The Young Journalist’s Center of Moldova launched the project “Quality Journalism for Young People of Moldova” within which 90 young journalists will take part in training courses for 11 months. During the project, the young people will be involved in internships at media outlets and will examine how the journalistic deontological norms are obeyed.
In a news conference at IPN, project director Ecaterina Covali said the project aims to contribute to developing young journalists’ abilities to produce editorial materials. Within the project, there will be carried out activities aimed at ensuring the development and strengthening of the network of young journalists from the two banks of the Nistru, including Gagauzia. The project aims to educate a whole generation of professional journalists able to make journalistic materials of a high quality.
The head of the Young Journalist’s Center of Moldova Catalina Dumbraveanu said the participants in the project will be able to attend masterclasses at the most prestigious media organizations of the country. There will be organized meetings with well-known national journalists. For the first time after the foundation, the Center intends to hold the Gala of Young Journalists, where the best young journalists of Moldova will be awarded. The project will last for 11 months. At the end, the young journalists will receive quality certificates.
Natalia Scurtul, coordinator of the Young Journalists Center from the Transnistrian region, said that there is only one faculty of journalism in Transnistria and most of the high school graduates choose other professions. The young journalists want to work only on the television as they think they will become famous faster this way. The disciplines taught at the universities are outdated and cover only 10% of the knowledge that a young journalist must have. Thus, such a project is very important for the young journalists from the two banks of the Nistru as they will be able to develop together as specialists.
“Ziarul de Garda” director Alina Radu said the contemporary young journalists do not benefit from sufficient practice in the process of learning a job, while three years of studies at the faculty are not enough for preparing professional journalists. There are young journalists with prospects in Moldova, but they need as much practical work as possible.
The project “Quality Journalism for Young People of Moldova” is financed with a grant provided by the U.S. Embassy.