ICFJ Launches Online Courses in Arabic and Persian

Instructor-led seminars in Arabic teach journalists to create news Web sites

On April 1, the International Center for Journalists began teaching two online courses for Middle Eastern journalists. The courses are interactive, enabling instructors to give feedback to participants.

The first course, led by veteran journalist Daoud Kuttab, focuses on how to create a news Web site. By the end of the six-week program, the 18 participating journalists will each launch an independent news site.

Participants come from Algeria, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Palestine, Sudan, Tunisia and Yemen. There is a waiting list for the second course on this topic.  

At the same, Iranian journalists are learning how to cover crises in a five-week course in Persian taught by experienced journalist Tala Dowlatshahi. Two more courses, on business and economic reporting, will launch in Persian in May.

“With these courses, we are now able to reach journalists in countries where it is hard – or impossible – to conduct face-to-face programming,” said ICFJ’s Digital Media Director Sharon Moshavi.

ICFJ plans to expand its online training. An Arabic course on investigative reporting will begin this summer.  “We also hope to combine online training with all of our on-the-ground programs,” Moshavi said.