The summer school will follow the curriculum outlined in BIRN’s recently published “Digging Deeper – A Guide for Investigative Journalists in the Balkans”, written by Sheila S. Coronel, a professor at Columbia University in the United States.
In the morning programme of the summer school, the training will take journalists through this demanding discipline in a methodical manner, from a definition of what investigative journalism is, through the investigative process itself and the set of techniques for following people and paper trails, interviewing and checking the legal implications of journalistic work, and putting an article together.
In the afternoon hours, journalists will be able to choose one of two topics to examine in greater detail: either computer assisted reporting (CAR) or organised crime and corruption.
Participants will also have the opportunity to engage in discussions with lecturers and guests, and attend case study presentations. They will receive a range of course materials including relevant books, handouts, readers and documentary movies which focus on organised crime, corruption and other topics. Evening debates will tackle major Balkan media issues, from media ownership to violence against journalists.
BIRN’s Investigative Initiatives programme will also include a set of commercial activities in upcoming years that will target local universities in the Balkans, as well as media owners and publishing houses.