A Network of Organizations Dedicated to Journalism in the Americas
Fifth Austin Forum Unites Journalism Groups around Digital JournalismFifth Austin Forum Unites Journalism Groups around Digital Journalism
Representatives from 26 journalistic organizations in 15 countries met in Austin Sept. 20-21, 2007 for the fifth Austin Forum on Journalism in the Americas. The gathering, dedicated to raising journalism standards in Latin America and the Caribbean, is organized by the Knight Center for Journalism in the Americas at the University of Texas.
This year’s Austin Forum coincided with the announcement that the Knight Center will receive a $1.6 million grant over five years from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation to expand its training programs in Latin America and the Caribbean, with an emphasis on digital journalism.
“The Internet has already been at the center of our activities, from the listservs we host for thousands of journalists from many countries to our pioneer distance education program that uses a multimedia platform,” said Rosental C. Alves, founder and director of the Knight Center.
“But now, thanks to the generosity of the Knight Foundation, we are launching a Knight Center 2.0, an extended version of our original project, with a clearer focus on the impact of the digital revolution on journalism.”
The Austin Forum was originally conceived as an annual event that unites organizations that focus on media development and training in Latin America. It has evolved into a network of organizations that exchange ideas and collaborate on training programs.
This year’s program focused on digital journalism and the challenges of training Latin American journalists to become more technologically proficient. The two-day gathering also featured workshops on the Digital Revolution and its impact on journalism, as well as the development of high-quality web sites.
The Forum also featured a workshop on mentoring practices for journalists, and a roundtable discussion on media development and assistance by program officers from four international support organizations.
The Austin Forum was supported this year by the University of Texas College of Communication and the Media Program of the Open Society Institute.
Participants came from Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Trinidad, the United Kingdom, the United States, Uruguay, and Venezuela. They represented journalism organizations with long histories of work, as well as newer and informal networks.
“This is the fourth time I’ve attended the Austin Forum, and every year more journalist organizations attend that are fighting to develop quality journalism,” said Luz Maria Helguero, founder of the Peruvian Provincial Journalists Network. “Now we’re trying to involve citizens through digital media. There is no other alternative.”
Susana Oviedo, president of the Paraguayan Journalism Forum (FOPEP), said the Austin Forum had enabled FOPEP to start new journalistic discussions in her country.
“We’ve incorporated these topics into the agendas of our journalists, and we’ve learned from organizations that have a more developed program," Oviedo said. "The Austin Forum has saved us from isolation, has helped us make contacts and given us ideas to develop in our country. I've discovered that there's a wonderful world of journalists working for other journalists."
Added Jul 31, 14:54, 2008
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