journalists subscribed to our weekly bulletin.
On IJNet journalists can:
- Find media assistance news and events by region, topic or deadline
- Connect with journalists from around the world
- Start new discussions with colleagues from countries and cultures around the world
- Post a question on IJNet Answers to receive responses from colleagues Worldwide
- Participate in IJNet polls
- Browse our library of training materials
- Share IJNet stories to a variety of social sites, including Digg, Delicious, Facebook and Twitter
Is it possible to connect with other reporters?
Yes, it is! The recently launched IJNet allows users to create a profile and build their own network. Journalists can now search for one another by e-mail address, IJNet screen name, location, organization, area of expertise, language and any other information the user provides.
Is freedom of the press expanding through the world? What can American politicians do to help increase freedom of the press worldwide?
It is a tricky question, as every day powerful people around the world violate press freedom laws, and journalists and media professionals are still censored, imprisoned, tortured and even murdered for doing their job.
However, things are changing quickly and people are having greater access to more crucial information from sources beyond just the mainstream media. Governments are less successful in their attempts to block information and to decide what people should or should not know. Thanks to digital innovations, bloggers and citizen journalism, there are new ways for people to look for and find the truth, to demand answers and make changes. In general, politicians should support an open media, press freedom and access to information.
I saw at the site that 50 international journalists will be covering the upcoming presidential election. Why did ICFJ create that program?
The Elections 2008 program was created to give foreign journalists an opportunity to see American democracy at work and to learn about the important role of the media in that process. In addition to two days of briefings in Washington, the journalists will spend 10 days in an American newsroom observing how a major election is covered in this country. ICFJ believes this kind of exchange can have a significant impact in helping both the journalist and his or her audience understand the components of American democracy, and we hope the journalists can take lessons from this that will be useful in their own countries.
What else should I know about the ICFJ and IJNet.org?
You should know that everyone is invited to learn more about us! Just visit us at www.icfj.org and www.ijnet.org. If you are a journalist, blogger, media professional or simply interested in media development worldwide you HAVE to join us!
