IJNet Pamela Howard Forum on Crisis Reporting

Disinformation, disease, climate change,  rising authoritarianism, financial crises, technology disruptions  these are just some of the challenges facing our world, and they do not stop at any border. Trained journalists, who understand how to effectively cover these seismic and overlapping events, are vital to finding solutions. The IJNet Pamela Howard Forum on Crisis Reporting, a project of ICFJ, is designed to equip journalists with the expertise to provide meaningful coverage of critical global issues of local importance.

As part of our Forum initiative in five languages, reporters learn from leading experts through regular webinar programming on urgent issues of the day. They share information through online groups and collaborate with each other to tell cross-border stories. The initiative builds on the success of the ICFJ Global Health Crisis Reporting Forum, launched when the COVID-19 pandemic hit. Today, our growing community is made up of over 13,000 members from all over the world, who are countering disinformation and informing the public despite enormous challenges. See our impact and get involved below.

Just as almost every reporter became a “health reporter” during the pandemic, the global challenges ahead will demand that journalists build expertise to meet future crises. They demand an independent media to accurately and contextually report on both the global and local realities of the world’s most pressing issues.

We are honored to name this crucial initiative after ICFJ Vice Chair Pamela Howard, a staunch, dedicated supporter of our work for over 20 years.

Story Ideas and Tips for Keeping Up with COVID-19

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October 16, 2023

The World Health Organization no longer considers the COVID-19 pandemic a global health emergency, but that doesn’t mean it’s not a global health threat anymore. The global health toll is nearing seven million deaths, and new variants continue to emerge.

Addressing Visa and Travel Challenges for Journalists

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October 5, 2023

Journalists often may need to travel for their work, for instance for a reporting project or conference. This is harder for certain journalists, depending on where they are from. 

Headshot of Riad Kobaissi

Tips to Conducting Investigations for TV from ICFJ Knight Award Winner Riad Kobaissi

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September 8, 2023

The 2020 Beirut port blast – one of the largest non-nuclear explosions in history – killed more than 200 people and injured over 6,500. It left Lebanon reeling.

Insights from Covering the Wagner Group in Africa

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August 29, 2023

The death of Wagner Group leader Yevgeny Prigozhin in a plane crash between Moscow and St. Petersburg, Russia on Wednesday is but the latest twist in the recent history of the mercenary group, which made global headlines earlier this year during an armed rebellion in Russia.

Leverage These Social Media Techniques to Amplify Your Reporting

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August 16, 2023

Today, journalists must readily use social media platforms such as Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), and LinkedIn as part of their reporting process to connect with audiences and drive engagement with stories. 

In a recent ICFJ Global Crisis Reporting Forum webinar, Zoe Leoudakia multimedia reporter and audience strategist at Voice of America (VOA), and Gesell Tobías, a multimedia producer at VOA, shared their expertise and provided insight on how they harness social media to augment their reporting. 

Combating Disinformation Around Nigeria's 2023 Election

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July 18, 2023

In the leadup to Nigeria’s 2023 presidential election in February, award-winning journalist Hannah Ajakaiye led efforts to fight the vast amounts of electoral mis- and disinformation circulating online.

The ICFJ Forum: Helping Over 15,000 Journalists Cover Global Crises

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June 2, 2023

The ICFJ Pamela Howard Forum on Global Crisis Reporting is a community of 15,000 journalists from 134 countries. Through Facebook groups, sessions with experts and newsletters – all in five languages – journalists worldwide get to meet, learn and collaborate. 

Media Alliance Counters Disinformation in Recent Elections in Paraguay

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May 16, 2023

As the general elections drew closer, El Surti journalists got together with other Paraguayans media leaders at an ICFJ Forum event and decided to form a media alliance, the Red de Medios Alternativos de Paraguay (the Alternative Media Network of Paraguay), to combat the spread of mis- and disinformation.

How Journalists Can Use New Visual Techniques to Create Viral Stories

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March 27, 2023

Emojis, memes and gifs: you may text with them on a daily basis, but did you know you can also use them in your reporting to boost engagement?

The Stories Behind the Reporting on the War in Ukraine

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February 24, 2023

Today marks one year since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

From war crimes and disinformation to environmental devastation and the displacement of almost 14 million people, the role of journalists in Ukraine is more vital than ever.