Climate change journalist fellowship programme 2008

Climate change journalist fellowship programme 2008

Climate Change Media Partnership
Panos, Internews and IIED

Invitation for applications

Journalists interested in applying for a climate change fellowship must submit their completed applications by 13 October 2008, with all the information required below.

This year’s UN climate change summit is being held in Poznań, Poland from 1–12 December 2008. Crucial negotiations will be underway in Poznań as an international agreement must be reached by next year’s summit in 2009 if an international commitment is to be implemented by the time the Kyoto Protocol's first commitment period expires in 2012.

Building on the success of the 2007 Climate Change Media Partnership (CCMP) fellowship programme, this year at the Poznań summit, the CCMP is hosting in cooperation with the UNFCCC Secretariat, a programme of media activities and are awarding a limited number of fellowships to journalists from different regions of the developing world. Fellows will attend the summit and produce journalism of an excellent standard that will highlight climate change issues within their regions and to an international audience. Women journalists and journalists from under-represented groups are particularly encouraged to apply. Journalists may apply for only one of the two types of fellowships:

1) Journalist fellowship – attending the summit and participating in all CCMP programme activities.
2) Feature story fellowship – attending the summit and participating in all CCMP programme activities as well as researching, writing and producing a feature story working with the CCMP editor.

This is an exciting opportunity for editors to gain coverage of the summit through their staff reporters. It is also an exciting opportunity for the journalists selected to enhance their knowledge of environmental issues with the support of the Climate Change Media Partnership, and to develop their professional journalism skills through the media activities offered during the summit.

Activities which journalists will take-part in around the Poznań summit include:

Pre-Bali briefings
Journalists will be provided with background information on climate change, the COP process and the major issues under negotiation.

Media clinic
This one-day event during the summit will include lively panel discussions by experts on the negotiations, and key policy issues. Journalists will have the opportunity to field questions and line up interviews. Experienced media professionals who have been reporting on climate change for years, will give top tips about where to find the hot stories and advise participants on how to make the most of their time at the summit.

Matchmaking service
We will put journalists in contact with climate-change experts and negotiators from their countries, as well as with representatives of poor and marginalised communities that are vulnerable to climate change.

News to report
Our side-event on: ‘Overcoming the Communication Deficit: How the Climate Change Media Partnership is encouraging climate change debate in the Global South’

A field visit will be arranged for the fellows to gain first-hand experience of reporting on climate change issues from the field.

The Development and Climate Days event held by IIED and partners 6-7 December, provides an opportunity to learn about climate change and development with a special focus on adaptation.

Ongoing support
In addition to making new contacts, finding great stories, and learning more about climate change reporting, journalists will be encouraged to stay in contact with the CCMP to receive long-term support in the form of future commissions, briefings and access to policy-makers. They will be encouraged to join existing networks of journalists to continue building their skills and experience.

These events and resources will be open to all media types, but their focus will be on raising the capacity of journalists in developing nations to report on climate change and, in doing so, to promote greater inclusion of Southern perspectives in climate change policies.

Feature story commissions
All journalist fellows will participate in the programme of capacity and skills building at the summit and beyond. Of these, a group of print and radio journalists will be selected to receive additional editorial support to conduct story research to produce a feature story.

REQUIREMENTS FOR APPLYING:

The journalist applying

To be considered for a fellowship the applicant must:

1) be a regular working journalist in the print, radio, electronic or television media
2) live and work in Asia, Africa, the Caribbean, Latin America or the Middle East
3) have a grasp of the English language
4) submit a completed application form (enclosed)
5) be prepared to read briefing materials provided and do background preparatory research about climate change in advance
6) be prepared to contribute their assessment of the fellowship programme in an evaluation process during and once the programme has finished
7) recognise the Climate Change Media Partnership as the copyright owner of outputs developed during the fellowship

Additional requirements for journalists applying for a feature story fellowship:

1) must be a regular print or radio journalist with a working knowledge of written and spoken English
2) be available to carry out substantial article research and writing in the weeks leading up to and after the summit

The journalist’s editor

The editors of ALL participating journalists will need to:
• Ensure that the selected journalist has sufficient time to complete preparatory work.
• Give their consent to allowing the selected journalist’s name to be released for the Climate Change Media Partnership fellowship programme between 1–12 December 2008
• Provide an official accreditation letter accepting the terms of the fellowship in this document and confirm their support for the journalist’s participation in the programme
• Publish the journalist’s copy in their publication (editorial control and copyright to be exercised by the publication)
• Allow the CCMP to freely publish and disseminate material generated by the journalist as a result of the fellowship programme
• Assist with providing copies of press coverage of the summit to Climate Change Media Partnership
• Assist in evaluation activities by agreeing to answer interview questions and questionnaires about the value of the fellowship to their media house

Conditions of the fellowship programme
If selected, the journalist must prepare a letter of assignment, photocopy of a valid press card and photocopy of passport/national ID for UN media accreditation. Successful fellows will be notified of the accreditation procedure.

The selected journalists will be required to attend Climate Change Media Partnership’s professional and environmental training programme during the summit. This is geared to supporting the journalist’s ability to cover the negotiations.

Additional conditions of selected journalist fellows with a story commission
Working with the Partnership editor by e-mail and telephone, journalists will be supported in conducting initial research on a story identified as important by people in their home country, and will bring their draft material to the Poznań summit.

Journalists will report on the relevant aspects of the summit and bridge these policy proceedings with human-interest case studies from their own countries. This will ensure that stories are embedded in the local context.

During the summit the Partnership will provide opportunities and support for the journalists to develop their feature story, such as interviewing relevant experts and policy-makers. In addition, journalists will receive daily intensive one-to-one editorial mentoring and thematic support. The fellowships will culminate with publication of the feature story. Whilst at the summit the journalists will also be able to report on the proceedings for their own media houses and the Climate Change Media Partnership outputs, such as blogs and articles.

Payment
The Climate Change Media Partnership will provide travel, travel insurance, accommodation and a daily subsistence expense allowance to the journalists selected.

Selected journalists must arrange their own country visa and media accreditation to the summit. The CCMP will meet necessary expenses related to these and will offer support as required.

Reasonable expenses incurred by the journalist in connection with the programme will be reimbursed on production of receipts to the maximum amount agreed in advance with the Climate Change Media Partnership.

Additional payment conditions for journalist fellows with a feature story commission
The Climate Change Media Partnership will pay a fixed fee for one article commissioned before the summit. Payment will be transferred to the journalist after the summit on satisfactory completion of the article. This will include the preparatory work agreed and any work subsequent to the summit, on fulfilment of conditions set out here including receipt of press monitoring and evaluation documentation. Additional articles produced during the summit are considered part of the fellowship programme and as such will not be eligible for additional payment.

Sending your application
Applications should be sent preferably as an email attachment no later than 13 October 2008 to:
CCMP@panos.org.uk; by fax to: +44 207 278 0345 or by post to: Climate Change Media Partnership, Panos London, 9 White Lion Street, N1 9PD, UK.

Climate Change Media Partnership
Panos, Internews and IIED

Climate change journalist fellowship programme 2008

Application form

Personal Information

First name:

Surname:

Address:

Telephone:
Mobile:

Fax:

Age:
Gender:
Date of Birth:

Email address:

Skype address (if applicable):

Name and contact details of current employer:

PASSPORT DETAILS

Name as it appears in passport

First & middle name(s): Surname:

Passport country:

Passport number:

Work
What jobs have you had? These can be voluntary or paid positions. Start with your current or most recent job. Add additional entries if necessary.

Job title:
Organisation/Company:
Dates of employment: Location:

Responsibilities:

Job title:
Organisation/Company:
Dates of employment: Location:

Responsibilities:

Job title:
Organisation/Company:
Dates of employment: Location:

Responsibilities:

Job title:
Organisation/Company:
Dates of employment: Location:

Responsibilities:

Job title:
Organisation/Company:
Dates of employment: Location:

Responsibilities:

Education
Add additional entries if necessary.

Highest level of education completed:

What schools have you attended? Start with most recent first.

Name:

Date started:
Date ended: Location:

Courses/programme:

Name:

Date started:
Date ended: Location:

Courses/programme:

Name:

Date started:
Date ended: Location:

Courses/programme:

Training
List any journalism training on environment, climate or science you have received. Add additional entries if necessary. Start with most recent.

Subject:
Trainer organisation:
Location:
Date:

Subject:
Trainer organisation:
Location:
Date:

Subject:
Trainer organisation:
Location:
Date:

Language skills

What is your mother tongue?

Please rate your English competency:

Read Write Speak Understand

1 = poor; 2 = fair; 3 = good; 4 = very good; 5 = fluent

Essay questions

Answer the following questions in English. Each essay should not exceed 200 words. Answers must be written by the applicant only.

1. Which fellowship are you applying for? JOURNALIST / FEATURE STORY

1a. What are your ideas for stories you would like to produce during the fellowship? Answer only if applying for a FEATURE STORY fellowship.

2. Why would you like to be considered for this fellowship programme?

Supporting documents

The following documents must be submitted with this application form in order for your application to be complete. Applications will not be considered unless all of the following documents are provided:

1. A signed letter of support from your editor, who should indicate that he or she has read and accepted the terms of the fellowship in this document (this may be scanned and emailed or faxed).
2. 2 examples of your work that have been published during the past year.

Applications should be sent preferably as an email attachment no later than 13 October 2008 to:
CCMP@panos.org.uk; by fax to: +44 207 278 0345 or by post to: Climate Change Media Partnership, Panos London, 9 White Lion Street, N1 9PD, UK.

Successful applicants will be notified via email or telephone by 31 October 2008.

I certify that the information is true and accurate and that I answered the essay questions by myself.

By signing below, you, your publication, and the Climate Change Media Partnership signal their agreement to all the terms herein.

Signature: Date:

(If applying by email this signature may be supplied later.)