As the snow continued to fall, any hopes of filming outside were fading fast.

“But the first snowfall is lucky”, said Li Dan. “You will be lucky!” My group of 18 young journalists from the Xinhua news agency were bright, enthusiastic and convinced it would all work out.

And it did. The weather cleared just in time. Li Dan was right … luck was on our side. The clear skies meant we had no time to lose. But the participants rose magnificently to the challenge.

Our work yielded favourite moments. Robin appeared on screen as a James Bond figure on assignment to meet his girl. Eric discovered the meaning of continuity when his walk was filmed with him suddenly carrying different items. Daniella learned about ‘crossing the line’ when the red telephone seemed to jump from one side of the desk to another.

Perhaps what impressed me most was the can-do attitude of them all. When we began looking for stories for our assignments, many turned out to be impossible to do in the timescale, or we weren’t able to gain permission.

Mazen, Hou Ye, Eric, Li Dan and Irina were disappointed when the business they were going to film pulled out. But they never lost their sense of purpose, and eventually turned up a story about office workers doing Chinese traditional dancing in their lunch breaks. Li Dan showed exceptional presentational skills, dancing and doing a piece to camera at the same time.

Food – my favourite subject – figured high on the story list, with Zhao, Dan, Daniella and Cecilia filming the story of a woman who had started her own bakery. Lovely pictures, and lovely cookies too.

Taiwan Street, a street of Taiwanese eateries, was the choice of Carl, Robin, Shir, Beatriz and David. Again persistence paid off. When a phone call was met with a refusal to film, they learned that a visit in person can pay dividends. They were so charming that of course they were invited in to film. Sight of a Xinhua press card also helped.

Finally Stanley, Christine, E’fun and Lola picked a timely subject of bus maintenance, which they delivered professionally.

Great stories and, as the video above shows, a fine first effort at video storytelling.

RECIPE FOR SUCCESS: Journalists setting their camera's white balance during an exercise in a Beijing food shop

لجنة التحكيم:

فئة الصحافة المكتوبة:

لجنة حكام المرحلة الأولى:

من الأردن السيدة رندة حبيب أمضت ربع قرن في تغطية الحرب والسياسة  والتطور الإقتصادي في منطقة الشرق الأوسط. تترأس حاليا مكتب وكالة الأنباء الفرنسية في الأردن كما لديها خبرة طويلة في الصحافة الميدانية حيث قامت  بتغطية الأحداث في العراق منذ حرب الخليج الأولى عام 1990. أسست السيدة رندة حبيب أول نادي للصحافة الأجنبية في الأردن عام 1996، ومازالت ترأسه حتى الآن. كما تم تكريمها عام 2001 بوسام من الرئيس الفرنسي وكرمت بوسام آخر عام 2008. نشرت السيدة رندة حبيب حديثا  كتاب باللغة الفرنسية عن تاريخ وسياسة الملك الراحل الحسين بن طلال. وصدرت النسخة العربية من الكتاب سنة 2008. وصدرت النسخة الإنجليزية العام الماضي.

من فلسطين السيد وليد العمري الذي يترأس حالياً مكتب قناة الجزيرة الفضائية في القدس. كما يقوم بتغطية الأخبار من الضفة الغربية وقطاع غزة وإسرائيل بالإضافة الى إنتاج وإذاعة تقارير إخبارية. عمل أيضا كمنسق في مؤسسة الإعلام لبرنامج تدريب إذاعي في جامعة بير زيت ومراسل لإذاعة ملتي كولتي في برلين ومراسل لإذاعة الشرق في باريس. وقد نشر السيد وليد العمري عدة كتابات حول الصحافة والسياسة الإسرائيلية كما حصل على عدة جوائز.

من سوريا السيد ابراهيم حميدي يعمل حاليا مديرا لمكتب صحيفة “الحياة” اللندنية  وتلفزيون “LBC” في سورية،  بالإضافة الى مساهماته السابقة في العديد من الصحف ووسائل الإعلام  من بينها مجلتا “فورورد” و”سيريا تودي” الناطقتين باللغة الانكليزية في سورية.

من لبنان السيد ادموند صعب، حاليا كاتب سياسي لصحيفة السفيراليومية في لبنان. بدأ السيد صعب مشواره الصحفي مع جريدة النهار اليومية ، وعمل بجهد متواصل حتى وصل منصب رئيس التحرير التنفيذي ورئيس قسم الأعمال التجارية ، والاقتصادية والمالية الإخبارية حتى عام 2009.

من العراق السيدة علياء طالب الجبوري أديبة وأعلامية ، عملت في الصحافة العراقية لأكثر من ٢٢ عاما – وادارت مؤسسات اعلامية عديدة، وتدير الان مجلة نرجس المعنية بالمرأة وحقوق الانسان – مدير مركز المدى للتدريب والتطوير الاعلامي – اصدرت العديد من المؤلفات  مابين القصة القصيرة والرواية – مسؤولة الأمانة العربية في الاتحاد العام للادباء والكتاب في العراق – عضو المكتب التنفيذي – عضوة نقابة الصحفيين العراقيين ورئيسة منظمة اعلامية معنية بالبث العام – لها العديد  من البحوث والدراسات باللغة العربية والانكليزية  تتعلق بواقع الاعلام والمرأة الاعلامية والبنية المجتمعية للعراق بالاضافة الى البحوث الادبية والنقدية –  ساهمت كمحكمة في العديد من المسابقات الاعلامية والادبية داخل  وخارج العراق – اشرفت على  ورش تدريبية اعلامية للاعلام المرئي والمسموع والمكتوب  واشرفت على  مؤتمرات اعلامية  متخصصة بمواثيق الشرف المهني والعمل الاعلامي والسلامة المهنية للعاملين في مناطق الخطر

أما حكم المرحلة النهائية من الكويت السيد د. عايد المناع أمين عام هيئة الكتاب الصحفيين والمحللين الخليجيين. معلق ومحلل سياسي في إذاعة وتلفزيون الكويت ومحطة الجزيرة والعربية  بالاضافة للعديد من المحطات العربية والإقليمية.  وهو كاتب منتظم في صحيفة الوطن ويعمل مدرس إدارة عامة في جامعة الكويت.

حكّام المرحلة الأولى لفئة الصحافة المرئية:

من لبنان الدكتور أحمد زين الدين استاذ الصحافة في كلية الاعلام في الجامعة اللبنانية. يتعاون الدكتور زين الدين مع عدد من المؤسسات الاعلامية منها جريدة “الحياة”، ومع عدد من الهيئات منها برنامج الحوار الاعلامي في “بي بي سي” ومركز “الجزيرة” للتدريب. وللدكتور زين الدين خبرة طويلة في العمل الاعلامي، وهي خبرة مزدوجة تتضمن التخصص الاكاديمي العالي من خلال الدراسة الجامعية، والخبرة العملية المكتسبة من العمل في العديد من المؤسسات الاعلامية في لبنان وفرنسا. كما له مشاركات عديدة في النشاطات المتصلة بالإعلام ابتداء من التعليم والتدريب وانتهاء بلجان التحكيم ومرورا بالأبحاث والترجمات والكتابات.  صدر له حديثا كتاب بعنوان “التحرير الصحافي – دليل عملي”.

من الأردن السيدة بيان التل.  تعمل حاليا في الديوان الملكي الهاشمي كمسؤولة عن قسم الإعلام الأجنبي. عملت كمديرة لإتصالات الحكومة في رئاسة الوزراء الأردنية. خبرتها الطويلة في الإعلام كانت في مؤسسة الإذاعة والتلفزيون في الأردن حيث بدأت كمذيعة ومحررة أخبار ومن ثم إنتقلت إلى منصب مساعدة المدير العام للمؤسسة لشؤون التدريب والتطوير.

حكم المرحلة النهائية لفئة الصحافة المرئية:

من دبي السيد نبيل الخطيب هو حاليا المحررالتنفيذي لقناة العربية. لديه خبرة واسعة في الدراسات الإعلامية وإخراج الأفلام والتقارير السياسية.  عمل لعدة سنوات استاذا للاعلام في جامعة  بير زيت كما ترأس قسم الإعلام هناك وأسس معهدا للاعلام فيها. خبرته العملية وخلفيته الأكاديمية مكناه من لعب دور بناء في هذا المجال.

حكّام فئة التصوير الصحفي:

من الاردن لندا خوري وهي مؤسسة ومالكة دارة التصوير في عمان حيث تعطي دروس في مجال التصوير لكافة المستويات. درست في لبنان وأنهت عدة دورات في مجال التصوير وقادت العديد من ورشات العمل التدريبية لرفع معايير الاداء المهني لدي المصورين الصحافيين في الاردن.

رمزي حيدر لديه خبرة طويلة كمصورحيث غطى الحرب الأهلية اللبنانية بالإضافة إلى الهجوم الإسرائيلي عام 1982. هو رئيس وصاحب ” ذاكرة – جمعية مهرجان الصورة” والتي علمت 500 طفل في المخيمات الفلسطينية في لبنان مبادىء التصوير الفوتوغرافي وقد نشر كتاب بعملهم. وهو يمثل لبنان في إتحاد المصورين العرب.

مايكل نيلسون. يعمل حاليا في القاهرة وهو مدير مكتب الشرق الاوسط لوكالة التصوير الصحافي الاوروبية. بدأ مهنته كمصور مع ال UPI في بيروت خلال الحرب الاهلية ثم ترقى في الوظائف حتى اصبح يعمل مع وكالة الانباء الفرنسية – القاهرة كمصور متقدم لمنطقة الشرق الاوسط حيث غطى الحرب العراقية – الايرانية وحرب الخليج والانتفاضة الفلسطينية والحرب الاهلية السودانية.

The Inquirer Awards, hosted by the Thomson Media Foundation, spotlights the achievements of investigative journalists in Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, Palestine and Iraq whose stories really make a difference. Print and television journalists as well as photojournalists are eligible to compete for the prestigious award. The winners will be announced at a ceremony in Beirut on February 3.

❮ Click here for Arabic version of this story  جائزة الصحافي المتقصي لعام ٢٠١١

The judging panel comprises:

Print category. First round judges

From Jordan, Ms Randa Habib has spent a quarter of a century covering war, politics and economic development in the Middle East.  Currently the bureau chief of the French News Agency in Jordan, Ms. Habib has long experience as a field journalist having extensively covered the situation in Iraq since the first Gulf war in 1990.

From Palestine, Mr Walid Omary is currently Bureau Chief of AlJazeera Network Satellite Channel, Jerusalem. Mr Omari also worked as a co-ordinator for radio training at the Birzeit University Media Institute. Mr Omary was formerly a correspondent for Multi Kolti Radio Station in Berlin, and Radio Orient in Paris.  He is the author of several books on Israeli media and politics, and is the recipient of a number of awards.

From Syria, Mr Ibrahim Hamidi is currently the bureau chief and senior correspondent in Damascus of the London-based al-Hayat newspaper and LBC Television. He is also a contributor to outlets such as the English language Forward magazine and Syria Today.

From Lebanon, Mr Edmond Saab is currently a political columnist for Al Saffir daily newspaper in Lebanon. Mr Saab started his journalism career with Annahar daily newspaper and worked his way up to become executive editor.

From Iraq, Mrs Alia Taleb Al Jbouri has a long history in media and journalism in Iraq, where she has held several senior positions. She is currently  editor-in-chief of Narjes magazine, focusing on women and human rights issues. She was in charge of the International Solidarity Centre for Journalists and a media consultant for the International Federation of Journalists.

Lord Fowler presents the 2009 Inquirer Award to television category winner Josephine Deeb, from Lebanon

Print category. Final round judge

From Kuwait, Dr Ayed Al Manna’a is currently  Secretary General of The Gulf Association of Journalists and Analysts.  He is a freelance political analyst for Kuwait Radio and Television, Al Jazeera, Al Arabiya and several other regional and pan-Arab stations.  He has a regular column in Al Watan daily newspaper and is also a professor of Public Administration at Kuwait University.

Television category. First round

From Lebanon, Dr Ahmad Zeineddine is currently professor of journalism at the media department of the Lebanese University.  He also works with a number of media organisations, including Al Hayat Newspaper, Al Jazeera Media Training Centre and the Media Dialogue programme of the BBC World Service.  Dr. Zeineddine has extensive experience in journalism in both academic study and practical experience, having worked at several news organisations in Lebanon and France.  He recently published Journalistic Editing – A Practical Guide.

From Jordan, Ms Bayan Tal Bayan Tal is a communication expert who worked as a broadcast journalist, anchor and executive at Jordan Radio and Television Corporation (JRTVC) for 25 years. In 2005 she moved to the Prime Ministry where she was charged with establishing a government communication department and was part of the team that drafted The National Agenda – a 10-year comprehensive program for Jordan. She spent the next five years in charge of His Majesty King Abdullah’s international communications at the Royal Hashemite Court.

Television category. Final round

From Dubai, Mr Nabil Khatib is currently the executive editor of Al-Arabiya News Channel. He has extensive hands-on experience in media studies, film production and political reporting.  For several years Mr Khatib worked as a professor of mass communications at Birzeit University.

Photojournalism category

From Amman, photography trainer Linda Khoury is founder and owner of Darat Al Tasweer. She studied in Lebanon and has conducted many training workshops with the aim of raising the professional standard of photojournalism in Jordan.

Ramzi Haidar brings wide experience as a photojournalist, covering the Lebanese civil war including the Israeli invasion of 1982. He is President and founder of Zakira – the Image Festival Association, which has taught 500 children in the Palestinian camps in Lebanon basic photography and published a book of their work.  He also represents Lebanon in the Arab Photographers Union.

Michael Nelson was formerly the Middle East Bureau Manager for the European Pressphoto Agency (EPA) and is currently based in the US.  He started his career as a photojournalist with UPI in Beirut during the civil war and became senior Middle East photographer with AFP based in Cairo.  Among his many field assignments he covered the Iraq/Iran war, the Gulf war, the Palestinian Intifada and the Sudanese civil war.

• Since 2003, the Inquirer Award has become a showcase for some of the region’s finest journalists. The Inquirer Awards past winners page lists journalists who have continued to earn the highest respect from peers and communities.

Judges will be looking for entries that show comprehensive and thorough research, incisive interviewing techniques, and creative, well-constructed writing and presentation.

• For enquiries regarding the Inquirer Awards, email: inquirer.award@gmail.com

It  followed a week-long course on investigative reporting in print delivered by Thomson Media Foundation consultant Paul Horrocks, former editor in chief of the Manchester Evening News (pictured). The project is being co-ordinated by the Centre for Investigative Journalism in Nepal – the second course held there this year.

The campaign, supported by the British Embassy, will judge the best two journalists who have had stories published up to the end of January 2012 , with an emphasis on exposing corruption. The winners will visit UK media houses in March next year.

Announcing the competition, British Ambassador to Nepal, Mr John Tucknott said the UK Government placed Press freedom at the heart of its foreign policy and a free media is integral to democracy.

He added: “The absence of the rule of law, numerous reported cases of impunity, and widespread corruption and financial irregularities regularly dominate Nepal’s headlines. But beyond the headlines, we rarely see exclusive news stories that have forced policy makers to rethink their approach or which have impacted significantly on tackling issues related to the rule of law and economic accountability.

“Despite its tremendous potential, investigative journalism is still in its infancy in Nepal. We hope that through this programme participants from Nepali media across the country have had the opportunity to learn new, innovative skills in the field of investigative journalism.”

Journalists in Nepal after completing a course in investigative journalism led by the Thomson Media Foundation

Up to 20 journalists took part in the training held at Chhahari Services in Kathmandu.  Said Paul Horrocks: “The media in Nepal is expanding fast, but has no real track record in digging beneath stories to expose wrongdoing. We concentrated on real issues which Nepali society is grappling with – from corruption at the heart of government to the general lack of accountability on where public money is spent.

“The participants produced a wide range of story projects from the appalling state of the roads to the systematic gang poaching of wildlife.

“Reporters in Nepal face very different pressures than those we see in the UK , from intimidation and attack to commercial censorship. The group was really enthusiastic and the help provided by the Centre for Investigative Journalism, particularly my co-presenter Mr Hasta Gurung was invaluable.“

Details of the competition were published in newspapers both in Kathmandu and the outlying regions.

Speaking at the presentation of training certificates, Mr. Rajendra Dahal, Immediate Past Chairman of CIJ -Nepal, stressed the need of such a campaign to ensure the rule of law and economic accountability. He hoped that the awards would encourage more journalists to pursue investigative reporting.

In 2012, we’ll be celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Thomson Foundation. Over the decades since 1962, we’ve supported the growth of some of the developing world’s most dynamic media organisations. As champions of responsible journalism and press freedom, we have led projects to empower media emerging from times of war, oppression or natural disaster; raised awareness of global issues such as climate change; brought together journalists divided by cultural and political boundaries …

And throughout those 50 years, our trainers have led countless courses and workshops, inspiring journalists and raising professional standards.

Many of the journalists we trained have gone on to senior positions in television, radio and print. Others pursued different directions, inside and outside mainstream media.

We’ll be looking to involve ALL alumni in our plans for the 50th anniversary. But to get the ball rolling, we want to make contact with some of those who trained with the Thomson Foundation in years gone by – in the Nineties, Eighties, Seventies … even Sixties. We’d like to spotlight their memories and career paths, and add perspective to a changing media world. Who knows, we may even revive a few lost friendships.

The class of 2011, attending a Thomson Foundation multimedia workshop in Barbados. But where are the journalists and media professionals who trained with us in past decades?

Getting in touch couldn’t be easier. Simply complete the form below with a few details, and we’ll get back to you

All alumni are welcome to join the Thomson Foundation Alumni group on LinkedIn. For updates on Thomson Foundation news and projects, including the 50th Anniversary, be sure to Like our Facebook Page and follow @thomfound on Twitter.

• The Thomson Foundation was founded by Roy Thomson – later Lord Thomson of Fleet – who built up a global post-war media empire of over 200 newspapers, magazines and TV stations, including The Times, The Toronto Globe and Mail and Scottish TV. In his speech to the Commonwealth Association heralding the birth of the Thomson Foundation, this passionate advocate of press freedom described communication as ‘the spine of civilisation.’

Just hours before, the 14 journalists from television, radio and newspapers across the region had learned how to create and manage liveblogs using a variety of online tools, sources and curation techniques.

The session ended with the journalists reporting ‘live’ on a press briefing and Q&A on the work of the British High Commission.

As the drama of Gadaffi’s death unfolded, the journalists taking part in a Thomson Media Foundation Multimedia Workshop were able to compare how major media organisations were using liveblogs to keep pace with the story, as well monitor the wave of comment, speculation and conversation sweeping across the social web.

The six-day workshop was sponsored by the British High Commission in Barbados and held at the PomMarine Hotel – itself a training college for young people learning hotel industry skills.

At the workshop opening ceremony attended by High Commissioner Paul Brummell, veteran Caribbean journalist and Editor Emeritus of Nation Newspapers Harold Hoyte urged the journalists to grasp the opportunity to learn everything they could about new media, while not forgetting the traditional values and responsibilities that apply to all journalists.

Dan Mason, front centre, with journalists from around the Caribbean region taking part in the Thomson Media Foundation Multimedia Workshop in Barbados

Mr Brummell also hosted an evening reception at which the journalists mixed with media leaders from Barbados and presented certificates of achievement at the end of the workshop.

The workshop, led by trainer and consultant Dan Mason, brought together journalists from Trindad, Guyana, Antigua, Grenada, St Kitts, Dominica, St Vincent and Barbados.

During the week, they tackled a wide range of multimedia and online skills, including social media, blogging and online writing, photography, audio, video, curation, liveblogging and data journalism.

Gilly Metzgen, Political Officer at the British High Commission in Barbados, said: “The British High Commission offices in the Eastern Caribbean were delighted with the outcomes from the workshop facilitated by Dan Mason from the Thomson Foundation.

“A group of young regional journalists were enthused by Dan’s knowledge of the cutting edge of social media and went away with greatly enhanced skill sets as well as a network of like-minded colleagues from St Kitts in the north to Guyana in the south.”

What journalists said about the workshop:

“The teaching approach was superb. Practical and individual attention was on point.”

“I found the impact of social media most interesting. It made me see how our organization can better establish its name, targeting all age groups.”

“Not a single things was irrelevant to me. Even segments that touched on tools I was already familiar with, I still found wildly interesting.”

• For more pictures from the workshop, visit the Thomson Media Foundation on Facebook.

• The Caribbean Multimedia Journalism Workshop was made possible through the support of the British High Commission. For more information on working with the Thomson Media Foundation, contact Tim Rogers.

Kliptown, the oldest suburb of Soweto. A name with an honourable place in every modern South African history book, as it was here in 1955 that those committed to changing the way the country was governed met to create their Freedom Charter.

On this cool, windy Tuesday morning in the spring of 2011 a minibus draws up next to Kliptown’s open-air market and fifteen journalists from all over the country get out. They’re off to find stories which they’ll turn into compelling radio by using the skills they’ve learned during the Thomson Foundation’s latest training course for the South African Broadcasting Corporation.

One reporter wants to find out how that lady sitting by the road is keeping a roof over her family’s heads by buying and selling chickens – a typical African small enterprise. Others are recording in noisy stalls which sell pirate CDs – who’s buying these illegal copies? Are they really harming musicians? And in a country of high youth unemployment, we’ll hear the story of a young man who’s created his own job by setting up a one-man welding business on a rough, dusty patch of waste ground.

With eighteen radio stations broadcasting in many languages, SABC is highly influential and styles itself as ‘South Africa’s news and information leader’. It’s a complex role and reporters face big challenges. Many have to go on air in several different languages. They’re trying to explain political developments in Cape Town to people more than a thousand miles away near the Zimbabwean border. They may have to convey the sounds and significance of an important Tswana cultural festival in the country’s far north to others living far away in KwaZulu-Natal. They also cover major international news – such as the African response to the fighting in Libya.

An SABC journalist conducts an interview during the field trip to Kliptown

Building on last year’s course, the Thomson Media Foundation is back to help give SABC reporters the confidence and skills to do the job even better. For some that means going back to basics and working hard on their writing. Others are keen to practice interviewing, or try out techniques for gathering the sounds which will bring their work alive. The training stresses the need to explore the “real” issues behind the news event – to show via radio what’s really going on in a fast-changing country and, above all, to put people and the stories they care about at the heart of the output.

We also listen to radio from other countries and looked at the way good reporters use their descriptive powers to paint pictures with sound. The technique which most excites the group involves recording links and packages on location rather than in studio. They’ve looked at how to bring natural sound into reports from the field without spending hours editing and mixing on a laptop. It could be an important skill for specialist reporters who want to make political coverage more relevant to the people whose lives are actually affected by what happens in parliament or a provincial legislature.

One day a trainer from a neighbouring room comes in to find out what all the noise is about. No, it’s not a row! Just a very loud and passionate debate which sees the trainees forming editorial teams in order to pitch their best ideas and story treatments to one another.

At the end of the course each person makes a pledge focussed on a key way to improve their work. In a big, diverse country which is changing every day, there are many, many stories out there. Now let’s go and tell them.

Click images to enlarge

Six senior journalists – from Uganda, South Africa, Qatar, Nigeria and two from Malawi – travelled to Cardiff for the one-month course, which covered a wide range of online, social media, mobile journalism, writing, investigation and multimedia skills.

They also visited news operations and had the opportunity to quiz visiting media experts in subjects including media law and newsroom management. In a Skype interview, the journalists discussed reporting from conflict zones using mobile tools with award-winning photographer Balazs Gardi, whose recent work in Afghanistan was shot using an iPhone.

The course was led by the Thomson Media Foundation’s David Quin with online and multimedia trainer Dan Mason. During the course, the journalists learned how to create and manage content for their own blog, use social media tools for research and developing community, and adapt their own newspaper, radio and television skills for multimedia news.

A week of television skills, including storytelling, shooting and editing, was led by Colin Larcombe from Cardiff University’s School of Journalism, Media and Cultural Studies. This featured footage filmed during a visit to the Llangollen International Eisteddfod, where the journalists interviewed humanitarian campaigner and former Beirut hostage Terry Waite.

Humanitarian campaigner Terry Waite meets Convergence Course journalists at the Llangollen International Eisteddfod. From left: Vicus Burger, Dickson Kashoti, Chamberlain Usoh, Terry Waite, Mabvuo Banda, Hashmat Moslih

Hashmat Moslih, a senior producer with Al Jazeera in Doha, said he found the course both intense and interactive: “It was one of the most exciting and enriching experiences I have ever had in any media training course.

“I enjoyed the training about how to use smaller gadgets such as mobile phones to make quality reports. I also learned how to create and manage a website hosting audio, video and text. Before attending this course I wrote stories in an academic style, but I have learned to write for real people in a more relaxed and informal way.

“Learning to use and manipulate information on social media was also a great add-on to my skills.”

Award-winning reporter Vicus Burger, from South Africa’s Volksblad newspaper in Bloemfontein, saw the course as an important milestone in his career: “I’ve never left the African continent before this trip. Despite my passion for journalism I had a rather narrow point of reference. But that has changed now. I’m not going back home the same person.”

The Vodacom Journalist of the Year also recognised the value of meeting media professionals from other countries and cultures: “The course provided the opportunity to build working relationships with other journalists from different countries. For the same reason my work experience at The Guardian Media Group proved to be very useful.”

Vicus added: “The Thomson Media Foundation has some of the best players in the journalism game. It was amazing just to listen to the stories of their experiences in the field. They are passionate people who know what they are talking about when it comes to ethical reporting, whether through print, web, broadcasting or convergence in the media.”

Vicus Burger, a reporter with the Volksblad newspaper in Bloemfontein, South Africa, receives his Convergence and Multimedia Skills Course certificate from Thomson Media Foundation trustees Patsy Robertson, left, and Carin Pimlott

For Mabvuto Banda, a Reuters correspondent from Malawi, the course provided a chance to re-evaluate his approach to journalism: “The lecture on ethical responsibility taught me to look at the variables before I set out to write something, especially if it may harm family and friends.

“It resonated so well with me because I have been arrested five times for my work. That is not to say I will stop my crusader type of journalism, but I need to consider the options before embarking on any project.”

New search and social media tools also left a big impression on Mabvuto: “Lessons on how to use Google for investigative stories, how to write for the web and how to set up online platforms to reach a wider audience were so amazing.

“I have since set up a Facebook Page for Malawi news; I am polishing up my blog; am more active on Twitter than ever before; using Google Reader to the maximum … and Hootsuite is just magical!”

Mabvuto added: “The introduction to video editing – how to use the camera, do voiceovers and structure a story – has shaped me into the journalist I have always wanted to be.”

Following four weeks of Cardiff-based training, the journalists spent a further two weeks on work placements in UK newsrooms, including the Press Association and Guardian Media Group in London, before returning to their home countries.

• Thumbnail image shows Hadija Nabukenya, from Uganda‘s Bukedde TV.

• Contact the Thomson Media Foundation for information about media training and consultancy services worldwide.

Click images to launch gallery …

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Influential media figures were invited to a special forum in the capital Tunis to discuss the concept of a voluntary code and throw their weight behind the initiative.

The event, hosted by the Thomson Media Foundation and chaired by consultant Mark Webster (pictured), made front page headlines in Tunisia’s leading French language newspaper, La Presse.

According to La Presse, two of the country’s most important media organisations – The Syndicat of Journalistes and the government-led L’Instance Nationale pour la Reforme de l’Information et de la Communication – gave their support.

It was a significant moment, following weeks of lobbying media figures, government entities, civil society and international NGOs. The two major players offered both their backing and commitment to seeing through the introduction of a code of conduct.

La Charte Vital: How La Presse reported news of the initiative to establish a code of conduct for journalists covering the Tunisian elections

The Thomson Media Foundation has facilitated voluntary codes for journalists in several countries engaged in the process of transition.

In the wake of the protests that led to the downfall of President Ben Ali, Tunisian media organisations have faced public anger and distrust. Confidence in journalism is low. The code aims to restore public trust by getting media professionals to pledge themselves publicly to ethical, balanced and fair reporting during the election process.

The Thomson Media Foundation is committed to helping the Tunisian media to draw up a code that suits the country’s  circumstances – a code by Tunisians for Tunisians.

• The project to establish a voluntary code of conduct for journalists in Tunisia is funded by the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) and led by the Thomson Media Foundation.

Contact the Thomson Media Foundation for more information about its work in Tunisia and other countries where the media is facing major challenges.

Road to democracy: The media is fighting to gain the trust and respect of Tunisian citizens

The Thomson Media Foundation – leader in the training and support of journalists and media organisations across the developing world – today announced the appointment of a new Chief Executive.

Nigel Baker, 55, joins us from the world’s largest news agency, The Associated Press (AP), where he is Vice President of Business Operations for EMEA and Asia.

He brings a mix of world-class commercial and journalism skills in the news business to the foundation, which is approaching its 50th anniversary.

Baker was a driving force in taking the AP’s international television wing, Association Press Television News, from start up to market leader, serving successively as Head of News, Director of Content and Managing Director before taking over his current role in 2008. While with AP, he led negotiations with the North Korean government to open the first bureau of a western news organisation in Pyongyang in 2006.

Earlier in his career he held senior editorial roles with ITN, Reuters and Sky News and covered major stories in the Middle East, the Balkans and CIS.

He holds an MSc in eCommerce from Brunel University and has undertaken management training at Oxford University and the Open University.

Lord Fowler, Chairman of the Trustees of the Thomson Media Foundation, said: “I am delighted with the appointment. We are very fortunate to have found someone with such powerful media experience. Nigel will have a crucial role in developing the foundation as we come up to our 50th anniversary.”

Baker said: “I am proud to be able to lead the Foundation into the next stage of its development. There has never been a more demanding, or challenging time, for the international news industry – whether it is looking for leadership in basic journalism skills, ethics, media convergence or new business models.

“The Thomson Media Foundation has a growing role to play in helping the industry make sense of a rapidly changing landscape.”

• The Foundation is a UK-based charity providing training and development advice to media companies in the developing world. It is independent and non-aligned and was established in 1962 with an endowment from the Canadian media magnate, Lord Thomson of Fleet, to promote a democratic Press. Since its formation, it has trained thousands of journalists across 80 countries in print, TV, radio and online.