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*CERTIFICATE COURSE IN CITIZEN JOURNALISM *The two-month ten-sessions course is designed as a weekend programme. It will be conducted at the Journalism Mentor Centre at Andheri East every Saturday morning. We are also exploring the possibility of having the sessions at other locations across Mumbai, and across the country. Citizen Journalism with its variants in Public Journalism or Civic Journalism acquired the accoutrements of a movement in the early 2000s, particularly in the United States. But the origins of Citizen Journalism are as old as journalism, when pamphlets and reports were issued by citizens. Some of the most powerful pieces of journalistic writing can be traced back to individual initiatives of citizens as reporters not reporters as professionals. The need for citizens as journalists and for citizen journalists has been increasingly felt as media companies with their business and professional news gathering models do not necessarily commit enough resources to covering issues that beset a democracy such as ours or do not have any incentive to cover problems from a wide swathe of society. But not covering these problems and issues does not wish away the reality. And that is precisely where citizen journalists can reclaim the conversation. It needs to be remembered that the freedom of the press in India is an extension of the freedom of expression given to each citizen. JM Foundation for Excellence in Journalism believes that India needs vigorous citizen journalism since it is well nigh impossible, for various reasons, for the news media organizations to cover all issues that need to be brought into the public eye. Hence, we have launched a Citizen Journalism initiative, which will both train citizen journalists and also provide them with a forum where they report. Course Contents: Some of the key areas covered in the course include Citizen Journalism backgrounder and how it is practiced globally, basics of reporting, news gathering, presenting the story through words and pictures, ethics including accuracy and fairness, laws including slander and privacy, introduction to IPC and Criminal Procedure Code, civic laws and use of technology in Citizen Journalism. Every student will be provided an email id and their work will be put on a portal dedicated to citizen journalism called CitizensReport.in Eligibility: Anyone interested in doing citizen journalism. Basic language skills needed. *Fee:* Rs. 3000/- (Includes reading material, year-long access to email firstname.lastn...@citizenjournalists.in and posting privileges to www.CitizensReport.in, the Citizens Reporting portal being launched by JM Foundation for Excellence in Journalism.) *Class Size:* 15 per batch. Classes Begin: August 1, 2010. Every Saturday 12 to 3pm To register: 1. Email Name, Contact Details and CV to " citizenjournal...@journalism.org.in" 2. Send a draft or cheque of Rs. 3000 favouring "JM Foundation for Excellence in Journalism" AND a hard copy of the CV to 302 Shubham Centre "A" CHSL, Cardinal Gracias Road, Chakala, Andheri (East), Mumbai 400 099. Registration Deadline: July 15, 2010 *Queries:* Call 022-28261785/8929 or email Shishir Joshi/Aloke Thakore at shish...@journalism.org.in and alo...@journalism.org.in. A Section 25 not-for-profit incorporated under the Companies Act. 1956.
