Deadline: June 1, 2024
Applications are open for the Jiří Dienstbier Journalism Fellowship 2024. The Jiří Dienstbier Journalism Fellowship is available to aspiring, independent journalists in the Western Balkans. The purpose of the Fellowship is to help aspiring journalists from the region pursue their profession in support of media pluralism and independence.
Launched in 2014, it is inspired by Jiří Dienstbier Sr.’s contributions to the fields of journalism, foreign policy, and human rights, and intended to further RFE/RL’s legacy of promoting more just and open societies through journalism. The Fellowship is a joint initiative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic and RFE/RL, which is funded by the Ministry.
Program Details
The Fellowship is a seven-month program, which equips Fellows with cutting-edge journalistic skills and involves them in the daily editorial debates and discussions that inform a professional and independent press. Fellows spend six months at RFE/RL’s headquarters in Prague, where they are placed with the Balkan Service to receive daily, on-the-job training and mentoring while working alongside RFE/RL’s seasoned professionals. After Prague, Fellows spend a final month at a local RFE/RL bureau.
The main components of the program are:
- professional mentoring alongside RFE/RL’s seasoned professionals
- training and development of journalistic skills on traditional, multi-media, and digital platforms
- participation in the daily editorial discussions that inform a professional and independent press
- independent work on a personal project
- understanding of the mission and practice of a professional, free, and independent media company
The Fellowship also features workshops on journalistic practices and tools; discussions with government officials, civic leaders, and regional analysts; visits to local media and news agencies in Prague; and professional development opportunities in the Czech Republic and abroad. Fellows will be expected to represent themselves and the Fellowship in English at public events and in discussions relating to media freedom in their country.
Stipend
- A monthly stipend at the bureau and in Prague, housing, health insurance, and travel arrangements to and from Prague shall be provided.
Eligibility
The Fellowship accepts applications from journalists from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Montenegro, and Serbia.
Eligible applicants should:
- have a minimum of two years’ experience working as a journalist in their native language
- be committed to working as a journalist in, or for audiences in, their home country
- share RFE/RL’s mission
- be proficient in English
Application
A complete application includes the following materials:
- curriculum Vitae, including current contact information
- personal statement
- 2 letters of recommendation
- 3 work samples
- letter to Jiří Dienstbier
For more information, visit Jiří Dienstbier Journalism Fellowship.
