Journey 2019: The Way to Quality Journalism

Thanks to the Bakala Foundation, a diverse group of journalism students from Europe and the United States assembled for the fifth time in Prague to embark on Journey: Journalism Bootcamp. The aspiring journalists enjoyed nine days of lectures, workshops, and practice in editorial work with leading journalists from around the world, like Pulitzer Prize winners Adam Entous of The New Yorker (on the photo above) and Alice Crites of The Washington Post.

Entous opened the program with a block of lectures on journalism ethics, source protection, and investigative journalism. Other lecturers covered topics including mobile journalism, use of digital tools, and verification of information from open sources. The Bootcamp dedicated a significant portion of the curriculum to practical training in a simulated newsroom, fieldwork, and the students' individual projects. “Many of our Journey participants represent countries in which the practice of quality independent journalism is not a bed of roses. Free media is being subjected to ever-increasing political and economic pressure and therefore needs support," remarked Zdeněk Bakala. "The Journey program is one of the ways we can develop and motivate young journalists, thus contributing to better journalism, democracy, and an informed society both in the Czech Republic and the greater surrounding region.”