Netherlands Fellowship Programme in Internet for Journalists

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

Course aim

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.

Course information

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.

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:

1. you have a minimum of three years working experience in the media
2. your employer supports your participation in the training
3. you have followed secondary education, and professional education or training in media
4. you are used to work with computers
5. 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.

Official website : http://www.rntc.nl/content/internet-journalists