Belarus
State-controlled media in Belarus pose a serious challenge to independent media as they have the financial muscle to introduce new means of information technology making better and leaner media production. In this environment, IMS supports independent media and an agenda for press freedom through cooperation between the Belarusian Association of Journalists (BAJ), the Danish Union of Journalists and the international federation of Journalists (IFJ).Archive
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- For Free and Fair Media in Belarus, Assessment report 2009
- International pressure on Belarus government to improve press freedom
- Statement of the International Mission to the Republic of Belarus 20-24 september 2009
- A little bit of Europe in Belarus: A meeting of youth media journalists
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- Photographer provides rare window to Belarusian culture
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- Civil society in Belarus urge further dialogue despite slow progress
- Belarusian media activist joins Danish campaign for women
- Call to international journalists: Look for the other story about Belarus
- An uneven playing field for independent media
- Media Monitoring in Belarus: Parliamentary Election 2004 Coverage in the Belarusian Mass Media
A little bit of Europe in Belarus: A meeting of youth media journalists
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More than 50 per cent of young Belarusians aged 18 to 24 have never spoken to a foreigner. Iryna Vidanava of the Belarusian youth magazine 34Mag reports on a unique meeting in Minsk, where youth magazine editors from Western Europe met their Belarusian counterparts to share experiences and bridge the gap
By Iryna Vidanava, editor of 34mag, Minsk
Belarus may border on three EU states, but 61 percent of young Belarusians aged 18 to 24 have never been to Europe and more than 50 percent have never spoken to a foreigner.
To bridge this gap and to discuss the production of youth magazines in a digital era, youth activists from Denmark, Estonia, Germany, Poland and Belarus came together in Minsk between 25-27 September for a workshop organized by the independent Belarusian multimedia youth magazine 34 in partnership with International Media Support.
Belarus bloggers isolated
While their European peers travel throughout the western part of the continent, young Belarusians know little about life east of the EU border. But new technologies have ensured that young people around the globe are more closely linked than ever before through the Internet.
“New media” is part of daily life across Europe. And Belarus, where more than 3 million out of a population of 10 million use the Internet on a regular basis, is no exception. Belarusian bloggers, for example, constitute the 14th largest community on LiveJournal; but the country remains an isolated island on the continent, a “black hole” in Europe.
Sharing approaches to youth audiences
During the two-day workshop, the participants met with more than 60 Belarusian journalists, photographers and other creative youths in the field of media and arts at the independent cultural center, “Ў.” They networked and learned more about the country and its people through the innovative film “Hush City” and other videos from 34 mag.
The participants also exchanged experiences, best practices, lessons learned and innovative ideas since all the participants produce youth publications in a digital era, target similar audiences across Europe, but face different challenges. Discussions focused on developing content and formats for youth publications, organising editorial processes, building communities of authors and readers, promoting youth activism, and dealing with the impact of digitalization and the financial crisis on youth media.
Journalist Trine Beck representing the Danish youth magazine Chili, said:
- The most interesting part was to meet with young journalists from different European countries and getting an introduction to their magazines. Some are fighting for their pure existence and the freedom of speech, others are fighting to hold on to their readers and to avoid too much interference from commercial interests. But all share the passion for journalism and want to express this in a creative way.
- I keep being surprised by the Belarusians. Against all odds they make a multimedia magazine that is ahead of all other online magazines I know. They choose to speak out and I deeply admire that.
A Belarusian participant declared:
- I’ve heard and seen so many interesting things. I have a whole bunch of new ideas now!
New media, new friendships, new enthusiasm
The first results of the meeting appeared almost immediately, as participants, equipped with mobile phones, laptops and digital cameras, started streaming video and posting impressions on their websites, blogs and Twitter. The potential for longer-term cooperation also emerged.
In an interview with the popular Belarusian news site Gazetaby.com, the editor of a German magazine said:
- I think there will be more and more online youth publications in the future. The multimedia idea of 34 is really cool!
In an editorial for the October issue of the Polish monthly Aktivist (www.aktivist.pl), Agata Michalak highlighted her coming trip to Minsk, wondered “how in practice a date with dictatorship will look like,” and promised to tell her readers all about it – if she ever “made it back from Belarus.”
Other foreign participants also plan to write about their impressions of life in Belarus or even return to prepare more in-depth articles. A 34 editor will visit the Aktivist offices in the nearest future. The event was another step towards overcoming the physical and psychological borders between Belarus and Europe. “New media,” new friendships and the new enthusiasm of the participants will surely multiply its effects.
See video from event here:
You can find photos from the event on the following web-sites:
http://community.livejournal.com/4asapopi3/76623.html#cutid1