A new project to spread good journalism practices in Iraq
Related project
Innovative journalism in IraqThe “Innovative journalism in Iraq” project, launched by France Médias Monde (FMM) and CFI, primarily aims to enhance the skills of Iraqi Media Network (IMN) journalists through certified vocational training, and to supplement the journalism course offered by the Faculty of Media at the University of Baghdad (FMUB), so as to bring local journalism practice into line with international standards.
Several training sessions were held in Baghdad between May and July 2022 in collaboration with the FMM Academy. Six IMN journalists and six FMUB employees were first selected to be trained as trainers for this project and to attend two remote training sessions on the basics of journalism: one training session onfact checking, with Djamel Belayachi (a journalist working on Les Observateurs de France 24, a collaborative news site), and two training sessions focusing on the editorial aspect of journalism with Sofia Amara, an independent special correspondent who regularly works with France 24, and Amar Al-Hameedawi, a France 24 special correspondent.
Workshops to enhance the beneficiaries’ skills were then held in Baghdad: “Cameras and filming” with Mohamed Farhat, a France 24 photojournalist, Ibrahim Saleh, a France 24 correspondent based in Baghdad and Sofia Amara, a special correspondent, and “Reporting and social networks” with Sofia Amara and Hani Tahar, a France 24 web journalist.
Once they had completed each training session, the journalists produced online news content with a focus on the environment and health. The topics covered included pollution, marshes, how to rescue palms (a symbol of Iraq), drug addiction and the street children of Baghdad.
“I am a presenter but I’ve never been in the field. In making this report, I have been able to rediscover the people of Iraq. My work in the studio feels more real now and I know what questions to ask my guests.” Nada, an IMN journalist and project beneficiary
Training sessions on digital tools such as Facebook live, Instagram and Youtube, on the techniques to use when writing online articles, and on television reporting and mobile journalism (MOJO) will also be organised from October onwards.
Finally, a five-day thematic seminar bringing together 12 people from the IMN and the FMUB will tackle three issues common to all areas: gender, the environment and safety. Having completed this training, the beneficiaries will form groups to produce reports with a focus on gender and the environment.
