Press Releases

Vietnamese Journalists to Strengthen Their Environmental Reporting Skills

Photo: Earth Journalism Network Vietnamese journalists participate in the first Vietnam environmental journalism workshop March 5-9 organized by Internews' Environmental Journalism Network and local partner and sub-grantee, the Vietnam Forum for Environmental Journalists.

(March 23, 2007) The need to protect Vietnam’s rich biodiversity will be the focus of a new project conducted by Internews to train journalists in environmental reporting. 

Internews' Earth Journalism Network will work in partnership with the Vietnam Forum of Environmental Journalists in organizing three one-week training programs in North, Central and South Vietnam in 2007. Up to 40 print journalists will be trained in environmental science and reporting skills to promote informed, interesting and responsible news coverage. 

“We hope that as a result of this project, senior editors will be more willing to consider publishing stories about the world we live in—and how to protect it—because journalists will be submitting stories which have strong news value, and good writing and research," said Earth Journalism Network's Executive Director, James Fahn.

According to Fahn, the Vietnam Forum of Environmental Journalists is already working to develop the professional skills of its members to effectively report important stories in the field.

“Environmental issues are the most complicated issues to be understood and written correctly,” said Hoang Quoc Dung, the Standing Vice Chairperson and General Secretary of the Vietnam Forum of Environmental Journalists. “A reporter who does not have a science background or lacks knowledge of science will face difficulties writing environmental and, in particular, biodiversity stories.”  

The project will also award small fellowships to participants in the training programs who successfully complete a story proposal. It is part of a larger project funded by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation to extend Internews’ network of committed environmental reporters to include journalists in Vietnam and, later in the year, Cambodia. 

Internews project teams have already been working in Vietnam, delivering journalism training on HIV/AIDS, avian flu, and Internet skills. The Earth Journalism Network also has projects in Indonesia, China, and Thailand. 

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

James Fahn, Executive Director, Earth Journalism Network

Earth Journalism Network

Hoang Quoc Dung, Standing Vice Chairperson and General Secretary of the Vietnam Forum of Environmental Journalists   

Vietnam Forum of Environmental Journalists