Knight Center for Journalism in the Americas

Short Courses of the Knight Center for Journalism in the Americas

Brazilians Have Concluded Online Course: Investigative Coverage of Public AdministrationBrazilians Have Concluded Online Course: Investigative Coverage of Public Administration

The Knight Center for Journalism in the Americas and its Brazilian partner organization, Abraji, have concluded the online course "Investigative Coverage of Public Administration," which began on Aug. 7, 2006.

This is the second time the Knight Center offered the course in partnership with the Brazilian Association for Investigative Journalism (Abraji). The four-week course was taught by journalist Evandro Spinelli, who specializes in coverage of politics and public administration.

Participants in the first course offered in August 2005 evaluated the class highly and applied its lessons to their reporting, leading the Knight Center and Abraji to offer it again.

The course took place entirely online, using multimedia resources such as video lectures, written texts, discussion forums and weekly exercises.

Topics covered include:

- Overview of investigative reporting techniques
- Access to public information
- Origin and application of public funds
- Laws that govern public administration, bidding and contracts
- Public administration sources
- Campaign contributions
- Databases

Journalists who successfully completed the course will receive a certificate from Abraji and the Knight Center.

Evandro Spinelli is editorial coordinator of the Bom Dia newspaper chain, which circulates in four cities in São Paulo state, and has covered major national events in Brazil, including the inauguration of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, and the administrations of several prominent Brazilian leaders.

Abraji was founded in 2002 with the Knight Center's assistance by a group of Brazilian journalists interested in elevating investigative reporting skills in Brazil.

The Knight Center for Journalism in the Americas was created by Professor Rosental Calmon Alves at the University of Texas at Austin School of Journalism in August 2002 thanks to a generous donation from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation. Its main objective is to help journalists in the hemisphere to develop self-sustaining training programs that will raise the ethical and professional levels of journalism in the Americas.

For more information about the course, contact Tatiane Santos of Abraji at tatiane@abraji.org.br.

Added Dec 07, 15:42, 2006