News about the activities of the Knight Center for Journalism in the Americas
Colombian Journalists to Form Investigative Reporting GroupColombian Journalists to Form Investigative Reporting Group
By DEAN GRABER
BOGOTÁ, Colombia -- Twenty Colombian journalists from throughout the country
agreed Saturday (Feb. 17) to create a national network dedicated to elevating the
practice of investigative journalism.
The decision came during a two-day
training workshop in Computer-assisted Reporting sponsored by the Knight Center
for Journalism in the Americas and conducted by Lise Olsen of Investigative Reporters and Editors (IRE), Feb. 16-17, 2007.
The journalists, representing nine departments (states), currently participate
in an email discussion group called Consejo de Redacción: Periodismo de
Investigacion en Red (Newsroom Council: an Investigative Journalism Network).
At a lunch meeting on Saturday, they agreed to explore the next steps for
incorporating, and developing specific goals and activities.
"The participants' enthusiasm led us to discuss the future of our group, and we talked about converting our network into an organization similar to Abraji in Brazil, or IRE in the United States and Mexico" said Carlos Eduardo Huertas, manager of the group.
The journalists also agreed to return to their cities and to recruit at least
one colleague to join.
The training workshop took place at the Center for Journalism Studies of the University of the Andes in Bogotá. Thirty-five journalists from print, broadcast, and online media participated.
In addition to the CAR workshop conducted by Olsen, an investigative reporter for The Houston Chronicle, the workshop also included discussions of Colombian journalistic investigations conducted in the following areas:
*Corporate Sector, Maria Teresa Ronderos
*Paramilitaries, Martha Soto
*Human Rights, Ignacio Gómez
*Environment, Dora Montero
*Corruption in the Public Sector, Ginna Morelo
As one of its next activities, the new organization will offer the online
course "Electoral Coverage and Democracy," before local elections take place
in October 2007. The course was developed for the Knight Center
by veteran Colombian journalist Maria Teresa Ronderos, who offered it twice in
2006 -- first for journalists from througout Latin America, and a second time
for colleagues from Paraguay.
The network has already identified three senior advisers:
*Ignacio Gómez, director of investigations for the Bogota TV station Canal
Uno and former director of investigations at El Espectador newspaper.
*Maria Jimena Duzán -- former investigative journalist for the newspaper El
Espectador, author of the book "Death Beat" (Cronicas que Matan), and founder
of Colombia´s first graduate journalism program.
*Maria Teresa Ronderos -- editorial adviser to Semana Magazine, president of
Colombia`s Foundation for Press Freedom (FLIP), and the author of four books on
journalism.
The Knight Center for Journalism in the Americas was created 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.
The Center has helped create new journalism organizations in several countries in Latin America and the Caribbean, including Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, Paraguay, and Peru.
Added Feb 23, 16:49, 2007
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