2021 Thomson Reuters Foundation COVID-19 Crisis Reporting Center-Latin America
Deadline: January 10, 2021.
The need for reliable, fact-based news to keep the public informed about the pandemic has never been greater. It is imperative that journalists’ understanding of scientific terms and the ethical and legal issues surrounding COVID-19 coverage increases, along with the acquisition of techniques to decipher complex data sets so that they can report in clear language. and simple to your audience. Yet journalists are caught up in the daily news cycle, experiencing difficulties navigating the complexities of this fast-moving news story and fulfilling their mission of keeping the public informed.
The Hub (Reporting Center) on the COVID-19 Crisis created by the Thomson Reuters Foundation offers a space for journalists from different countries to meet virtually to receive training, acquire knowledge and build networks of contacts, thus ensuring that they and your newsrooms make quality coverage of the news of the year.
Under the remote modality and for eight weeks, Latin American journalists will be able to access the Center, which has the most current online platforms and online tools to connect participants in real-time seminars dictated by world-class experts and journalists.
Journalists who participate in the activities will acquire relevant knowledge and tools to handle different contexts and develop new digital skills, along with the possibility of accessing influential experts and authorities to get exclusive information and ideas for possible reports on COVID-19.
PROGRAM DETAILS
The program will include:
- Online seminars where the pandemic will be analyzed through different lenses and its impact on the different sectors
- Virtual classes on journalistic concepts and tools, such as fact checking, data visualization and digital platforms
- Meetings with authorities of public organizations, health officials and civil society groups
- A newsletter with the most up-to-date analyzes and news on the results of ongoing investigations
- Exclusive access to the group forum for a constructive exchange of ideas
ELIGIBILITY
I. Applicants must be Latin American citizens and live in the region. They must work full time or be frequent contributors to Spanish or Portuguese language media.
II. They must have at least three years of professional experience and have a correct level of spoken and written Spanish.
III. In addition, a minimum internet speed of 1 MB per second is required (you can check the speed of the device on the page www.speedtest.net ).
BENEFITS
After successful completion of the program, a small number of journalists will be selected to participate in a mentoring program, which will include a monetary outlay to develop an article that must be published by the medium for which the journalist works.
APPLICATION
Please complete this form , including :
- 2 work samples in Spanish (maximum file size 5 MB). TV or radio journalists can send the script of their work accompanied by a brief summary
- A biography of up to 250 words that tells the main milestones of your career as a journalist
- A text of up to 250 words that describes the factors that have affected your work as a journalist during the pandemic
- A text of up to 250 words that describes your motivations for participating and how you hope to benefit from this program
- Please complete this questionnaire beforehand, so that the Foundation can adjust the program taking into account the needs of journalists.
In case of any problem when applying, contact marianne.tweedie@thomsonreuters.com
OFFICIAL LINK
