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BIRN Summer School of Investigative Reporting – Overview of Day 3

How to track organised crime and corruption, to deal with victims of trauma  and how to outsmart Google were some of the main topics of the third day of BIRN Summer School of Investigating Reporting held in the Serbian town of Novi Sad.

Wednesday’s session on how to use documents led by Drew Sullivan and Rosemary Armao, focused on individuals, what they own, where they work and who they associate with. 
Don Ray and Paul Radu have then joined Sullivan in explaining how to use documents to investigate companies and institutions.
Going through personal experience, the trainers explained how to track business deals and expose wrongdoing by regulators and public officials working with businesses as well as how to track organised crime over borders and offshore.
“Knowledge of the offshore company system or the so-called fiscal havens is very important because it happens very often that journalists run into offshore company that cannot track,” Paul Radu said.
As part of a programme on organised crime and corruption, Manuela Mareso, the Editor of Narco Mafia Magazine, presented a case study on investigating Montenegrin connections with Italian Mafia. 
Gavin Rees from Dart Center Europe and Milorad Ivanovic, Dart Center Western Balkans, opened a session named Dealing with Victims of Trauma providing reportage without opening new wounds for victims of war, violence and crime.
 
Meanwhile, some participants led by trainer Luuk Sangers worked on uncovering the “hidden web” in a session on computer-assisted reporting.
Sangers presented his latest tricks to “outsmart” search engine Google. 
“You have to give a very specific assignment to Google, but still Google … can’t find everything,” Sangers said.
A lot of interesting information for journalists is hidden on the Web, he added, suggesting other search engines and
ways to find things out.
In recent years journalism has topped the lists as one of the most dangerous professions in the world.
The BIRN summer school has organised a discussion named Journalists Under Attack. Panellists of the discussion includes: Oliver Vujovic, SEEMO; Dragana Nikolic Solomon, OSCE Head of Media Department; Miodrag Cvorovic, B92, Serbia; Hrvoje Appelt, Croatia; Zeljko Ivanovic – Vijesti, Montenegro; Jeta Xharra, BIRN Kosovo.

BIRN Summer School of Investigative Reporting Kicks Off

Leading journalists and trainers from all over Europe have gathered in the Serbian town of Novi Sad to take part in the first BIRN Summer School of Investigative Reporting.

The one week programme kicked off on Monday with introductory speech of Gordana Igric, BIRN’s regional director, and guest trainers who are renowned investigative journalists including Don Ray and Drew Sullivan.
“We are pleased with the candidates and very excited to be organising this programme for the first time. I hope this school will become our annual tradition,” Gordana Igric said. 
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Don Ray, who is a multi-media producer, writer, author, journalist and lecturer has then tried to define investigative reporting – what makes it different from other types of journalism. This has been shown in a case study presented by Besar Likmeta, the editor for the BIRN in Albania, who has been talking about his investigative story named World Bank Demolished Albania Village.
Further insight on the investigative process – from getting a lead, formulating the investigative hypothesis to writing the story, fact and legal check, airing and publishing the report, follow up – has been given by Don Ray with Randall Joyce explaining how to do it for TV. 
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The OCCRP team has started its four-day programme on organised crime and corruption in order to show what are the schemes and scams that mark organised crime’s plunder of Balkan regions.
Meanwhile, another group of participants have uncovered a new world of Microsoft Excel while being trained in computer-assisted investigative journalism by Luuk Sengers.
With main focus on reporting on organised crime and corruption for print and broadcast media, the BIRN summer school is also aimed at covering the changing face of Balkan media ownership and violence against media professionals.

Summer School Application Close on August 9th

Places are still available for the BIRN summer school for an all-inclusive course fee of €549, which covers tuition, accommodation, meals and activities. However, the August 9th deadline is approaching fast, so please submit your application without delay.

BIRN’s summer school includes a range of specialist programmes, exercises and round-tables covering the changing face of Balkan media ownership, violence against media professionals, and more. Internationally famous journalists, trainers and presenters Don Ray, Mark Hunter, Luuk Sengers, Gavin Rees, Milorad Ivanovic, Manuela Mareso and the OCCRP training team with Drew Sullivan, Rosemary Armao and Paul Radu make up the training team along with BIRN’s in-house experts.

 

The programme is intensive but there will also be some time to tour the beautiful orchards, vineyards, monasteries and forests of the nearby Fruska Gora National Park, with visits scheduled to the Grgeteg, Hopovo and Krusedol monasteries in Fruska Gora, wine tasting in a 300-year-old wine cellar, and honey tasting in the Museum of Honey.

For full details of the programme and to submit your application go to https://birn.eu.com/en/1/340/28746/

Free Places for Balkan Journalists Still Available

Journalists from South East Europe still have time to apply for full scholarship to attend BIRN’s unique Summer School of Investigative Reporting from August 22 to 28 within the Petrovaradin Fortress, in the stunning Fruska Gora National Park.

The deadline to apply for a full scholarship is July 25, while those paying the full course fee have until August 9 to sign up. The course fee of €549 and is all-inclusive, covering tuition, accommodation, meals and extra-curricular tours.

BIRN is looking for mid-career journalists from the Balkans to apply for the scholarship..

BIRN is gathering leading journalists and trainers, both from the Balkans and internationally to provide informative, insightful and entertaining training focused on investigative, computer-assisted and organised crime and corruption journalism, in print and broadcast media.

Confirmed speakers include renowned trainers and presenters Don Ray, Mark Hunter, Luuk Sengers, Gavin Rees, Milorad Ivanovic, Maunela Mareso and the OCCRP training team with Drew Sullivan, Rosemary Armao and Paul Radu.

The summer school will offer a full programme including exercises and round-tables on the changing face of Balkan media ownership, violence against media professionals, and more.
All applicants selected to attend the Summer School will get BIRN’s newly published textbook “Digging Deeper: A Guide for Investigative Journalists in the Balkans” free of charge.

There will also be time to tour the beautiful orchards, vineyards, monasteries and forests in the Fruska Gora National Park.

Finally, all participants will receive a BIRN Summer School certificate.

BIRN will provide all necessary documentation and assistance for applicants that required visas or travel documents.

BIRN Summer School of Investigative Reporting

Pack a notebook and perhaps some hiking shoes and join BIRN for a unique Summer School of Investigative Reporting from August 22nd – 28th within the Petrovaradin Fortress and in the stunning Fruska Gora National Park.

 

BIRN is gathering leading journalists and trainers, both from the Balkans and internationally to provide informative, insightful and entertaining training focused on investigative, computer-assisted and organised crime and corruption journalism, in print and broadcast media.

Confirmed speakers include renowned trainers and presenters Don Ray, Nick Thorpe,  Mark Hunter, Luuk Sengers, Maunela Mareso and the OCCRP training team with Drew Sullivan, Rosemery Armao and Paul Radu.

The summer school will offer a full programme including exercises and round-tables on the changing face of Balkan media ownership, violence against media professionals, and more.

There will also be time to tour the beautiful orchards, vineyards, monasteries and forests in the Fruska Gora National Park.

Who should attend?

 

Mid-career journalists, from South East and Western Europe

Young journalists interested in finding out more about investigative reporting techniques.

Editors, interested in encouraging investigative reporting in their media outlets.

Representatives from higher education establishments, interested in incorporating investigative journalism into the curriculum.

Balkans-based International correspondents interested in finding out about the challenges faced by their regional colleagues.

Representatives of organisations involved in the fight against organised crime and corruption.

Working language

 

English 

Fees

 

The course fee of €549, is all-inclusive, covering tuition, room, meals and extra-curricular tours. The fee also includes BIRN’s newly published textbook “Digging Deeper: A Guide for Investigative Journalists in the Balkans”. (LINK)

Scholarships

A limited number of full and part scholarships will be available to exceptional candidates. These will be awarded on a merit and need basis and may additionally cover travel costs up to €100.

The low cost of the School and the scholarship programme have been made possible thanks to our generous sponsors, The Open Society Institute London and OSCE Serbia.

Eligibility criteria for Scholarships

South East European journalists

At least three years of experience in journalism

Applicants must supply a sample of their published work, translated into English

Application Deadline

Applications for scholarships must be received by 25 July, 2010. No application for an assisted place will be considered after this deadline. Selected participants will be announced on August 2nd.

Standard applications must be received by 9 August 2010.  Applications received by 10 July 2010 will be eligible for a reduction of €100 in the course fee.

All participants will receive a BIRN Summer School certificate.

Application procedure for all applicants

Completed application form

Letter of motivation

C.V.

Sample of work ( for scholarship applicants only)

Apply Now >>

First Balkan Fellowship Alumni Meeting in Becici

More than 20 journalists from the Balkan region and elsewhere gathered last weekend in the coastal resort of Becici, in Montenegro, for the first Balkan Fellowship for Journalistic Excellence Alumni Meeting.

Fellows from three generations met to get to know one another and exchange professional experiences and views about the situation on the Balkan media scene.
 
In the relaxed atmosphere of the Montenegrin resort, the participants had an opportunity to present highlights of their work and special projects to their alumni-colleagues and inform them about important awards and scholarships they had obtained and career advances they had made in connection with the Fellowship.
 
Two guests from Montenegro, Daliborka Uljarevic, from the Center for Civic Education, and Mihailo Jovovic, deputy editor of the daily newspaper Vijesti, led sessions on the media scene in their country and explained how the most important issues are covered, which then initiated a broader debate about the problems of the regional media landscape as a whole.
 
Issues such as the impact of political and financial pressure on the media, the decline of local media, the challenge of low advertising revenues and circulations and the over-dominant role in the market of public broadcasters were recognized as joint problems that media encounter throughout the region.
 
The meeting will be followed up by joint work among the Fellows on regional journalistic projects with the aim of fostering not only their individual professional development but their team spirit as well, and at the same time as providing quality information about issues that are common to the region.
 
The initiative to hold an alumni meeting was taken following numerous expressions of interest by former Fellows in continuing to jointly contribute to the goal of promoting excellence in journalism in the Balkans.

Visit the photo gallery from the meeting 

Balkan Fellowship Story Praised at the GIJC

An Investigative story, written by 2009 Fellow Adrian Mogos received an honorable mention at the Global Investigative Journalism Conference, held in Geneva in April 2010.

Forged Identity – Highway to EU, was nominated and short-listed among three finalists for the Global Shining Light Award. Adrian’s story, demonstrated the ease with which illegal immigrants can take on new identities with forged and falsified Romanian identity documents and gain access and settle in the EU. Adrian himself secured forged Romanian identity documents which he was able to use in Germany in order to set up a second ‘identity’ in the country.

The award was established in 2007 as an award for investigative journalism in a developing country or a country in transition, which was reported under threat, duress or in the direst of conditions.

The criteria was that the journalist, journalism team and/or media outlet has provided independent, investigative reporting, which
– Uncovered an issue, a wrong-doing and/or a system of corruption which gravely affected the common good, and
– Did so in the face of arrest, imprisonment, violence against them and their families, and/or threats and intimidation

The winner was The Poverty ’empire’ of the presidential family, conducted by a cross-border group of journalists that  exposed how the former president of Moldova, Vladimir Voronin, abused his power for personal financial gain.

Opening Seminar kicks off in Berlin

The Balkan Fellowship for Journalistic Excellence programme 2010 has been launched this Monday, April 26th, at the opening dinner attended by this year’s fellows and representatives of the Robert Bosh Foundation, Erste Foundation and BIRN.

In the course of the next five days, fellows will be introduced to the programme and the chosen topics of interest to the Balkans and the EU, such as demography and taboos related to population policy, or German Foreign policy towards Balkans. Also, they will receive practical tips from Fellowship programme editors related to their work on the projects, individually tailored assistance, insight to fact-checking, its importance and methodology, and in possibilities for on line presentation of their stories and multiplication their impact.

At the first day of the introductory seminar, fellows got to know each other through the bonding session, reflecting upon their careers, the motivation that brought them to the programme, their ambitions and personal interests. They were also introduced to the Fellowship programme stages, procedures and their obligations towards the programme, as well as the assistance that will be given to them throughout their work.  Practical guidelines related to planning, research and the writing were presented by BIRN regional director and editor in chief Gordana Igric. Head of the Berlin biro of the Robert Bosch Foundation, Sandra Breka, introduced fellows to the Foundation – host of the introductory seminar. The presentation included an overview of their work, programmatic areas and the life and philanthropic interest of its founder, Mr. Robert Bosch.

Nine fellows have been chosen to participate in the fourth year of the Fellowship programme, expressing enthusiasm for their work which will start immediately after the seminar, with three months of research, during which they will travel to neighboring countries and to the EU, exploring different aspects of their projects.

Unfortunately, Croatian journalist Rober Tomic  Zuber, had to give up on his participation in this year’s programme due to his busy schedule and numerous obligations towards his employer.

 

Regional Conference on Culture Held in Skopje

A regional cultural conference dubbed “The Balkans, Media and Culture – Time for Change” was held on Tuesday in Skopje and marked the start of the forthcoming three-year project: Balkan Initiative for Cultural Cooperation, Exchange and Development, BICCED.

The project is organised by the Balkan Investigative Reporting Network, BIRN and the South Eastern Europe Culture Portal, SEEcult.org. It is funded by the Swiss Cultural Programme in the Western Balkans, SCP.

Distinguished experts and individuals involved in all aspects of cultural policy from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Serbia, and Macedonia took part in the discussion today, which aimed to pinpoint the main weaknesses of the local cultural scenes and the ways in which regional cooperation could help address these points.

“It is high time for change and improvement,” Zlatko Teodosievski from the Skopje based New Line\Compendium said in his speech at the conference.

The participants shared local experiences concerning media coverage of cultural events, the organisation of cultural institutions, freelance artists, property rights and other subjects.

Nihad Kresevljakovic from the MESS international theatre festival in Bosnia and Herzegovina noted that media across the region pay very little attention to cultural happenings, which are all too often either absent from their coverage or replaced with trivial information about pop stars.

“The most important paper in Bosnia and Herzegovina for years did not have a culture page,” Kresevljakovic said.

Piro Misha the director of Tirana- based Institute of Dialogue and Communication added that the media in his country mainly ignore cultural events and when they report on such happenings the coverage is often biased and incompetent.

Hristina Mikic from Belgrade University stressed the importance of comprehensive and updated laws on culture that are needed in order for change to happen in the stale public culture institutions which, she said, in many ways remain unchanged from the old socialist era.

Other participants included Dea Vidovic (Kulturpunkt, Zagreb), Mladen Bundalo (artist, Tac.ka, Prijedor), Veton Nurkollari (Dokufest, Prizren), Robert Alagjozovski (cultural operator, journalist and art critic, Skopje), Biljana Tanurovska-Kjulavkovski (Lokomotiva, Skopje), as well as representatives of other cultural institutions.

The participants also discussed the lack of quality cultural critics, the low quality of the translation of the books that are published in local languages, as well as copyright offences, which occur frequently.

The BICCED project aims to serve as a platform for future cultural cooperation among the countries in the region. It will also be focused on common cultural policy issues which can help the states evolve and develop in this area.

Journalists, media and culture organisations, as well as government representatives, shared their thoughts on how they can contribute to the project through various events such as trainings, researches, publications and open debates.

As part of the project’s aim to boost the visibility of culture in the region, ten journalists will be picked each year to participate in training activities. They will be able to compose articles on culture which will be published in media outlets in their own countries and across the region.