About us

This website is being produced by students of the Multimedia and Online Journalism course I, 2009, of the International Institute for Journalism (IIJ) of InWEnt. The 15 students are all journalists with a minimum of four years of professional experience. They come from partner countries of the German development cooperation, such as Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Ghana, India, Indonesia, Kenya, Pakistan, the Philippines, Tanzania, Uganda and Vietnam. They all have a strong interest in new media and work for online editions or are to take up such work in the near future.

Course Objective

The transition from print to online journalism is in full progress: Media houses are transforming their news operations and reviewing all aspects from business models to storytelling formats. The merging of online-print newsrooms, the new methods of online reporting and podcasting as well as the new possibilities of mobile reporting challenge journalists‘ professional skills and editorial management. The Internet and online journalism have the potential to increase transparency and political participation of the civil society, and thus to foster economic and social development worldwide.

The training programme of the IIJ aims at strengthening the professional and ethical standards of multimedia journalists. It seeks to assist publishing and media houses in the partner countries of the German development cooperation, which have started or are about to start online editions of their newspapers. Thus, the course also means to counteract the global digital divide. It is an answer to the increasing demand for well-trained online journalists who understand the technical features and the journalistic opportunities of this digital medium.

In particular, the course aims at enhancing the professional skills in writing for the web, online design and online research, in applying multimedia elements, studying the technological background of the Internet and multimedia news reporting as well as the politial framework that rules the Internet.  In addition, the course familiarises with the basics of how to organise a converged newsroom and how to assess the costs and benefits for an online edition.

Course Contents

• Analysing media websites: design, usability, interactivity
• Basics of Internet technology
• Writing for the web
• Photo editing with Photoshop
• Podcasting: producing audio files
• Strategies for efficient online research
• Calculating the costs of setting up and running an online publication
• Discussing the politics of the Internet and its potential for social and economic development
• Raising awareness of Internet security and e-rights.

The participants

JOHANES HERU MARGIANTO
He is an Online editor with kompas.com, the largest Online media in Indonesia, since 2000. An avid book reader and Internet addict, he is currently planning on getting a Masters in Online journalism.

You can find him at:
Blog: www.herumargianto.com.
E-mail : mbonk@kompas.com

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RIRIN SJAFRIANI
She currently works for the Republika Online in Jarkata, Indonesia. She writes on health and family issues. Her ambition was to own a store for organic products but she has changed her mind after the Multimedia and Online Journalism course in Berlin. She now wants to make money from her own website.

You can find her at:
Blog: momsaroundglobe.wordpress.com
E-mail: riens1979@yahoo.com
Twitter : ririns
Skype: ririn.sjafriani
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SARAH BAKATA
She is the deputy chief sub-editor of The EastAfrican, a weekly regional newspaper of the Nation Media Group, in Nairobi, Kenya. She has 15 years experience in print journalism. As one of the copy editors for the site, Sarah says, “Technology has taken journalism to another realm. An open mind is all what is needed.” Sarah is an avid reader and loves the outdoors.

You can find her at:
Blog: Fikrazetu.wordpress.com
E-mail : sashb06@operamail.com
Twitter : sarabii
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BIANCA CONSUNJI
She is a correspondent of the Philippine Daily Inquirer and is currently associate editor of Metro magazine, both premiere publications in Manila. She graduated cum laude with a degree in Journalism from the University of the Philippines and has won several awards for her published work. A hardcore dork who prefers staying home with a book to clubbing, Bianca dabbles in photography, creative nonfiction, and pole dancing.

You can find her at:
E-mail : biancaconsunji@yahoo.com
Twitter : biancaconsunji
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ENAIAT NAJAFIZADA
He has been working as a journalist since 2006 in Mazar-e-Sharif in Afghanistan. He is an all-rounder journalist and writing politics, conflict. Currently works for Aatash newspaper and website. He has also worked as a translator for the NATO/ISAF forces in northern Afghanistan. He is still a student of Social Studies in Balkh University of Afghanistan.

You can find him at:
E-mail : Enayat.najafizada@gmail.com
Twitter : najafizada
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AAMIR BASHIR
He is a sub-editor with the Daily Public - Quetta, of Pakistan since November, 2003. He is a trustworthy and faithful individual with an approach of high professionalism. His ambitions are to have his own website and be among the worlds best journalists.

You can find him at:
E-mail : amir_bashir@live.com
Twitter : amir_bgl

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JAMES RATEMO
He is a progressive technology and business writer. His work revolves around how emerging technology interacts with business and the environment. An alumni of International Institute of Journalism and Commonwealth Press Union, he currently works for the Standard Newspaper in Kenya and blogs on technology in Kenya.

You can find him at:
Website: www.ictcradle.com (under construction)
Blog :www. jratemo.wordpress.com
E-mail : jratemo@gmail.com
Twitter : jratemo
Facebook: James Ratemo
Skype : ratemoj
Phone: +254-724-960-649
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ZOHAIB ZAFAR
He is an IIJ and Reuters alumni and a master degree holder in Communication Studies, started his journalism career some 7 years ago with print media. Because of his curiosity to explore through the knowledge, he worked in electronic and online media to fulfill the requirements of modern journalism. Now he is working with a weekly paper News Record in Pakistan as Joint Editor and Editor of its sister publication Glamsham.

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VU THI THU TRA
Tra has been with Laodong Newspaper since 1994. Her beat is labour issues, ie, protection of workers’ interests, activities of trade unions and social-economic matters such as the social role of enterprises, living standards of workers, family planning and household arts. She has a Bachelor of Arts, major in Literature in 1994  and graduated from Journalist University in August 2008.

Your can find her at:
E- mail: mailinh9@yahoo.com; vuthutra@laodong.com.vn
Twitter : thutra73
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JOSEPH KAFUMBE
He is a Kampala-based radio journalist working with the biggest private radio in Uganda, the Central Broadcasting Service. He is German and British-trained and enjoys following international politics, culture news and soccer.

You can find him at:
E-mail : kafumbe2000@yahoo.com
Skype: joseph.kafumbe
Twitter: muddembuga
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NGUYEN DIEU THUY
She is a journalist from Vietnam, working for Nhan Dan (The People) Newspaper for ten years now. She writes on culture and tourism issues. Her hobbies are travelling, listening to music, watching movies and also (like many young women) shopping. She said after the multimedia course in Berlin, she would persuade her editor-in-chief to upgrade her Online newspaper so as to attract more advertisers. She hopes this will mean a higher salary for her to cater for her travelling and shopping.

You can find her at:
Blog: hallohanoi.wordpress.com
E-mail: dieuthuynd@gmail.com
Twitter: thuy76
Skype: dieuthuynd
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PAUL MALLIMBO
He is a journalist from Tanzania and works for the Rural Development Media Communication (RUDMEC). He likes watching Nigerian movies, cooking and travelling.

You can find him at:
E-mail : pmallimbo@yahoo.com; mallimbopaul@gmail.com.

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MEHA MATHUR
She is the Executive Editor with CL Media, a subsidiary of Career Launcher India Ltd, which publishes education and career magazines Educare and Management Compass. She is also a columnist with Hindi daily Nai Dunia. She started her career with India Today (Hindi) in 1992.

You can find her at:
mehamathur@gmail.com

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MAHADI HASAN TALUKDER
He works as a sub-editor in the daily newspaper Samakal, a prominent Bangla daily in Dhaka, Bangladesh. He started his career as a journalist during his years at the University of Dhaka, where he graduated in English. For this website he was in the Twitter team.

You can find him at:
E-mail : mahadi754@gmail.com
Twitter : mahadi754
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MATTHIAS LARBIE
He is a 29-year Accra-based journalist. He is single and a student of International Institute of Journalism studying Multimedia and Online Journalism in Berlin, Germany.

Matthias works with The Statesman Communications Limited as senior graphic designer and is also head of the IT Department of the company. He considers himself “accommodating”, trust worthy and a hard working man.

You can find him at:
Blog: rescuepoint.wordpress.com
Email: astinky2010@yahoo.com
Twitter: spiritlevelgh

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About the Internationale Institute for Journalism (IIJ)

The International Institute for Journalism (IIJ) of Inwent was founded in 1962 in order to give young, up-and coming journalists from developing and transitional countries the opportunity to enhance their knowledge in the media business. The IIJ offers advanced training and dialogue for print and news agency journalists as well as for online journalists.

The aim of the IIJ programme is to strengthen freedom of expression and press freedom in the partner countries of the German development cooperation and thus improve the conditions for democratisation and economic and social development. In this capacity, the IIJ represents a key pillar in the media development work of the Federal Government of Germany and particularly of the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).

The IIJ currently offers up to 40 training courses and dialogue programmes per year which take place both in Germany and in the partner countries and reach approximately 500 media workers. A high proportion of our alumni hold senior positions in the media industry throughout the world.