Call for Interest: Workshop on Organizing in the Media Field
There is Power in a Union!
A Workshop on Organizing in the Media Field
Call for Interest – Pitch your idea and/or ask for support by 25 September 2022.
Organized by: Central European University’s Democracy Institute
Time: 20 – 21 October 2022
Location: Central European University, Nador utca 15, 1051, Budapest, Hungary
Contact: Dumitrita Holdis, Project Officer. Email: holdisd@ceu.edu
Is the race to the bottom a source of innovation in journalism?
The position we, the organizers of this event, have is that, on the contrary, change and innovation thrive in different forms of collaboration. If anything, innovation is happening despite the continuous struggles of small media organizations.
Often journalism is portrayed as a hyper competitive field where the race for scoops, sources and resources is the norm. This is more notable in the areas of journalism that are often praised for their independence, their breakthrough reporting and their use of new media tools. Alternative, independent journalism tends to be more exposed to attacks from the state and economic elites; to economic downturn and to precarious labor conditions.
What is to be done?
The Journalism Breakthroughs project led by the Democracy Institute’s Center for Media, Data and Society (CMDS) is organizing a one-and-a-half-day event in which members of media organizations, labor activists, students, researchers and members of civil society organizations are invited to debate and discuss the use of organizing into unions, networks, associations and communities to push forward the rights of journalists and to protect the freedom of the media.
As the title of the workshop suggests, a significant source of inspiration will be drawn from the work of labor movements, as they have successfully managed to mobilize vulnerable and oppressed groups, which have pushed for major social and political change.
The format of the workshop will be a mix of presentations, peer-to-peer learning sessions and training. This will be a hybrid event online-on site event. Some sessions will be public, while others will require registration.
Additional details on the exact location of the workshop and access to the online events will be communicated closer to the date of the workshop.
Peer-to-Peer Learning
The workshop will dedicate 4 sessions to peer-to-peer learning. Participants in the event have the opportunity to present their experience and expertise around 3 topics:
- I organized my fellow journalists into a union, network, community. How did I do it?I
- I regularly manage to fund our union, network, community. How do I do it?
- I took on the state/the government/the corporation and I won. How did I do it?
Please send your pitch here by 25 September 2022.
Funding
We have limited funds to support the participation of a number of journalists from outside of Budapest and of Hungary. The maximum amount you can request for reimbursement is 300 USD. Only public transportation and accommodation are eligible for reimbursement. Please note that we cannot reimburse you for travelling in a private car. The money will be wired to you after the event, based on fiscal invoices made on Central European University’s details.
Priority will be given to participants coming from under-represented backgrounds in the field of journalism, to journalists from small and local media organizations, and to participants who successfully pitch for the peer-to-peer learning sessions.
Light lunches and coffee breaks will be provided for the duration of the workshop; however, you will be expected to cover other expenses.
Please apply for travel support here by 25 September 2022.
