Dual journalism training program in Bolivia: Third round of trainees

María Luz Vaca, TV station Abya Yala, Bolivia

Describe yourself in hashtags.

#feminist #PartTimeMum #PartTimeJournalist #ILovePolitics 

What topics do you cover?

I mainly write about laws relating to domestic violence, harassment and police violence, and about the protection of children and youth.

What is your biggest challenge?

Meeting deadlines while I'm trying to get responses from interview partners, and authorities refusing to provide information.

Tania Frank, TV Reality Show "Primera Plana", Bolivia

Describe yourself in hashtags.

#LatestNews #NiUnaMenos #NoMoreMurdersOfWomen

What motivated you to join the program?

We're learning how to inform society by using various channels: digital platforms, video, photography, radio, print.

What is your biggest challenge?

Trying to access sources for investigative journalism.

 

Yáskara Mendoza, News agency Fides, Bolivia

Describe yourself in hashtags.

#AdditionalTrainingUrge, #Mum #LearningPotential

What topics do you cover?

I used to be a journalist but stopped years ago. Now I'm back, working for Fides, a news agency, and compiling news for Twitter and Facebook.

What is your biggest challenge?

I think it's important to be a well-trained journalist in terms of skills and ethics. That way I can work accurately and hold the powerful accountable.

 

Yercia Mañueco, Journalist Association, La Paz, Bolivia

Describe yourself in hashtags.

#ViveLaVidaLoca #bookaddict #free

#TrainingForFreedom #NoToIndividualism

What have you learned so far?

Digital tools: TimeLine, Genially for infographics, interactive cards, story mapping and other tools for multimedia reports.  

What is your biggest challenge?

Making a government accountable that doesn’t want to be accountable – a government that refers to the media as a "cartel of liars" and "public enemy".

 

Aldo Peralta, Página Siete daily newspaper, Bolivia

Describe yourself in hashtags.

#LifeWithAGoal

What motivated you to apply to the program?

I’m not a journalist so far but I want to become one because this program is so unique in Bolivia.

What is your biggest challenge?

Producing content for various platforms that go beyond traditional media channels.

 

Lorena Amurrio,  Los Tiempos daily newspaper, Bolivia

Describe yourself in hashtags.

#PassionateJournalist #lecturer #storywriter #VeryLongSleeper

What motivated you to apply to the program?

The fact that journalism and society – our audience – are constantly changing.

What have you learned so far?

Two aspects that are extremely useful at work: becoming sensitized to gender-neutral language and learning how to work with digital tools.

 

Álvaro Sotomayor, Correo del Sur daily newspaper, Bolivia

Describe yourself in hashtags.

#curious #rational #sensitive #alert

What areas do you cover?

Basically all of them – everything from sports to criminal prosecutions.

 What is your biggest challenge?

Trying to find data when I'm doing in-depth research.

 

Andrea Ayoroa, Radio Red Erbol, Bolivia

Describe yourself in hashtags.

#optimistic #creative #persistent #uncomplicated #cheerful #authentic #unique #cheeky

What motivated you to apply to the program?

If you're a journalist it's important to be up-to-date with the latest journalistic tools, storytelling and social media.

 What is your biggest challenge?

The fact that the work journalists do isn't really appreciated in Bolivia. That's frustrating.

 

Launched in Bolivia in 2014, this dual journalism training program is a joint initiative developed by DW Akademie, the local journalism foundation partner Fundación para el Pariodismo (FPP) and the German development agency Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ). The one-year program offers a combination of theory and practice, modeled on Germany's journalism traineeships. In addition to learning more about fundamental journalism aspects, participants acquire multimedia skills. Training modules are conducted at the journalism foundation in La Paz. The program is open to aspiring journalists who work for state or private media, and many graduates have since become multimedia experts shaping Bolivia's media landscape. The training program is funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).