To strengthen the capacity of broadcast, print and online journalists
and of the organisations they work for to use the Internet for the
purposes of research, publication and distribution.
Journalism and the Internet
The Internet is an exciting medium for journalists and media
organisations. Journalists can find a wealth of information, previously
difficult to obtain, which can help them in their research and in
keeping abreast of events and trends. The speed of the internet and its
growing ubiquity (thanks also to the rise of mobile phones) means that
it is increasingly for journalists the first medium on which their
stories appear. On the internet they can present their news stories in
new and attractive ways, supported by additional background material,
using a variety of media, and stored in dossiers and archives for later
retrieval. The rapid evolution of interactive technologies and social
media also mean that, more than ever, journalists can engage with their
audiences and readers.
As an integrated medium of publication, distribution and
communication,
in which the traditional, clear-cut divisions between text, graphics,
audio and video are blurred, the internet poses a lot of challenges.
Journalists, who saw themselves first and foremost as print or broadcast
journalists now work as ‘content providers’ in multimedia newsrooms,
generating material for a variety of different media platforms.
The principles of interactivity and non-linearity require that
information for the internet has to be ordered and presented
differently. Its multimedia nature also makes organisational demands.
New structures have to be designed to cope with the new ways of
production, publication and distribution. New ways of working pose a
challenge to established working practices and attitudes. New business
models have to be developed and adopted.
Since the Internet is still a relatively
young medium, there is plenty of experimentation and innovation going
on. The rise of social networks, ‘civilian journalism’ and the success
of ‘YouTube’ mean that the Internet has also become an established
competitor of mainstream media for the attention of audiences and
readers worldwide. These developments are also changing the traditional
role of journalists as well as their relationship with their audiences
and readers. To be able to face the challenges of the 21st century, it
is important that media organisations and the people who work for adapt
to the changes taking place and incorporate them in the way they work.
Methodology: learning by doing
The course will be dedicated to enabling the participating journalists
to work as Internet journalists/producers. The focus will be on content
rather than on technical skills. Attention will be paid to the two
central tenets of the Internet: information and communication. Special
emphasis will be placed on the three main principles of multimedia
environments: the multimedia mix, interactivity and non-linearity. The
emphasis will be on learning by doing, focusing on theory and practice.
In addition to attending course sessions and workshops, participants
will be sent on a number of radio or television location assignments.
The potential and the use of the Internet as a source of information
will be explored (the Internet as a research tool), and options for its
use as a medium of communication, publication and distribution analysed
and applied to the specific situation of the participants. The
possibilities and advantages of the Internet – as well as some of its
drawbacks – for journalists and the organisations they work for will be
highlighted.
The participants will be from different professional media (radio,
television, print, online). The aim of the course is to transcend these
boundaries and merge the disciplines in search of the ideal of a
multimedia journalist. Participants will acquire knowledge of the
essentials of web-design (structure, interaction and lay-out) and skills
for the development of websites and for production for the Internet,
such as writing non-linear, interactive pieces, making graphics and
producing audio and video. Participants will analyse existing examples
of websites attached to newspapers, magazines and
broadcasting organisations.
How to apply?
We warmly welcome you to apply for this course. In case of any troubles with your application, please contact us at info@rntc.nl
Self-paying or sponsored candidates only apply with RNTC. Nationals
from 60 countries can apply for a NFP-fellowship, provided by the Dutch
government. They apply with both RNTC and NFP.
Who can apply?
All RNTC’s courses are targeted at media professionals from
developing countries
and countries in transition. If you are working for a media
organisation, or an organisation working with the media, you can apply.
For all our courses, the following requirements apply:
- you have a minimum of three years working experience in the media
- your employer supports your participation in the training
- you have followed secondary education, and professional education or training in media
- you are used to work with computers
- your speaking and writing skills in English (the course language) are sufficient
There are no restrictions on the age of the applicants or on the
maximum number of participants from one given organisation or country.
For most of our courses, we have additional requirements, related to the
course content.
Target group
The course is designed for mid-career print, online and broadcast
journalists, with at least three years experience in the field with
special emphasis on the internet.
Course fee and fellowship
To cover the costs of participation, you have three options:
- You or your organisation covers the costs. Upon request, we’ll
provide you with detailed information about the costs involved of the
course of your choice (info@rntc.nl)
- You’ll find a sponsor or a grant to participate (for more information, visit: www.grantfinder.nl)
- You’ll apply for a Fellowship under the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP)
Netherlands Fellowship Programme
The Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) is a demand-driven fellowship
programme designed to foster capacity building within organisations by
providing training and education to their mid-career staff members.
NFP-fellowships cover your travel costs, accommodation and course fee.
NFP is funded by the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs from the
budget for development co-operation, and run by NUFFIC, the Netherlands
Organisation for
International
Cooperation in Higher Education. Half of the available fellowships are
awarded to women, and simultaneously, half of the available budget is
spent on candidates from sub-Saharan Africa. Apart from this, priority
is given to candidates from deprived groups and/or from marginalized
regions.
Who is eligible for NFP?
To be eligible for a scholarship under the Netherlands Fellowship Programmes you must meet the following criteria:
- You are a a national of one of the following 60 countries:
Afghanistan, Albania, Armenia, Autonomous Palestinian Territories,
Bangladesh, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Brazil, Burkina Faso,
Burundi, Cambodia, Cape Verde, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Democratic
Republic of Congo, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Eritrea, Ethiopia,
Georgia, Ghana, Guatemala, Guinea-Bissau,
Honduras, India, Indonesia, Iran, Ivory Coast, Jordan, Kenya, Kosovo,
Macedonia, Mali, Moldova, Mongolia, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal,
Nicaragua, Nigeria, Pakistan, Peru, Philippines, Rwanda, Senegal, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Surinam, Tanzania, Thailand, Uganda, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
- You are not applying for more than one course with the same NFP application deadline
- You are not employed by a multinational corporation, a UN organisation, the World Bank, the IMF, a bilateral or multinational donor organisation, or a large national and/or commercial organisation
- You have not already received two NFP fellowships for short courses in the past
- You have not already received an NFP fellowship for a short courses in the year prior to this fellowship application
Application procedure
1) Select the course you want to apply for
2) Check that you are eligible under the course selection criteria and that the course is still open for applications
3) Download the RNTC application form (see bottom of this page), fill it
in and send it to RNTC by post, by fax or by email. We will send you
confirmation that we have received it.
- Postal address: RNTC Course Secretariat, P.O. Box 303, 1200 AH Hilversum, The Netherlands
- Fax: + 31 35 6724531
- Email: applications@rntc.nl
Please note: if you send your application by email you will need to
scan the parts of the application which require your and your employer’s
signatures; you will also need to scan the relevant
diploma’s/qualifications and send them as attachments.
4) If you want to apply for an NFP fellowship and are eligible, you
can fill in and submit your NFP application online or on paper.
- Online: (The application form follows after you’ve answered the
knock out questions) at the NFP Scholarships Online (SOL) website.
Problems with your application? Check the manual.
- Paper: you can find the application form at www.nuffic.nl. You
should send the form to NUFFIC, NFP-team, P.O. Box 29777, 2502 LT The
Hague, The Netherlands
If you have any questions regarding the NFP application procedure, check the FAQ’s at Nuffic’s website.
5) If you are submitting your NFP application online or on paper,
make sure that you do so before the deadline for online and paper (a
month earlier) applications. You can find the application deadline on
the course-pages.
6) Allow 12-16 weeks from the online application deadline for the NFP
application process to be completed. You will be informed automatically
both if your application is rejected and if it is successful. All NFP
applicants (online and on paper) will be able to check the status of
their application by logging on to the SOL website.
Course dates: September 10 – October 19, 2012
Media: Radio, Television and internet
Type of Diploma: Certificate
RNTC application deadline: January 15, 2012
NFP applications: online between November 1, 2011 and February 1, 2012 (on paper until January 1, 2012)
Deadline non fellowship applicants: July 15, 2012
For more information, please visit official website:
www.rntc.nl
