On the first day of training, talks were given by Visar Prebreza, Kallxo.com’s editor, and Labinot Leposhtica, BIRN Kosovo’s law office coordinator.
The day started with Leposhtica talking through some of the legal issues the students might face in the future, discussing ethics in journalism, privacy issues, copyright and the protection of sources.
Sharing his experiences at BIRN with the students, Prebreza highlighted the importance of facts during research, giving specific examples from his work.
He also elaborated on the reporting done through Kallxo’s fact-checking platform‘Krypometer’ (‘Truth-o-Meter’), which uses the platform and information from the public to investigate major cases of corruption and organised crime.
On the second day, students had the opportunity to gain insights from Kreshnik Gashi, anchor of the TV programme ‘Justice in Kosovo’.
Gashi elaborated on how to establish facts and ensure verified reporting in journalism, as well as outlining thorough research methods based on International Fact-Checking Network (IFCN) standards and research based on reports from whistleblowers.
During the second part of the second day, the students had the chance to see some of the ‘doorstep’ interviews that have been conducted by Kallxo.com journalists.
After watching some examples of this kind of interview, the students practiced them with their colleagues.
Journalism students on the course were provided with certificates to demonstrate the knowledge and experience gained from the three lectures.
The training was provided by the Civil Society Program for Albania and Kosovo, funded by the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and managed by the Kosovo Foundation for Civil Society (KCSF) in partnership with Partners Albania for Change and Development (PA).