Scoop-supported story by Ukrainian journalists on missing child subsidies in Ukraine, 2006. Photo: www.i-scoop.org

Twenty-one journalists from Eastern and South-Eastern Europe will join Western colleagues at an East meets West conference in London between 17 - 19 July to improve collaboration and share methods. The conference, organised by IMS-supported Scoop, a network for journalists in Eastern and South-Eastern Europe, will form part of the London Investigative Journalism Summer School 2009

According to the Danish manager of Scoop, Brigitte Alfter, it is clear that there is a need for journalists in East and West to know each other. Many well-researched stories done by colleagues in the Scoop countries concerning trafficking, illegal trade and corruption have leads that point towards Western countries, yet come to nothing because there is no one to pick up the story in the West.

-Recently a journalist from a Scoop country rang me and said that he had a story about tobacco smuggling and the evidence led to the United Kingdom., says Brigitte Alfter. Did I know anyone there who would be interested in writing about that part of the story?

But journalists and editors have to cross-check information, so a last-minute call a few days before the publication is not an option.

-Most journalists in the West wouldn't just take up a story like that unless they themselves had been involved in some way in the research - or they had prior knowledge of the journalist contacting them about the story, she continues.

Rent a Womb

In 2006, two colleagues from Germany and the Ukraine joined forces in an investigation of how Western couples use surrogate mothers in the Ukraine. The partnership, which was instigated by Scoop, resulted in their "Rent a Womb" story being published in Ukraine, Germany, Austria, Russia and Denmark.

- It's an issue of trust. We want to strengthen contacts between colleagues working in similar fields. If Western colleagues are on board at an early stage, Eastern and Western colleagues can function as a team, share the research and publish stories for each of their target groups. For this to happen they need to meet and talk about their work. That is the purpose of our East meets West conference.

Investigative speed-dating by subject

To ensure a flourish of networking, participants will circulate regularly to meet other reporters covering subjects such as corruption, war crimes and the grey zone between legal and illegal businesses in Eastern and South Eastern Europe.  

- The East meets West conference is about improving cooperation across borders, says Brigitte Alfter.

- Hopefully from now on, some of the reporters will know who to call.

The East meets West conference takes place at City University's London Investigative Journalism Summer School 2009 from 17 - 19 July. The conference has received invaluable funding from the Open Society Institute.

About Scoop:

Scoop is a support structure and network for investigative journalists in Eastern and South Eastern Europe. SCOOP brings together professional journalists from the region to share best practises and produce investigative journalism. Several investigations funded by SCOOP have won awards a.o.in Ukraine, Macedonia and Romania. SCOOP is funded by the Danish Neighbourhood programme and managed by the Danish Association of Investigative Journalism (FUJ) in cooperation with International Media Support.

For more information about Scoop, see www.i-scoop.org.