ONLINE MEDIA AND WEB JOURNALISM
Despite growing internet access, the development of new, alternative media (blogging, civil journalism, web-casting) or the provision of additional supplementary information remains to be developed. The awareness among media professionals of the possibilities remains confined to a small ICT-aware group.
IMS-conducted Training Needs Assessment in Azerbaijan (September 2008) showed that online journalism is priority subject of training for media professionals in Azerbaijan .Specifically, journalists are interested in use of the internet and new media for reporting.
The new media provide an opportunity for media professionals to find alternative channels - like blogs, microblogging, and social networking - and for the audience to find alternative information. Online journalism develops, internet forums become more popular amongst urban population, old media want to learn new techniques. New media can help to develop and increase the potential of the information society, and a strong demand to learn exists – as shown in our Training Needs Assessment.
The Media Center therefore developed an intensive training course in Web Journalism for those journalists eager to advance in this field. The two week course was intensive, productive and had great buy-in from all the participants. A follow-up to this course - in the form of a handbook, intermediate and advanced training - is foreseen.
Following success of the web journalism training in August 2009 organized by AMC and Council of Europe we have developed and produced the handbook for online journalists, a tool that will help people to embark on their carreer in web journalism.
