</CENTER>• Thumbs up from Journalists for new technologies training platform
• Free user-friendly guide to on-line training courses
• Call for media to improve training provision for journalists in new technologies
• Journalists invited to test-run the platform
The European Federation of Journalists organized the evaluation workshop for the ‘Reporstag-e’ virtual training site for journalists at the International Press Centre in Brussels, Thursday 3rd March. The evaluation workshop marks the final phase of a two-year project to develop a user friendly site for on-line training courses in new technology. (www.reporstage.org/elearning/)
“Journalists are constantly having to up-date their skills to keep pace with the demands of the modern profession,” said Aidan White, General Secretary of the European Federation of Journalists. “This site guides users to available training courses. It is especially useful to journalists who are increasingly expected to train themselves in this field.”
The Reporstag-e site was evaluated by a panel of nine Brussels based journalists and media professionals. The recommendations are to be incorporated into the site before it is officially launched in June. The majority found that:
• the added value was “fairly strong” or “very strong”;
• the system was “easy to use”;
• they would definitely recommend the platform to a colleague;
• they said the platform did meet the objectives settled by the project;
• half of the respondents were very satisfied with the appropriateness of the courses and half of them were “fairly satisfied”;
Meanwhile journalists are invited to test-run the site for themselves at www.reporstage.org.
“In a world where media are investing less and less into training and standards, journalists are being forced to take responsibility for their own training,” added White.
“The information revolution is an obstacle and an opportunity for journalists,” said Paul Van Binst of the Free University of Brussels. “But for many mid-career or freelance journalists taking the first training steps can be a daunting prospect. This site aims to make those first steps easier.”
The EFJ encourages all journalists and media organisations to promote the site through their networks.
The Reporstag-e project is funded by the Leonardo Programme of the European Commission and includes the following partners:
• The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ)
• Université Libre de Bruxelles (Service Télématique et Communication)
• The Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation (CyBC)
• The Journalists' Association of Granada
• SCIENTER Espana
• Hellenic Broadcasting Corporation (ERT)
• The Association Journalist Provincial Press (ESET)
• MILITOS - Emerging Technologies and Services
• Text and Color
Further information: + 32 2 235 22 16