Knight Center for Journalism in the Americas

Short Courses of the Knight Center for Journalism in the Americas

Knight Center Offers New Online Course In Spanish: Covering Drug Trafficking Knight Center Offers New Online Course In Spanish: Covering Drug Trafficking

The Knight Center for Journalism in the Americas will offer Latin American and Caribbean journalists the online course "Covering Drug Trafficking," from April 7 to May 5, 2009. Applications for the four-week class taught by Colombian journalist Álvaro Sierra will be accepted online until March 22.

The course, which is free of charge, was designed specifically for the Knight Center and is being offered for the first time. It combines conceptual problems and practical elements that will help journalists understand and provide responsible coverage of the complex topic of drug trafficking.

Applicants who are selected for the limited spaces will be journalists who:

are from Latin America or the Caribbean

currently work full time for print, broadcast, or online news media

report on or edit coverage of drug trafficking

can commit to participating consistently in an intensive course that demands 10-15 hours a week.

The course will explore the following questions:

Is the business of illegal drugs adequately covered in the media?

Is it possible to report on drug trafficking, despite the threat to journalists in countries such as Mexico, Colombia, and Brazil?

How is drug trafficking covered in other countries with lower risk?

How does one manage relationships with dangerous sources?

What are the characteristics of illegal drug trafficking?

Why are some drugs prohibited?

The class will be conducted entirely online. Each week's course will consist of a video lecture and transcription. Students will be expected to participate in weekly online discussion forums and chat sessions. Homework will include written and virtual assignments, and group work will be assigned.

Students will be able to work on the course according to their own schedule, and at their own pace, but they will be expected to meet weekly deadlines. One class per week will take place via Skype.

Participants will also analyze articles, conduct online research, view and discuss videos, and visit online sites. The class will also explore how new technologies such as blogs help journalists cover drug trafficking and also assist traffickers themselves.

Students who are interested in digging deeper into the weekly topic will have access to both required and suggested lectures. At the end of the course, they will be able to access a bibliography and source list and be able to save the materials from the four weeks.

Applications will be accepted until March 22 by 5 P.M (Austin, Texas time) here: http://knightcenter.utexas.edu/blog/?q=en/node/3219.

Those who are selected to participate will be notified the week of March 30. Journalists who successfully complete the course will receive a certificate of participation from the Knight Center.

Álvaro Sierra is a renowned journalist and instructor, and editor of the editorial page of El Tiempo newspaper. He was a correspondent in Russia (1990-1997) and China (1998-2000) and has been based in Colombia since 2000. He has extensive experience covering armed conflicts as a local reporter and a foreign correspondent.

Sierra will be assisted by two employees of the Knight Center who are graduate students at the University of Texas at Austin. Rachel Barrera, instructional and technical assistant, is a doctoral student at the School of Education. Robin Schwartz is a student in the dual Masters program in Journalism and Latin American Studies, specializing in the topic of immigration.

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.

Added Jun 25, 12:16, 2009