Jafferson Fellowship for Asian journalists

Application deadline June 4

Jafferson Fellowships program are providing a chance to the Asian journalists to cover 2008 elections.
This special Jefferson Fellowships program will provide journalists from Asia, the Pacific and the U.S. with an opportunity to explore the important issues in this 2008 election, learn about the U.S. political process, observe this historic election and finally, discuss the outcome with U.S. analysts and one another. The Fellows in this program will benefit from the rich opportunity to share among themselves the perspectives of journalists from across the region and the concerns of their governments and people.
After one week of discussion sessions with regional experts and one another at the East-West Center in Honolulu, participants will travel to various areas of the United States to discuss election issues and attitudes with policymakers, business leaders, community activists, and most importantly, voters from a range of important constituencies such as recent immigrants, retirees, blue collar workers, factory owners, religious groups, African American communities, young people and women. In Phoenix, Arizona, John McCain’s home state, Fellows will explore the complexities of health care and immigration. In Erie, Pennsylvania and Cleveland, Ohio, cities in America’s “rust-belt,” an area hard hit by globalization, the program will focus on attitudes toward the economy, trade, social values, and America’s future. Fellows will observe the election in Ohio, the state that determined the 2004 contest in favor of George Bush and which is predicted to serve as a bellwether again this year. They will then travel to Washington, DC for a discussion with analysts, policymakers, journalists and others on what the results mean for the United States and its relations with Asia, the Pacific and the rest of the world.
For more information and application click here.

Guiding Principles for the Journalist

Code of ethics may vary from country to country and newsroom to newsroom. However, some guiding principles prepared by Mr Bob Steele, Director, Ethics Program, The Poynter Institute for Media Studies would serve as useful advice for journalists at all levels.
Here is the copy of those principles, he provided me during my training at the Poynter Institute summer 2006.

1- SEEK TRUTH AND REPORT IT AS FULLY AS POSSIBLE

Inform yourself continuously so you in turn can inform, engage, and educate the public in a clear and compelling way on significant issues

Be honest, fair, and courageous in gathering, reporting, and interpreting accurate information

Give voice to the voiceless

Hold the powerful accountable


2- ACT INDEPENDENTLY

Guard vigorously the essential stewardship role a free press plays in an open society

Seek out and disseminate competing perspectives without being unduly influenced by those who would use their power or position counter to the public interest

Remain free of associations and activities that may compromise your integrity or damage your credibility

Recognize that good ethical decisions require individual responsibility enriched by collaborative efforts

3- MINIMIZE HARM
Be compassionate for those affected by your actions

Treat sources, subjects, and colleagues as human beings deserving of respect, not merely as means to your journalistic ends

Recognize that gathering and reporting information may cause harm or discomfort, but balance those negatives by choosing alternatives that maximize your goal of truth telling

Blog Guide for Citizen Journalism

"It takes only Rs10 (around 0.2 cents) for a person to become a journalist," one of my former colleague said while commenting over work of those journalists who did not consider journalism knowledge more important, "just buy a small notebook and a pencil, and start taking notes."
But, the Internet channel made it easier.
Now, you even don't need a piece of paper or a pencil to become a journalist! besides, you don't need any newspaper to work with!
What you need is to share the information with the people and be called a citizen journalist.
You can do it easily in two ways. Go to street or a park and tell the people what information you have. If it poses you dangers then the other and the best option is to start a blog and be called a citizen journalist.
Here, though you don't need to become a member of any media group, you'll have to win trust of your readers by providing them with authentic information.
Ten point guide provided by the International Center for Journalists on citizen journalism would guide you in detail about becoming a publication-less journalist! Tips related to safety measures and collection of information are useful not only for citizen journalists but also for the full time journalists associated with print as well as online media. You can read tips here as well.