The ZigZag project has created an interactive virtual newsroom, ZigZagmag.net, to enable aspiring Iranian journalists to generate high quality content for a variety of BBC platforms, including the BBC affiliated Persian site and the ZigZag radio show, broadcast weekly on World Service airwaves.
Start date: January 2006
Finish date: July 2011
Media types: Radio, online
Issue: Media Development
Country: Iran
ZigZagmag
ZigZagmag consists of an audience-focused online space where young Iranian trainees from all over the country can experience the day-to-day activities and interactions of an online newsroom, this works alongside mentored iLearn journalism courses.
Those running the site know Iranian society, young people and their issues.
Male, 32 years
The trainees receive feedback from an online community of seasoned journalists, other trainees and the site's users.
This often results in interesting discussion threads developing after the publication of new articles, both in the virtual newsroom between trainees and trainers and, at a later stage, in the public space of the website.
The community has evolved to the extent where it has developed and refined its own code of conduct, based on BBC values but reflecting Iranian reality.
The popularity of the site is reflected in:
- 461 articles published to date excluding weekly page for radio programme
- Over 3064 users have contributed to more than 7551 posts
and feedback has been overwhelmingly positive.
"Those running the site know the Iranian society, the youth and their issues and they discuss these in a very professional way. I think you [ZigZag] have been very successful in making a connection [to your audiences] while performing your professional duty."
Male 32 years
Articles have provided content for BBC Persian, which has been reprinted and rebroadcast by Persian media inside and outside Iran.
The radio component of the project, which acts as a training ship for aspiring broadcasters, can be heard every Thursday on BBC World Service airwaves.
Building on the Iranian popular culture of blogging, it has generated a pool of very interesting, media aware trainee reporters.
Their features for the site provide an opportunity for users to find out about aspects of Iran which are often under reported.
New media is embraced not only in delivering the project (online training, virtual newsrooms, website) but also in conducting the research.
Research using online surveys, interviews and web metric analysis is exploring the project's multiple audiences (trainee journalists, registered users and visitors) and how new media has facilitated learning and communication.
As user generated content continues to transform the way we consume our media, we feel proud to combine training (which includes 'old fashioned' topics like impartiality, accuracy and fairness) and a new media user space that allows young journalists to get their first BBC by-line.
In many countries citizen journalists are seen as a welcome addition to a media landscape which features a variety of free, fair and independent media outlets.
In Iran they might be the only journalists reporting accurately from a remote province, or about a particular topic.
To work so closely with them is not only an innovation but an investment in the future.
http://www.zigzagmag.net/
Zigzag radio
Launched on 12 October 2006, the one-hour live programme is broadcast at 18:00 GMT on Thursdays.
It features phone-ins, discussions, underground music and radio features covering a wide range of topics of interest to young people.
It introduces young artists and gives audiences an opportunity to question pop stars.
Working in partnership
The radio programme and website were developed in conjunction with the BBC Persian Service.
The Zigzagmag.net project has been launched with the support of a grant from the Royal Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs.