En Español

The overall goals of this proposed training course are to assist news media and journalists in Latin America to identify common threads of professional behavior, stimulate a dialogue about journalism independence, discuss country-specific principles of conduct, and encourage participants to reflect on their own personal code of ethics and to continue the discussion about ethics in their own newsrooms. This program is sponsored by the Scripps Howard Foundation.

PROGRAM
Through round-table discussions, case studies, field trips, formal presentations, panel discussions and small-group discussions, the one-and-a-half week training course will utilize a range of different mechanisms to share information, promote collegiality and stimulate critical thinking about ethical dilemmas and appropriate responses. Spanish-language training materials, including journalism and news management booklets and videos would also be used. Program instruction will take place at the International Center for Journalists, based in Washington, D.C.

General topics to be addressed include:

• Emphasizing the independence of journalism as a requisite for ethical behavior and public credibility;
• Fostering fairness and accuracy in news coverage;
• Identifying conflicts of interest;
• Examining the stimulants and antidotes to journalistic corruption;
• Discussing ways of coping with threats and violence;
• Dealing with censorship and self-censorship; and
• Reflecting on the role of Codes of Ethics and the ethical "gray" areas not covered by codes of conduct.

PARTICIPANTS
The program will select 10 participants and two alternates, who may be from any country of Latin America and the Caribbean. Only one candidate will be selected from each country.

• Applicants should be journalism professors or working news journalists -- editors, reporters, producers - in commercial print, broadcast or electronic media with at least five years of professional experience.
• Every effort will be made to attract applicants from news organizations outside of the capital cities in order to achieve a balance within the overall program. Preference will be given to individuals who have not participated in substantive U.S.-based fellowship or training programs in recent years.
• Ideally, participants will be in a position in their news organizations and among their professional colleagues to meaningfully share their experiences in this program with a wider audience back home. Indicators for this qualification would be professional prominence, leadership in local professional media associations, job duties that allow for extensive travel within their countries, and so forth.
• Applicants should speak Spanish, which is the language of instruction.