The Bulletin 6/1: New journalism centers in CEE

M E D I A

New journalism centers in CEE

E. J. Baumeister Jr., Vice-president of the New-York based Independent Journalism Foundation, was recently appointed coordinator of the four Centers for Independent Journalism located in Bratislava, Bucharest, Budapest and Prague. These centers focus on career development for young journalists and media managers. The newest addition in Budapest will emphasize management, the use of computers and public relations, and they will offer training to university-level students. Alexandru R. Savulescu, a Romanian environmental journalist, caught up with Baumeister in Bucharest and asked him what the CIJ has in store for environmental journalists in the region. Excerpts:

What changes do you want to bring to the Center's programs?
BAUMEISTER: There will be no major changes. However, we will try to improve the communication between the four existing centers in order to develop common programs, including programs for environmental journalists. As you know, environmental problems have no borders. We will try to assist environmental journalists to have better access to both information and to experts.

Can you give a practical example of how this will be done?
BAUMEISTER: Computers are very important in environmental reporting, where you must use a lot of data. Therefore, we want to help teach journalists how to use computers to get access to information from the Internet. We will create a home page where information from the Regional Environmental Center, (U.S.) Environmental Protection Agency and other major environmental sources can be easily accessed. We will ask you, environmental journalists, to get this home page designed.

THE BULLETIN * SPRING 1996