Arab journalists and editors will have a unique opportunity this fall to improve their media management skills through a comprehensive three-month fellowship that will include academic training with the prestigious Northwestern University in Chicago and on-site assignments at American media companies.
The fellowship program is organized and implemented by the International Research and Exchanges Board and AmmanNet. It is one element of MENA MEDIA [19], a three-year program aimed at enhancing independent media in the Arab region with support from the US Department of State’s Middle East Partnership Initiative.
Media professionals with at least 10 years of media experience from Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Tunisia, the United Arab Emirates, West Bank and Gaza, and Yemen will be invited to apply. Up to 12 fellowships will be selected this summer with participants traveling to the United States in the fall.
Mark Whitehouse, Director of IREX's Media Development Division, said that the fellowship offers professionals opportunities to expand their knowledge and see how different media systems work. "It will allow media professionals to develop their leadership skills and at the same time provide them with an inside view into how American media outlets work."
The fellowship will provide participants with the opportunity to develop leadership and management skills while experiencing alternate media management methodologies. Each fellow will complete a four- to six-week fellowship at an assigned US media outlet. Every fellowship placement will be unique and consist of a number of different tasks, responsibilities, assignments and levels of project involvement based on the expertise and goals of the fellow. Each participant will have staff member support at the media outlet who will help guide the fellow’s professional development.
Applicants will need to have a high level of proficiency in written and spoken English. Deadline for applications is June 15, 2006.
