Bolivia: For Journalism

Isabel Vega receives a cheerful welcome as she enters the classroom on Monday morning wearing a colorful scarf wrapped around her head to tame her hair. She and the other fourteen trainees greet each other and exchange hugs. These are the first students taking part in a new multimedia journalism traineeship called Pro Periodismo that's being conducted at the journalism association Fundación para el Periodismo (FPP) in La Paz. It's the start of the fourth of nine practical seminar modules.

This time the focus is on multimedia cultural reporting. The young journalists simulate a radio editorial team and everyone has a role to play - as reporters, hosts or editor-in-chief. They get down to work, intensively discussing potential topics for the program. "It's great working together because we all bring a different kind of work experience to the table," says Vega. She herself has spent the last year working as a video editor for the Catholic news agency Fides.

The traineeship offers practical one-week seminars at the FPP where Bolivian and German lecturers cover topics such as data journalism, election reporting or political reporting. In between the modules, students return to their workplace and apply what they've just learned. "This is a new approach in the region as a whole - no other Latin American country offers a professional training program with a practical component like this," says Rodrigo Villarzu, head of DW Akademie's Latin America division. He adds that the Bolivian government recognizes this and is supporting the long-term project developed by the "Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ)" and DW Akademie.

Vega is convinced that she and the other trainees can help improve reporting in Bolivia. "The media have a great responsibility, especially when it comes to covering human rights abuses," says the energetic 24 year old. "But for this we need journalists with the necessary knowledge and skills."

A street scene in La Paz

The program's mission is in the name, Pro Periodismo (For Journalism). Bolivian journalism is in great need of improvement, according to Renán Estenssoro, chairperson of the journalism association FPP. He's also one of the key figures behind this dual training program. "There have been huge deficits in the system for decades. The media relay information, but don't cite sources or distinguish between fact and opinion,” Estenssoro says. “The only way to boost professional standards over the long term is to improve the training itself."

To date, aspiring journalists were simply thrown in at the deep end with little practical training or none at all. They either taught themselves the ins and outs or looked to colleagues for guidance. Although universities do offer communications studies programs, the focus is mainly on theory. "Until now, Bolivia hasn't had an institute that offers quality, systematic training at an international standard and which emphasizes the role that journalists play in a democratic society," says Elena Ern, DW Akademie's country coordinator for Bolivia. With Pro Periodismo, DW Akademie and GIZ have stepped up to fill this gap. "The one-year program is a Bolivian-style journalism traineeship," she explains. It is based partly on the traineeships offered by German public broadcasters, including Deutsche Welle's own traineeship program that dates back to 1964. But the curriculum also responds to the needs of Bolivia’s media landscape.

Both the state and private media in Bolivia have given the new training model a thumbs-up - an unusual state of affairs. Supporters and opponents of President Evo Morales' government are usually at loggerheads, as are state-owned and private media. These outlets often accuse each other of partisan political coverage, but they've shown a willingness to compromise on this program for the next generation of reporters. Both sides are supporting the project with one trainee position each. "'Pro Periodismo' is sending out a signal this way," Ern says, "and is playing a role in narrowing the divide in the country's media landscape."

Isabel Vega is among the first "Pro Periodismo" trainees

The trainees have just spent five days researching cultural topics - but they've stayed away from the familiar ones such as theater, museums and literature. "These so-called high culture topics are only interesting for a small elite," Vega says critically. Culture, she points out, also includes values and traditions, and if Bolivians aren't aware of their rights, they can't stand up for them. "As responsible journalists, we can play a role in convincing them to do this," she says, pointing to an interview done this week with a female shaman. The young reporter was impressed by the fact that the shaman enjoyed the respect of men due to her position. "During the interview, she spoke openly about violence against women," Vega says. "This not only encourages other women do the same, it forces men to confront the issue as well."

After a week of conducting interviews and street surveys and hosting an animated discussion, the trainees produced a lively cultural radio show and set up a sophisticated multimedia site to accompany it. Vega says she's happy with the results. The fact that she and her colleagues are the first group of trainees isn't a disadvantage, according to Vega. Quite the opposite in fact: She senses a pioneering spirit within the group. "We're incredibly motivated as a team and we all want to contribute to a new type of journalism in Bolivia," she says. "I hope that this kind of new, quality reporting is appreciated in our media and by the public as well."