THE World Press Institute (WPI) has started receiving applications from hundreds of professional journalists around the world for its 2020 fellowship program.
Each year, hundreds of talented journalists apply for 10 fellowship slots.
A selection committee of seasoned journalists and corporate communications specialists, all with international experience, chooses among the best of the best.
The chosen finalists represent some of the best journalists in their respective countries.
They are innately curious, intelligent and ambitious, and approach journalism with a deep sense of dedication and responsibility.
The eligibility criteria for the program allows at least five years of full-time employment in print, broadcast or online journalism, including:
News or editorial departments of newspapers, wire services, radio, television, websites or online publications.
Photojournalists, editorial cartoonists, columnists and broadcast producers.
Those who supervise journalists are eligible if they also have at least five years as a working journalist.
Any journalism-related work completed as a university student does not count toward experience. Those who work in public relations or at organizations whose primary business is not the media are not eligible.
Benefits
WPI pays the following program expenses:
Transportation
Roundtrip airfare to the United States.
Travel within the United States related to the WPI program.
Lodging
Food
Fellows receive a modest daily allowance to purchase food.
The application process:
Applicants are required to submit the names and email addresses of three professional references.
References will be contacted by WPI to submit online letters of recommendation.
References should be familiar with the applicant’s work and able to comment in English on their journalistic abilities, potential for growth and leadership abilities.
One reference should be a direct supervisor.
Letters must be in English and address the applicant’s experience, qualifications and potential.
General work samples for all applicants:
All samples must include a publication date; most should be within the last two years.
Include an English summary for all samples not in English.
All work samples must be online and publicly accessible.
Upload work samples to a publicly accessible online service, such as YouTube or Dropbox, if not directly available on a media website.
If you are unable to use a public service, work samples can be uploaded with the online application.
Accepted file extensions: .pdf, .txt, .rtf, .doc, .mp3
Accepted photo and other artwork extensions: .jpg/.jpeg, .gif, or .pdf
Print journalists:
Writers: Submit three samples of published work that has your byline.
Editors: Submit a statement describing your job. You may include copies of published work along with a description of your role in these samples. For published work, follow the instructions above.
Photographers: Submit a portfolio with five (5) published samples. Files with the following extensions are accepted: jpg/jpeg, gif, or pdf.
Do not send complete newspapers, magazines, books, or unpublished manuscripts.
Broadcast journalists
Links to work samples on YouTube, publicly shared Dropbox files and broadcasters’ websites are accepted. Include a written synopsis in English of each work with a brief description of your involvement.
Please limit submissions to 15 minutes of programming.
Online journalists
Samples should be equivalent to three print articles or 15 minutes of programming.
Provide a link if the segment is still online and outline your involvement with each sample.
Samples must be journalistic in nature and demonstrate that your job involves news gathering, writing, editing or producing.
For more information and to begin registration process, please click the link below:
https://worldpressinstitute.org/fellowships/
Abeeb Alawiye formerly works with The ICIR as a Reporter/Social Media officer. Now work as a Senior Journalist with BBC News Yoruba. You can shoot him an email via [email protected] or follow him on Twitter @habsonfloww