CALL FOR APPLICATIONS: Investigative journalism grants 2018

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The Africa-China Reporting Project (the Project) at Wits Journalism is inviting all journalists to submit proposals for a series of Africa-China investigative journalism grants intended for larger and more expansive investigations. This series of grants will be supervised by Anton Harber, Caxton Professor of Journalism at Wits Journalism, who will work directly with the selected journalists.

Background

Since 2009 the Project has provided reporting grants and other opportunities for journalists to investigate complex dynamics and uncover untold stories, emphasising on-the-ground impact and perspectives to illustrate how the lives of the people of Africa are changing amid the comprehensive phenomenon of Africa-China interactions.

Now in 2018 the Project intends to support more expansive Africa-China investigations by identifying competent journalists and partners to undertake investigative journalism.

Case in point: Cross-border pangolin investigation

The Project is seeking to work with journalists who are able to deeply investigate a single topic of interest within the broad Africa-China framework, and additionally who are able to involve more partners who can assist the investigations, such as news agencies, investigative units, etc. One example of a recent highly successful investigative collaboration engineered by the Project was the cross-border pangolin investigation. The Project worked with Anu Nkeze Paul, an environmental journalist from Cameroon who investigated pangolin poaching on ground level in Cameroon, and with the Hong Kong media house HK01 who investigated demand dynamics and networks in Asia. The result was a ground-breaking investigation on how pangolins are poached in Africa and then trafficked via elaborate routes to Asia.

Potential focus areas

For these investigative reporting grants the Project thus encourages journalists to submit proposals that aim to bring to light fresh and nuanced investigations bringing in new learning about complex Africa-China relations, and ideally that involves other partners and institutions that can collaborate on and expand the investigation; the Project can potentially assist applicants to form partnerships with potential partners. The important thing is for applicants to come with fresh and new ideas for investigations and a feasible plan to carry them out. The Project also encourages multimedia reporting.

As the pangolin investigation above illustrates, there is wide scope in environmental issues for Africa-China investigative journalism and much that can still be investigated in this field. Yet within the Africa-China framework there are various issues where fresh and ground-breaking reporting can be undertaken, such as the following:

  • Economy: Corporate activities, criminal networks, business links, etc.
  • Social: Health, public services, etc.
  • Political: Government dealings/engagements, aid and development assistance, education and sponsorships, etc.
  • Environment: Following-up on the ban in ivory trade, complexities of implementation; poaching & trafficking; pollution, etc.
  • And more topics such as agriculture; industrialisation; change/evolution in Africa-China ties; anti-piracy measures; Chinese private security in Africa and the arms trade

 

These are suggested themes, but as long as the focus is within the broad Africa-China framework the Project will consider each proposal on its own merits.

In addition to the pangolin investigation, here is a short list of investigative journalism that the Project has supported in the past that may be instructive for applicants:

How to apply

The Project is looking for experienced investigative journalists who have new and fresh ideas and the means to deliver them. Applications containing the following items should be sent to [email protected] by no later than 27 April:

  • Applicant CV, and list of previous Africa-China reporting and/or previous investigative journalism reporting
  • Proposal for story to be investigated, with a clear headline at the start and a brief report of WHAT will be investigated and HOW, including a detailed methodology for how the investigation will be undertaken (explaining feasibility of timeframe execution) and a planned timeline for the investigation
  • An indication of which partners will be used/required and how this will expand the investigation
  • A budget with specific line items totalling as much as $3,000

For any further questions please contact the Project team at

[email protected].

 

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开放申请：2018年非中调查报道津贴

金山大学新闻系“非中报道项目”邀请广大记者朋友申请一揽子旨在支持大规模、拓展性非洲-中国调查报道的采访津贴。这一系列津贴将由金山大学新闻系卡克斯顿新闻学教授（Caxton Professor of Journalism）安东·哈勃（Anton Harber）监督，并由他直接指导入选记者。

背景

本项目自2009年起开始向非洲和中国记者提供采访津贴及其他机会，以揭示非洲人民的生活如何在包罗万象的中非合作互动进程中被改变，调查其中复杂的动态和不为人知的故事，尤其关注实地的影响和人们的观点。

2018年，项目将开始支持更大型的非中调查报道，为此我们将选拔优秀的记者与合作伙伴来开展调查采访。

典型案例：跨国穿山甲贸易

本项目希望，与我们合作的记者能够对非中框架下的某个单一话题进行深入调查，并且能够与更多伙伴一起开展合作调查，后者比如新闻机构、致力于调查新闻的非营利组织等等。我们最近支持的一个成功合作案例是跨国穿山甲盗猎调查。我们与喀麦隆环境记者Anu Nkeze Paul和香港媒体HK01合作，由前者对喀麦隆的穿山甲走私情况进行调查，后者则针对亚洲市场的穿山甲需求及其销售网络展开调查。这一合作报道首次揭示了穿山甲如何在非洲被盗猎，并如何通过复杂的路线被运往亚洲。

潜在的重点领域

本项目希望记者提交的方案能够产生新颖而细致的调查，能够创造有关非中关系的新的认识，同时，最好能与多个伙伴和机构开展合作，从而将调查范围加以拓展。我们有可能可以帮助申请人与潜在伙伴建立联系。对申请人来说，最重要的事是提出新鲜的调查想法，并为之制定一份可行的计划。本项目亦鼓励多媒体报道。

前述的穿山甲报道的例子很好地展示了在非中互动中有着丰富的环境议题有待挖掘。除此之外，非中之间还有许多新鲜而具有潜在突破性的话题值得报道，比如：

  • 经济：企业行为、犯罪网络、商业关系，等等；
  • 社会：医疗、公共服务，等等；
  • 政治：政府交易/合作、援助和发展支持、教育和赞助，等等；
  • 环境：有关中国禁止象牙贸易的后续报道（比如政策实施中的问题）、盗猎和走私、污染，等等；
  • 其他话题比如农业、工业化、非中关系的变化和发展、反盗版措施、在非中资私营安保业，以及军火贸易等。

以上话题仅供申请人参考，但只要方案的关注点落在广泛的非洲-中国关系框架范围内，项目都将根据其自身质量予以考虑。

除了穿山甲调查之外，以下是本项目曾支持的部分调查报道名单，可能对申请人有参考意义：

如何申请

我们正在寻找有经验的调查记者，希望您有新鲜的想法，和实现它的手段。请在不晚于4月27日将包括以下内容的申请发至：[email protected]

  • 申请人简历。包括过往非中关系的报道和/或调查报道作品列表，最好附上网络链接；
  • 报道方案。一个清晰的标题，和一份包括报道什么、如何报道、采用何种工作手法，和工作时间安排的方案;
  • 说明需要哪些合作伙伴，以及这将如何有助于拓展调查的范围或深度；
  • 一份最高额度为3000美元，列出具体开支项目的预算表。

进一步垂询请发邮件至：africa–[email protected].

Admin

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