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ARIJ, Arab Reporters for Investigative
Journalism, is a Amman-based, regional
media support network that seeks to
support independent quality professional
journalism, through funding in-depth
journalism projects, and offering media
coaching.
It will also seek to create a support
structure for investigative reporters and
editors, and to build a regional network
of journalists, editors and associations.
ARIJ is an independent, non-profit,
inclusive organization, whose sole aim is
to nurture a culture of investigative
journalism across the region, among and by
Arab media professionals and activists,
for the benefit of the Arab public.
Funded by the Danish Parliament under a
two-year programme, the organization
was
established by Arab media activists and
media organizations, in cooperation with
the Copenhagen-based International Media
Support (IMS) and the
Danish Association for Investigative
Journalism(FUJ), following a series of
meetings that were held in Copenhagen,
Damascus, Beirut and Amman.
In August 2007, the Danish
Parliament agreed to renew funding for
core ARIJ projects under a second cycle
(2007-2009).
The regional office, which formally opened
on Dec. 1, 2005, will operate in
partnership with journalists, editors, and
publishers, starting Jordan, Syria and
Lebanon, before moving into other Arab
countries.
Its grants will allow journalists and
editors, who are passionate about telling
a story but cannot go ahead with their
projects because of budget problems, to
investigate these stories, in Arabic or in
English, for the benefit of their
communities.
ARIJ will support journalists and editors
to conceive a concept, research, write,
edit and publish professional
investigative journalism reports, both
through constant training, and a grant to
cover the cost of the investigation. The
final results of the investigative
projects, will be published in
participants' respective media
organizations, and posted on the website
of ARIJ.
Journalists, with the backing of their
editors and publishers, shall initiate
ideas for issues they would like to
investigate, write up a proposal outlining
the story, what he or she expects to
prove, how this will be done, the sources
of the proof, a time framework, a draft
budget, previous writing samples, and a
letter of commitment from an editor, or
publisher, to consider publishing or
broadcasting the final product.
On-line application forms can be found on
our website
www.arij.net .
Please fill out the form. Or send it by
email to the address
info@arij.net or by faxing it to +962
6 4640406.
Applicants can either e-mail ARIJ their
applications, or send them by fax or mail.
The selected candidates will get a formal
letter authorizing the start of the
project, along with an invitation to
attend a media training workshop on
investigative journalism.
Local coaches, working with ARIJ, will
oversee the investigative project, from A
to Z, working with every journalist to
facilitate the investigation, and to help
resolve any challenge that might delay or
obstruct the investigation. ARIJ-appointed
lawyers will offer pre-publication
counseling.
What
ARIJ will offer:
We
will pay for a freelancer when a staff
reporter has to work on an investigation.
We
will pay for internal travel, hotels, etc
We
will pay for access to national and
international databases, which are not
free of charge
We
will pay for translation
We
will pay for legal screening of every
piece before publication
We
will pay for legal support if legal action
is taken against a journalist or
investigation supported by ARIJ.
We will help in publishing stories in
other countries, and ensure they are
carried by websites of international
investigative reporting networks,
including SCOOP, a regional support
structure and network for investigative
journalism in central and Eastern Europe,
that is also supported by the Danish
Foreign Ministry.
For further information, please do not
hesitate to contact ARIJ Executive
Director, Rana Sabbagh
(rana@arij.net
) or Project Director Hanadi
Gharaibeh
(hanadi@arij.net
), telfax (009626-4640406) |
