Author: birnEU

BIRN Training in Albania

As a part of the project ‘Advancing Independent Investigative Journalism in Albania’ BIRN has organised a specialised training workshop on news gathering and international standards for a group of young journalists.

The two day workshop, started on Wednesday and , is led by Balkan Insight Editor in Chief, Gordana Igric, and Besar Likmeta, BIRN’s Albania Editor and is based on a curriculum developed by BIRN and available from our website.

Click here to view the training agenda

During the training session, the team will commission investigative reports from topics suggested by the journalists  and create investigative teams  to work on the report.

The project’s objectives are to improve the journalists’ skills in analytical reporting and provide them with the ability to produce high quality analytical and investigative reports on crucial issues.

BIRN’s aim is to do this a way that is practical and sustainable over time, making sure that these journalists have access to continued education, useful resources and the experience, advice and support of colleagues doing similar work in similar situations elsewhere. They will also have regular opportunities to work at this level and publish their reports.

The project hopes to foster enhanced co-operation with media outlets in the country, raise awareness through free republishing in general print, electronic and internet outlets, and to expand the reach and impact of local journalists’ reporting to both the wider region and internationally.

On the job training and publishing, Tirana, 13-14 October, 2010

Venue: Media Institute


AGENDA

Wednesday, October 13th

09:30 – 10:00    Introduction, Gordana Igrić, BIRN regional director
10:15 – 11:15    Skills Building, Gordana Igrić
–    Five types of articles
–    Writing Style
–    Writing Tips
–    Quotes
–    Sources
11:15 – 11:30    Coffee break
11:30 – 12:30    News Analysis, Gordana Igrić/Besar Likmeta
–    Defining News Analysis
–    Difference Between News and News Analysis
–    Composition of the News Analysis
12:30 – 13:30    Lunch break
13:30 – 15:30    Commissioning articles, discussing story proposals

Thursday, October 14th

9:30 – 10:30   Investigative reporting, Gordana Igric
10:30: 11:00   Coffee break
11:00- 12:30   Commissioning investigative report, discussing story proposals, Gordana Igric / Besar Likmeta
12:30 – 13:30   Lunch break
13:30 – 15:30   Presenting investigation online, Milos Milosavljevic, Gordana Igric

 

Investigative Journalism Handbook ‘Digging Deeper’ in Serbian Soon

“Digging Deeper”, a guide for Investigative Journalists in the Balkans, was published in English in 2009.

The book, serves as both an easy reference for journalists interested in investigative reporting and will also serve as the basis of  BIRN’s MA studies programmes which are currently being established with universities around the region. 

The book has just been translated into Serbian and with the aid of funding from the OSCE will shortly be printed and distributed to the journalistic and academic communities. 

Re-print in English is also planned for the near future. The book was written by Sheila S. Coronel from the Stabile Center for Investigative Journalism with contributions from some of the most notable Investigative Journalists and educators worldwide, alongside BIRN’s own team of investigative writers.

MA in Investigative Reporting

BIRN is in negotiation with the Faculty of Media and Communications in Belgrade (Serbia) about creating an MA programme in investigative reporting.

There is great interest in a programme of this type in the region, and investigative reporting has an essential role in monitoring the region’s developing democracies. BIRN’s efforts have the support of Sheila S. Coronel, the executive director of the Stabile Center for Investigative Journalism at Columbia University in the USA. We hope to be able to announce a positive outcome by the end of October. We continue to research other opportunities for similar programmes with universities across the Western Balkans.

Life in Kosovo interviews Jakup Krasniqi and discusses internal party elections

Tonight, Life in Kosovo will broadcast an interview with the acting president of Kosovo, Jakup Krasniqi, regarding the latest political developments.

Representatives of political parties will also debate internal party elections.

 

Will political parties have held mandatory internal elections before they enter the new elections in Kosovo?

Is there democracy within PDK, LDK, AAK, AKR?

Who are the candidates standing for the leader of LDK?

 

Who could be Hashim Thaci’s rival in PDK?

Is there an internal crisis in LDK, PDK, AAK, and AKR?

In order to discuss these issues, the following guests will join Muhamet Hajrullahu in the studio:

Ramë Buja from PDK,
Ismet Beqiri from LDK,
Ibrahim Makolli from AKR and
Burim Ramadani from AAK.

 

During the show, journalist Edona Musa will present a report on what political analysts in Kosovo think about internal party elections and internal party democracy.  

 

Alban Selimi also looks at the importance of breastfeeding for the health of mother and child.

 

Life in Kosovo is broadcast every Thursday at 8.20pm and retransmitted the following day.

EXCLUSIVE: Life in Kosovo interviews American ambassador Dell and former president Sejdiu

This Thursday at 9pm, Life in Kosovo transmits an exclusive interview with the American Ambassador to Kosovo Christopher Dell and recently resigned President of the Republic of Kosovo, Dr Fatmir Sejdiu.

Has the president been stabbed in the back by the decision of the constitutional court or is this part of the normal democratic process?

How will this impact the PDK-LDK coalition?

Will early elections be held?

Will we have hurried elections during this year, or will we wait until spring?

What are Shpend Ahmeti and Albin Kurti offering as new political options for the Kosovar voter?

Life in Kosovo, Thursday at 9pm, will be rebroadcast the following day at midday. You can watch Life in Kosovo shows online at http://www.jetanekosove.com

BIRN Serbia and RTS TV co-production on Presevo

BIRN Serbia and Radio Televesion Serbia`s TV magazine programme “Oko”  started a production of documentary on life Presevo this week, as part of a project supported by British embassy in Belgrade.

This small town in south Serbia with an ethnic Albanian majority, is close to the border with Kosovo and Macedonia. Although the  pan European Corridor 10 passes close by Presevo, the town has remained largely out of the public eye and struggles with tough social and economic problems.

BIRN initiated the production of documentary in order to bring the experiences of local Albanians and Serbs, to a wider Serbian audience.

During three days of filming the team interviewed local political leaders and the  people of Presevo in search of a story about the every-day life in this part of Serbia, burdened as it is with a heritage of war and inter ethnic conflict which it is still coming to terms with.

The feature will be broadcast by the end of September.

Life in Kosovo investigates the types of food that are consumed in Kosovo

This Thursday, Life in Kosovo will discuss the type of foods that are consumed in Kosovo and will also broadcast two investigative reports that show mismanagement in Kosovo’s institutions.

The documentary “The new food in the new place” prepared by the journalist Jeta Xharra analyses the effect on the human metabolism of salamis, chips and other manufactured foods.

How healthy are food products in Kosovo? What are the real ingredients in salamis, chips and other manufactured products? The documentary also presents an analysis of food products from the USA and what the doctors say about becoming overweight?

BIRN will also broadcast an investigative report by the journalist Muhamet Hajrullahu, explaining tender irregularities in the Ministry of Public Administration on the managing of vehicle expenses by satellite.

Why was the tender cancelled then reinstated? What are the arguments between all parties  involved in this tender?

During the show, BIRN will also broadcast another investigative report by journalist Edona Musa, who looks at the laboratory of Family Medical Centre in Vushtrri.

How are the analyses done in this laboratory and who does them? Based on which criteria are patients referred for laboratory analysis?

Investigative Journalism Organisations Agree Common Plans

Representatives of all investigative journalism organsations active in the Balkan agreed to put together a co-ordinated  programme of training programmes, conferences, meetings and activities. Additionally,the agreed to collaborate on investigative reports and to organise a Donors conference.

Meeting at the BIRN Summer School of Investigative Reporting in Novi Sad, representatives from investigative centres in Macedonia, Romania, Bulgaria, Croatia, and Serbia, along with those from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, OSCE, the South East European Media Organisation,SEEMO, the International Research and Exchanges Board, IREX in Serbia and BIRN agreed on the need to enhance co-operation and to discuss ongoing projects to ensure that their activities were efficiently targeted.

 

A committee composed of Drew Sullivan from the Center for Investigative Reporting in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Paul Radu  director of the Organised Crime and Corruption Reporting Project,OCCRP, Gordana Igric BIRN’s regional director, Dragana Nikolic Solomon, head of the media department at the OSCE Mission to Serbia and Henrik Kaufholz from SCOOP an organsation supporting investigative journalists in South East Europe co-ordinate plans for a Donor conference.

Life in Kosovo debates the state of rivers in Kosovo

Caution: Because of the live broadcast from the United Nations on RTK last night, the regular airing time of Life in Kosovo show for this week was postponed for tonight, Friday on 20.10.

While all countries are investing millions of euros in protecting the environment, Kosovo still doesn’t have a clear strategy in protecting rivers and lakes from depletion.

Which is the most polluted river in Kosovo? Who is polluting the rivers and lakes of Kosovo? Could this situation have been prevented? What steps is the Ministry of Environment taking? How concerned are
MPs about water pollution? Why are licences issued to quarrying companies, although they are known
to be one of the main polluters of rivers? Who is responsible for the level of pollution in rivers? How should this situation be managed?

To discuss the state of rivers in Kosovo, Muhamet Hajrullahu will be joined by the following guests:

 

Naser Bajraktari, head of the Department for Waters in the Ministry of Environment and Spatial
Planning
Azem Rexhaj, executive director of the Independent Commission for Mines and Minerals
Naser Rugova, head of the Commission for Agriculture and Environment in the Assembly of Kosovo, and
Rexhep Shehu, author of the show Fisherman’s Diary in Kohavision and member of the Fishermen’s
Association.

BIRN will also broadcast two TV reports prepared by researchers. Faton Ademi looks at the state of the
river in the Shipashnica village in Kamenica municipality, which is being depleted.

 

Meanwhile, Petrit Kryeziu reveals the complaints of citizens of Gjakova and Suhareka municipalities who are worried about sewage entering their rivers.