Call for Application: Competing Narratives

n-ost and Media Initiatives Center invite skilled editors and journalists from Armenia, Georgia, Moldova, Turkey and Ukraine to apply for participation in “Competing Narratives”. The project is designed for media representatives who (want to) focus on foreign reporting as the way the media reports on international events reflects both the image of "others" and the image we have and want to spread of ourselves as a nation. Through this initiative we support the format of editorial and opinion articles and its further popularisation and establishment in the media landscapes of the project countries.

20 selected editors/journalists will work with international experts who will provide insights into the peculiarities of commentary articles dedicated to international affairs.

Eligible are editors & journalists (radio, TV, online and print) having at least 5 years experience and good English speaking skills who would like to:

• refresh/expand their knowledge and skills on the journalistic format "editorial &opinion articles"
• gain/deepen knowledge on the topic "International Politics in the Region”
• develop a new understanding of contentious issues in international relations
• develop/strengthen the ability to recognise and critically question/deconstruct national narratives and exchange with colleagues from neighbouring countries
• have the opportunity to learn from journalists from internationally renowned media and to publish commentaries in foreign media

• online roundtable with participants and experts (May 2023)
• a 3-day workshop in Yerevan (June 2023) aimed to discuss how national narratives are shaping the views on a certain political situation and how it can be reflected in editorials and commentaries.
• publishing 2-3 editorials per month (July 2023-February 2024) focusing on regional politics and connected to the countries taking part in the project. Small stipends are planned for the selected media outlets.
• online events with international experts throughout the year will give the participants the opportunity to tell each other about the (positive and negative) reactions they have triggered in the readership with their commentaries.
• knowledge multiplication through small workshops lead by participating editors/journalists for colleagues or journalism students in their countries.
• a 2-day workshop in Tbilisi (October 2023) dedicated to topics/developments which are worth to be commented from several perspectives and touching the content production for media outlets from project countries.
• exchange of commentaries among selected media (November 2023- February 2024), thus directly challenging and enriching their audiences with other points of view.

The long term aim of “Competing Narratives” is to transform the group of participating editors/journalists into a network which cooperates and continues the exchange of reports, opinions and commentary articles after the project ends.

The working language: English

Deadline: 25 May 2023

How to apply?

If you’re interested to participate in the project, please fill in this form by 25 May 2023.

Any questions concerning the application can be directed to Mila Corlateanu corlateanu@n-ost.org andVigen Sargsyan to assistant@mediainitiatives.am. .

We look forward to receiving your application!

About us:

n-ost network consists of around 250 journalists and media activists all over the world. It hosts a number of projects, organises events, publishes on and does projects for Eastern and Central Europe, Central Asia and South Caucasus and hosts a yearly media conference.

MIC (Media Initiatives Center) has been working since 1995 to strengthen independent media and to preserve a pluralistic public sphere and freedom of expression. It carries out a wide range of projects (capacity building for the media and journalists, media literacy, innovative content development and co-production, improvement of media legislation and the protection of journalists’ rights,, etc.) in all regions of Armenia and beyond the country's borders.