BIRN Holds Training With Young Journalists on Research Bases and Fact-checking

On March 10 and 11, BIRN held a training session with young journalists in the municipality of Gjilan on the bases of investigation and fact-checking principles.

On the first day, editor-in-chief of KALLXO.com Kreshnik Gashi, spoke about the bases of reporting, the public profile that journalists should keep, how to develop contacts with sources of information, protection of sources and how to build trust.

Visar Prebreza, managing editor at KALLXO.com, spoke on how to initiate research and how to secure information from open data platforms. He also talked about investigations into public procurement and techniques for detecting stories in this field.

Finally, on day one, Valdet Salihu, a producer at the TV programme KALLXO Pernime, gave insight into different production techniques, photographs and video footage.

The second day of the training involved practical activities in which the participants practiced using techniques for fact-checking and detecting fake news with scenarios sourced from statements and footage of public officials.

A total of 16 journalists participated in the training course, of whom 12 were women, including three participants from the Serb and Roma, Ashkali and Egyptian minority communities. The training was organised as part of the “Confidence Building Project” supported by UNMIK.

 

BIRN Kosovo Held Training Sessions with Faculty of Law Students on Using Justice System Database

On March 3 and 5, 2022, BIRN Kosovo held training sessions on using judicial data with Faculty of Law students from the University of Pristina and the University of Prizren. The sessions were part of the “Data 4 Fighting Harmful Narratives in the Judiciary” project funded by the Millenium Foundation Kosovo (MFK) and the Millenium Challenge Corporation (MCC).

In close cooperation with the Kosovo Judicial Council and the Kosovo Prosecutorial Council, MFK has created a database for information linked to the judicial system. The database will serve as a tool for informing research and analysis in the field of justice for all interested groups, including judicial institutions, experts, students and civil society members.

The main goal of the activity is to develop the capacities of law students from Kosovo’s universities to use judicial data as part of their studies.

In total, 77 students took part in the training sessions, which were led by Labinot Leposhtica, the monitoring coordinator at BIRN Kosovo’s Legal Office.

Following the training, students from both universities will have the opportunity to be part of a scholarship for writing a seminar paper based on the judicial data. In their seminar papers, students will be encouraged to focus on cases of criminal law, civil law, administrative procedures and economic law.

Under the guidance and mentorship of the BIRN editorial team, the selected papers will be turned into journalistic articles, which will be published in the “Life in Kosovo” newspaper. Two students will each be awarded €200 for their work.

The overall goal of this project is to fight fake news and misinformation by monitoring the media, providing hands-on training for journalists and improving public awareness of the judicial system by establishing a platform that utilises public data and fact-checking resources.

 

 

BIRN Journalist Awarded for Story on Ethnic Coexistence in Kosovo

BIRN journalist Serbeze Haxhiaj won second prize in the Peaceful Change Initiative awards for her article about a warm relationship between an ethnic Albanian and a Serb in ethnically-divided Kosovo.

Serbeze Haxhiaj was awarded at a ceremony in Pristina on Monday for her article for BIRN, We are All Human’: Kosovo Albanian’s Generosity Sustains Elderly Serb, about a Serb pensioner who was living alone in a remote village in the hills of Kosovo and an Albanian neighbour who reached out across the country’s ethnic divide to help her.

Haxhiaj won second prize in the awards for written work given by Peaceful Change Initiative (PCi), an independent, international non-governmental organisation based in Britain which brings together media professionals from Kosovo and Serbia to analyse the media scene.

PCi said that one thing has persistently been raised as an issue in these discussions – the lack of stories about ordinary life and peaceful coexistence.

In an attempt to encourage such reporting, PCi last year launched an annual award for the best stories about inter-ethnic coexistence in the Albanian and Serbian language, in two categories – audiovisual and written work.

The awards aim to stimulate journalists to produce work that explores the positive side of multi-ethnic coexistence.

 

 

 

Call for Applications: 10 Fellowships for Articles Based on Fact-checking Principles

BIRN announces an open call for all journalists and students of journalism in Kosovo who are interested in becoming beneficiaries of one of 10 fellowships amounting 500 Dollars (gross).

With these fellowships and under the mentorship of BIRN editors and senior journalists, beneficiaries will conduct research or analysis based on fact-checking principles.

The winning proposals will be selected by a commission composed of BIRN editors specialized in fact-checking. BIRN will strive for equal gender representation among the selected members.

The 10 fellowship recipients will start collaborating with BIRN editors at the time of selection. Also, during the mentoring period, the selected participants will be trained by the FindBug in a one-day training on how to use the fake news platform that is being created as part of the project.

The fellowship will last for a period of five months.

The call is part of the project “Promoting Fact-Checking to Combat Fake News and Disinformation in Kosovo”, supported by the Embassy of the United States of America in Kosovo.

The aim of this project is to fight fake news and disinformation, offer practical training for aspiring journalists and raise public awareness about professional journalism by creating a platform that uses public data and fact-checking sources.

Who can apply?

Senior journalists, third year students in journalism and participants of the fact-check training cycle (Gjilan, Prizren, Prishtina), who are interested to benefit from one of the 10 fellowships and experience of BIRN editors during the mentoring. Apart from individually, journalists and students of journalism can also apply in small groups of two or three people.

How to apply?

Those interested should submit their proposals with the topics they want to write about. Ideas should be clear and contain details on the topic to be addressed, how it will be addressed, sources to be contacted, etc.

The story proposal should be developed based on the below listed criteria:

– Impact of the story on the public

– Inclusiveness

– Special addressing of fake news

– Use of fact-checking techniques.

You should attach a CV to your proposal. If you have previous articles, feel free to attach them to your application. Articles related to fact-checking are preferred, but other articles are acceptable as well.

Please submit your proposals to the following e-mail: [email protected]

Deadline for applications: 15 March 2022, at 16:00 hours (local time).

Thirrje për aplikim: 10 bursa për shkrimin e artikujve bazuar në parimet e verifikimit të fakteve

BIRN Kosova shpall thirrje të hapur për të gjithë gazetarët dhe studentët e gazetarisë në Kosovë që janë të interesuar të jenë përfitues të një nga 10 bursat në vlerë 500 dollarë (bruto e brutos).

Me këto bursa dhe nën mentorimin e redaktorëve dhe gazetarëve seniorë të BIRN, përfituesit do të realizojnë hulumtime apo analiza duke u bazuar në parimet e verifikimit të fakteve.

Propozimet fituese do të përzgjidhen nga një komision i përbërë nga redaktorët e BIRN-it që janë të specializuar në verifikim të fakteve. BIRN-i do të përpiqet për përfaqësim të barabartë gjinor mes anëtarëve të përzgjedhur.

10 përfituesit e bursave do të fillojnë bashkëpunimin me redaktorët e BIRN në momentin e përzgjedhjes. Po ashtu, gjatë periudhës së mentorimit, të përzgjedhurit do të trajnohen nga FindBug në një trajnim njëditor se si të përdorin platformën për lajme të rreme që është duke u krijuar si pjesë e projektit.

Bursa do të zgjasë për një periudhë prej pesë muajsh.

Thirrja është pjesë e projektit “Promovimi i verifikimit të fakteve për të luftuar lajmet e rreme dhe dezinformatat në Kosovë”, i mbështetur nga Ambasada e Shteteve të Bashkuara të Amerikës në Kosovë.

Qëllimi i këtij projekti është të luftojë lajmet e rreme dhe dezinformatat, të ofrojë trajnime praktike për gazetarët aspirantë dhe të përmirësojë ndërgjegjësimin e publikut në lidhje me gazetarinë profesionale duke krijuar një platformë që përdor të dhënat publike dhe burimet e kontrollit të fakteve.

Kush mund të aplikojë?

Gazetarët seniorë, studentët e vitit të tretë në gazetari dhe pjesëmarrësit e ciklit të trajnimeve për fact-check (Gjilan, Prizren, Prishtinë), të cilët janë të interesuar për të qenë përfitues të njërës nga 10 bursat dhe të përfitojnë edhe nga përvoja e redaktorëve të BIRN-it gjatë mentorimit. Përveç individualisht, gazetarët dhe studentët e gazetarisë mund të aplikojnë edhe në grupe të vogla nga dy apo tre persona.

Si duhet aplikuar?

Të interesuarit duhet të dorëzojnë propozimet me temat të cilat dëshirojnë t’i shkruajnë. Idetë duhet të jenë të qarta dhe të përmbajnë detaje mbi temën që do të trajtohet, mënyra si do të trajtohet, burimet që do të kontaktohen, etj.

Propozimi i stories duhet të hartohet në bazë të kritereve të shkruara më poshtë:

– Impaktin e stories në publik

– Gjithëpërfshirjen

– Trajtimin e veçantë të problemit të lajmeve të rreme

– Përdorimin e teknikave të verifikimi të fakteve

Propozimit tuaj duhet t’ia bashkëngjitni CV-në. Në rast se keni artikuj të mëhershëm jeni të mirëseardhur t’ia bashkëngjitni aplikimit tuaj. Preferohet të jenë artikuj që kanë të bëjnë me verifikim të fakteve por përjashtim nuk bëjnë edhe artikujt e tjerë.

Propozimet duhet të dërgohen në emailin: [email protected]

Afati i fundit për aplikim: 15 mars 2022, ora 16:00 (sipas kohës lokale).

Poziv za prijavljivanje: 10 stipendija za pisanje članaka zasnovanih na principu provere činjenica

BIRN Kosovo objavljuje otvoreni poziv za sve novinare i studente novinarstva na Kosovu koji su zainteresovani da budu dobitnici jedne od 10 stipendija u vrednosti od 500 dolara (bruto).

Ovim stipendijama i pod mentorstvom urednika i dugogodišnjih novinara BIRN-a, dobitnici će realizovati istraživanja ili analizu zasnovanu na principu provere činjenica.

Pobedničke predloge izabraće komisija sastavljena od urednika BIRN-a specijalizovanih za proveru činjenica. BIRN će nastojati da obezbedi ravnopravnu rodnu zastupljenost među izabranim članovima.

10 stipendista počeće saradnju sa urednicima BIRN-a u trenutku izbora. Takođe, tokom perioda mentorstva, izabrani kandidati će biti obučeni od strane FindBug-a u okviru jednodnevne obuke o tome kako da koriste platformu za prijavljivanje lažnih vesti, koja je trenutno u izradi kao deo ovog projekta.

Stipendija će trajati pet meseci.

Poziv je deo projekta „Promovisanje provere činjenica za borbu protiv lažnih vesti i dezinformacija na Kosovu“, koji podržava Ambasada Sjedinjenih Američkih Država na Kosovu.

Cilj ovog projekta je borba protiv lažnih vesti i dezinformacija, pružanje praktične obuke budućim novinarima i podizanje svesti javnosti o profesionalnom novinarstvu, kreiranjem platforme koja koristi javne podatke i izvore za proveru činjenica.

Ko se može prijaviti?

Dugogodišnji novinari, studenti treće godine novinarstva i učesnici ciklusa obuke o proveri činjenica (Gnjilane, Prizren, Priština), koji su zainteresovani da dobiju jednu od 10 stipendija i da ostvare koristi od iskustva urednika BIRN-a tokom mentorstva. Osim individualno, novinari i studenti novinarstva mogu se prijaviti i u manjim grupama, sačinjenim od dve ili tri osobe.

Kako se prijaviti?

Zainteresovani treba da dostave predloge sa temama o kojima žele da pišu. Ideje moraju biti jasne i da sadrže detalje o temi koja će biti obrađena, načinu na koji će biti obrađena, izvorima koji će biti kontaktirani itd.

Predlog priče treba pripremiti na osnovu dolenavedenih kriterijuma:

– Uticaj priče u javnosti

– Uključivost

– Posebno razmatranje problema lažnih vesti

– Korišćenje tehnika provere činjenica

Uz svoj predlog morate priložiti biografiju (CV). Ako imate ranije članke, slobodno ih priložite prijavi. Poželjni su članci u vezi sa proverom činjenica, ali drugi članci nisu isključeni.

Predloge treba dostaviti e-poštom na: [email protected]

Krajnji rok za prijavljivanje: 15. mart 2022, 16.00 časova (po lokalnom vremenu).

BIRN Holds Training on Fact-checking Methodologies With Journalists in Prishtina

Balkan Investigative Reporting Network (BIRN) has trained 22 journalists and journalism students in Prishtina on fact-checking principles and methodologies.

The first part of the training covered the IFCN standards, the basics of fact-checking, and the differences between misinformation, fake news, deep fakes, and other fake news production formats.

The second part was dedicated to identifying fake news and harmful narratives in the media and building debunking mechanisms within newsrooms.

While the third part of the training gave participants the opportunity to practice together with the trainers to identify fake news.

Workshop trainers included Kreshnik Gashi, co-author of the investigative program/debate, “KallxoPernime”, Editor-in-chief of KALLXO.com, and KALLXO.com representative at the Press Council of Kosovo, and Visar Prebreza, Managing Editor of Research and Krypometer articles at KALLXO.com.

Following the completion of the training on fact-checking methodologies, BIRN will open a call for 10 Fellowships for local media and/or journalists to publish in-depth investigations and/or analyses based on fact-checking principles.

This training was held as part of the project “Promoting fact-checking to combat false news and misinformation in Kosovo” supported by the U.S. Embassy in Kosovo.

This project aims to combat fake news and misinformation, provide practical training for aspiring journalists, and raise public awareness about professional journalism through the creation of a platform that uses public data and fact-checking sources.

 

BIRN Holds Training on Fact-checking Methodologies with Journalists in Prizren

Balkan Investigative Reporting Network (BIRN) has trained 16 journalists and journalism students from Prizren on fact-checking principles and methodologies.

The first part of the training covered the IFCN standards, the basics of fact-checking, and the differences between misinformation, fake news, deep fakes, and other fake news production formats.

The second part was dedicated to identifying fake news and harmful narratives in the media and building debunking mechanisms within newsrooms.

While the third part of the training gave participants the opportunity to practice together with the trainers to identify fake news.

Workshop trainers included Kreshnik Gashi, co-author of the show, “KallxoPernime”, Editor-in-chief of KALLXO.com, and KALLXO.com representative at the Press Council of Kosovo, and Visar Prebreza, Managing Editor of Research and Krypometer articles at KALLXO.com.

In the upcoming weeks, BIRN will organize the third training session in Pristina. Following the completion of the training on fact-checking methodologies, BIRN will open a call for 10 Fellowships for local media and/or journalists to publish in-depth investigations and/or analyses based on fact-checking principles.

This training was held as part of the project “Promoting fact-checking to combat false news and misinformation in Kosovo” supported by the U.S. Embassy in Kosovo.

This project aims to combat fake news and misinformation, provide practical training for aspiring journalists, and raise public awareness about professional journalism through the creation of a platform that uses public data and fact-checking sources.

 

 

BIRN Holds Training on Fact-checking Methodologies with Journalists in Gjilan

Balkan Investigative Reporting Network (BIRN) has trained 12 journalists and journalism students from Gjilan on fact-checking principles and methodologies.

The first part of the training covered the IFCN standards, the basics of fact-checking, and the differences between misinformation, fake news, deep fakes, and other fake news production formats.

The second part was dedicated to identifying fake news and harmful narratives in the media and building debunking mechanisms within newsrooms.

While the third part of the training gave participants the opportunity to practice together with the trainers to identify fake news.

Workshop trainers included Kreshnik Gashi, co-author of the show, “KallxoPernime”, Editor-in-chief of KALLXO.com, and KALLXO.com representative at the Press Council of Kosovo, and Visar Prebreza, Managing Editor of Research and Krypometer articles at KALLXO.com.

In the upcoming weeks, BIRN will organize two similar training sessions in Prizren and Pristina. Following the completion of the training on fact-checking methodologies, BIRN will open a call for 10 Fellowships for local media and/or journalists to publish in-depth investigations and/or analyses based on fact-checking principles.

This training was held as part of the project “Promoting fact-checking to combat false news and misinformation in Kosovo” supported by the U.S. Embassy in Kosovo.

This project aims to combat fake news and misinformation, provide practical training for aspiring journalists, and raise public awareness about professional journalism through the creation of a platform that uses public data and fact-checking sources.

 

 

Internship Vacancy for Young Journalists and Students of Journalism at BIRN

The Balkan Investigative Reporting Network (BIRN) is launching a call for 2 interns from Kosovo who are interested in pursuing a career in journalism.

Application Criteria:

To apply for this internship position, the candidate must:

  • Be enthusiastic and willing to pursue a career in journalism
  • Have applied or be enrolled as a student of journalism, law, social studies or other fields related to journalism
  • Be a proficient writer in their native language
  • Possess good knowledge of a foreign language (English preferred)
  • Having a Bachelor’s degree in Journalism or other related fields is an asset

Duties and responsibilities:

The successful candidates will be responsible for:

  • Fulfilling journalistic duties and obligations
  • Conducting research and preparing materials for publication
  • Attending ongoing training courses held by BIRN

Duration

Selected candidates will be engaged in their paid internship for a period of 3 months in the offices of BIRN.

How to apply?

To apply you must send a Curriculum Vitae (CV) and a letter of motivation via email to [email protected], including your name, surname and position to which you are applying by February 1, 2022, 23:59. You are encouraged to send other documents to support your experience.

BIRN offers equal engagement opportunities to all interested individuals, and encourages applications from all, regardless of religion, race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation or political views.

“This Confidence Building Project is funded by UNMIK”

 

Konkurs për punë praktike për gazetarë të rinj dhe studentë të gazetarisë në BIRN

Rrjeti Ballkanik për Gazetari Hulumtuese (BIRN) shpallë thirrjen për angazhimin e 2 praktikantëve nga Kosova të cilët janë të interesuar të ndjekin një karrierë në gazetari.

Kriteret për Aplikim:

Për të aplikuar dhe për të përmbushur pozitën, kandidati/ja duhet:

  • Të jetë entuziast dhe të ketë vullnet për të nisur profesionin në gazetari
  • Të ketë aplikuar apo të jetë student i regjistruar në degët e gazetarisë, juridikut, shkencat shoqërore apo fushave të ngjashme që ndërlidhen me gazetari
  • Të ketë njohuri të mira të të shkruarit në gjuhën amtare
  • Të ketë njohuri të mira në një gjuhë të huaj (preferohet gjuha angleze)
  • Posedimi i diplomës së studimeve Bachelor në gazetari apo fushave të ngjashme është përparësi

Detyrat dhe përgjegjësitë:

Kandidatët e suksesshëm do të jenë përgjegjës për:

  • Përmbushjen e detyrave dhe obligimeve gazetareske
  • Përgatitjen dhe hulumtimin e materialeve për publikim
  • Ndjekjen e trajnimeve të vazhdueshme nga BIRN

Koha e angazhimit

Kandidatët e përzgjedhur do të angazhohen në praktikën me pagesë për një periudhë 3 mujore në zyrat e BIRN.

How to apply?

Për të aplikuar duhet të dërgoni një Curriculum Vitae (CV) dhe një letër motivimi përmes postës elektronike në adresën [email protected] , duke shkruar emrin, mbiemrin dhe pozitën për të cilën aplikoni, më së largu deri më 1 shkurt 2022, ora 23:59. Inkurajoheni që të dërgoni dokumente të tjera që dëshmojnë përvojën.

BIRN inkurajon aplikuesit nga të gjitha gjinitë, si dhe ofron mundësi të barabartë angazhimi për të gjithë personat e interesuar pa kurrfarë paragjykimi mbi baza gjinore, fetare, etnike ose politike, apo ndonjë bazë tjetër.

“Projekti ‘Confidence Building’ financohet nga UNMIK”

 

Konkurs za pripravnički program za mlade novinare i studente novinarstva u BIRN-u

Balkanska mreža za istraživačko novinarstvo (BIRN) je raspisala konkurs za angažovanje 2 pripravnika sa Kosova koji žele da stvore karijeru u novinarstvu.

Uslovi za prijavu:

Za prijavu na navedenu poziciju, kandidat/kinja treba:

  • Biti entuzijastičan/na i želeti da stvori karijeru u novinarstvu
  • Da je aplicirao/la ili da je već upisan student na fakultetu za novinarstvo, pravo, društvene nauke ili na sličnom fakultetu koji je vezan za novinarstvo
  • Odlične veštine pisanja na maternjem jeziku
  • Dobro znanje stranog jezika (poželjno znanje engleskog jezika)
  • Posedovanje Bachelor diplome iz novinarstva ili sličnih oblasti je prednost.

Dužnosti i odgovornosti:

Uspešan kandidat će biti odgovoran za sledeće:

  • Ispunjavanje novinarskih dužnosti i odgovornosti
  • Priprema i istraživanje materijala za objavljivanje
  • Praćenje kontinuiranih obuka BIRN-a

Vreme angažmana

Odabrani kandidati će biti angažovani na period od 3 meseca, sa naknadom, u kancelariji BIRN-a.

Kako se možete prijaviti?

Za prijavu pošaljite Vaš Curriculum Vitae (CV) i motivaciono pismo putem elektronske pošte na adresu [email protected], na kojem ćete navesti Vaše ime, prezime i poziciju za koju se prijavljujete, najdalje do 1 februara 2022. godine, do 23:59h. Prilaganje dokumentacije kojom se potvrđuje prethodno iskustvo je veoma dobrodošlo.

BIRN podstiče aplikante svih polova da se prijave, a takođe pruža jednaku mogućnost angažovanja za sva zainteresovana lica bez ikakvih predrasuda na polnoj, verskoj, etničkoj, političkoj ili bilo kojoj drugoj osnovi.

“Projekat ‘Confidence Building’ finansira UNMIK”

 

 

BIRN Kosovo Holds Training with High School Students in Gorazdevac

On December 4, BIRN Kosovo held the tenth and final training session with high school students from Gorazdveac, a Serbian village in the region of Peja, as part of the EU funded project “Solidifying the Resilience of Kosovo’s Current and Future Journalists”.

The training which was held by trainers including Darko Dimitrijevic– a journalist and Executive Director of Radio Gorazdevac and Milic Petrovic – a producer at Radio Gorazdevac was aimed at students of Kosovo’s state-run high schools that are interested in undergoing training in media production, media literacy and tackling fake news.

The program aims to nurture young talent by mentoring students in the production of videos, photos and articles in order to achieve the main goal of the activity: to create a path for increased independence, transparency, accountability and civic engagement.

A total of 11 students from Gorazdveac participated in the training, 6 of whom were women. While the training took place in the offices of Radio Gorazdevac.

At the end of the training session, youngsters pitched their journalistic ideas, which the BIRN team will collect and thoroughly analyse before selecting the articles and other materials that will be published on the online platform KallxoRinia (Kallxo Youth). The production of all of these articles will be overseen by a team of BIRN Kosovo editors.

 

 

BIRN Kosovo Holds Training with High School Students in Drenas

On December 3, BIRN Kosovo held the ninth training session with students of the “Gjegj Kastrioti Skenderbeu” high school in the municipality of Drenas as part of the EU funded project “Solidifying the Resilience of Kosovo’s Current and Future Journalists”.

The training which was held by trainers including Dorentina Kastrati – Editor of KALLXO.com and Valdet Salihu – Producer of “KALLXOPernime” was aimed at students of Kosovo’s state-run high schools that are interested in undergoing training in media production, media literacy and tackling fake news.

The program aims to nurture young talent by mentoring students in the production of videos, photos and articles in order to achieve the main goal of the activity: to create a path for increased independence, transparency, accountability and civic engagement.

A total of 24 students from the social sciences department of the “Gjergj Kastrioti Skenderbeu” high school participated, 19 of whom were women.

At the end of the training session, youngsters pitched their journalistic ideas, which the BIRN team will collect and thoroughly analyse before selecting the articles and other materials that will be published on the online platform KallxoRinia (Kallxo Youth). The production of all of these articles will be overseen by a team of BIRN Kosovo editors.