A Network of Organizations Dedicated to Journalism in the Americas
Forum Focuses on Journalism Training in the AmericasForum Focuses on Journalism Training in the Americas
Journalists, journalism trainers, and advocates for independent media from throughout the Americas gathered at the first annual Austin Forum on Journalism in the Americas on Feb. 14-15, 2003, and discussed ways to collaborate and expand the reach of their work.
Members of a broad spectrum of groups committed to fighting for press freedoms and improving journalism in Latin America and the Caribbean attended the forum hosted by the Knight Center for Journalism in the Americas at the University of Texas at Austin.
Representatives from 20 organizations and eight countries attended, coming from Brazil, Mexico, Jamaica, El Salvador, Panama, Colombia, Peru, and the United States.
The participants, who represented a wide range of specialties within journalism in the Americas, reached consensus on several issues. First among these was the importance of the Internet, especially its ability to provide online training courses for reporters who work in remote areas or are unable to afford the time and expense of traveling to training workshops.
The Internet has also allowed for the increased use of websites and listservs to maintain ongoing conversations among journalists and to promote their efforts to other professionals and the general public.
Current economic and political realities raised recurring concerns. Several speakers called for increased collaboration between groups to help stretch the dwindling amount of funding available for journalism training.
Although some representatives identified self-sufficiency as a major goal of their organizations, several also acknowledged the benefits of having a dues-paying membership and partnerships with universities. Some also suggested the merits of appealing to media companies to contribute to the training of journalists.
Some speakers suggested that international partnerships, and the strengthening of a collective Inter-American voice, could help media organizations who are currently fighting barriers to press freedom and access to information.
The increasing restriction of access to government information in the United States, which has intensified since the September 11 terrorist attacks, joins other long-term concerns in the Hemisphere, where numerous Latin American countries still seek to enact basic open records laws and security measures for the press.
Despite these larger concerns, most speakers said their organizations remained focused on the day-to-day efforts to improve journalism, sometimes at the most basic levels.
Other presenters stressed the importance for journalists to have training throughout their careers.
Discussions also focused on providing training to underserved areas and communities, including rural residents, radio journalists, women, and ethnic and racial minorities. In recent years, training efforts have centered around print reporters from major urban areas.
Several participants emphasized that rural reporters are in particular need of training, given that they have often had less formal instruction than their urban colleagues, and that they are most likely to face physical violence.
Some speakers stressed that radio journalists need more training programs, given that they enjoy more influence than print reporters among many low-income and working-class audiences.
Several speakers addressed the need for trainers and journalism professors in Latin America and the Caribbean to receive ongoing training. Some suggested the Second Austin Forum include more "trainers of the trainers" as well as more journalists from the Caribbean.
Suggestions for the next forum also include: instruction on how to monitor and evaluate the results of journalism training, guidance in obtaining funds from foundations, and discussion of ways to involve U.S. Latinos in the training of Latin American journalists.
The Austin Forum will be repeated for the next three years with support from other institutions.
Participants at the first Austin Forum included:
*Marcelo Beraba, Brazilian Association of Investigative Journalism (Abraji)
*Maribel Cuervo de Paredes, Latin American Journalism Center (CELAP), Panama
*J. Arthur Heise and Charles Green, Florida International University
*Jaime Abello, Foundation for a New Iberoamerican Journalism (FNPI), Colombia
*Ricardo Uceda, Press and Society Institute (IPYS), Peru
*Joan Caivano, Inter-American Dialogue
*Ricardo Trotti, Inter American Press Association (IAPA)
*Maria Mann, IAPA/Knight Foundation Workshops for Advanced Photojournalism
*Luis Botello, International Center for Journalists
*Deborah Mendelsohn and Peter Laufer, Internews
*Pedro Armendares, Investigative Journalists-Mexico
*Brant Houston, Investigative Reporters and Editors
*Amy Johnson and Sherry Rockey, International Women's Media Foundation
*Wyvolyn Gager, Jamaica Gleaner
*Eric Newton, John S. and James L. Knight Foundation
*Linda Hemby, Journalists Against Corruption (PFC), El Salvador
*Maria Martin, LATINO USA
*Cecilia Alvear, National Association of Hispanic Journalists
*Susan Shattuck-Benson, Trust for the Americas/OAS
*Marilyn Greene, World Press Freedom Committee
*John Ullmann, World Press Institute
*Jim Detjen, Knight Center for Environmental Journalism, Michigan State University
The Knight Center for Journalism in the Americas at the University of Texas at Austin was created in August 2002 by Professor Rosental Alves through a grant from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation.
As a professional outreach program for working journalists, it collaborates with Latin American colleagues to create training programs for reporters, editors, and photojournalists, thereby contributing to the freedom of press and democracy in the Americas.
For information about the Knight Center, contact program manager Dean Graber, deangraber@mail.utexas.edu, or (512) 471-1426.
Added Aug 07, 11:37, 2008
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