Getting the Message Out

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With final proofing and preparation for
publication in progress, some of the editorial team met last week to
discuss this year’s achievements and to look at the editorial
process and importantly to ensure that the articles from this year
receive the widest possible republication and syndication ahead of
the book launches planned for December.

They were joined by Gjerg Erebara one
of last year’s fellows, who like many former fellows has stayed in
touch with BIRN and become a regular contributor to BIRN’s Balkan
Insight online news website (www.balkaninsight.com).
Gjerg was full of praise for the programme, saying that it was an
opportunity for national journalists to “look through a window at
the wider world” and put national events in an international
framework.

One of the bugbears of the programme
every year is the editing process. Even in these technologically
advanced days getting geographically spread individuals together to
collaborate can be a difficult process.

Milos Milosavljevic, BIRN’s Director
of Online Projects took the editors though some new online
collaborative tools that will undoubtedly make things run more
smoothly next year.

The team then discussed plans for
regional re-publishing of this year’s articles. And, less than a
week after the first article was posted and with more than 100
republications of the six articles published to date in some of the
most prominent newspapers and weekly’s in the region, as well as in
international press, they seem to have made a pretty good job of
getting the pieces out to a wider audience.

One online publication is complete, the
articles will be collated and put together in a 250 page book, which
is due for promotional launches in each of the capital cities of the
region during December.

The book launches are a great
opportunity to celebrate and publicise this year’s achievements but
importantly to talk to potential candidates for next year’s
fellowship programme.