One of our key objectives is to strengthen the media sector in developing countries by providing training to all types of media professionals and media outlets, as well as technical support and infrastructure.
All our television and radio programmes - including drama series, political debates, interactive discussion programmes and public service announcements - are produced in partnership with media professionals in developing countries. Training is a key element of these partnerships.
We have trained thousands of people, ranging from senior management at private and public television stations to citizen journalists in rural communities.
We design and deliver face-to-face training courses, workshops and seminars, on the job training and mentoring and online training through our unique distance learning tool - iLearn.
Our training courses cover everything from journalism ethics to production skills.
Training around the world
Africa
We are currently delivering journalism training in Angola, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Sierra Leone and Sudan.
For example in Angola, we are training producers and DJ's from partner radio stations in radio production skills, digital editing techniques and how to effectively cover HIV and AIDS-related issues. More
Asia
We are currently delivering journalism training in Afghanistan, China and Nepal.
For example in Afghanistan, we established the BBC Media Resources Centre in 2002 to facilitate development and training. Since then, more than 1,200 media professionals have been trained. Courses include journalism, radio production, computer and technical skills. More
In China, we worked in partnership with Chinese media professionals and a Chinese disability organisation in 2006-2008 to establish a sustainable radio production center for disabled people in Beijing, and trained visually impaired people to produce weekly radio programmes about disability issues in China. More
In the past, we have also delivered journalism training in Cambodia, India and Sri Lanka.
Central Asia and the Caucuses
We are currently delivering training in Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan. In the past, we have also delivered training in Georgia.
Europe
We are currently delivering journalism training in Moldova and Romania.
In the past, we have delivered journalism training in Albania, Serbia, Russian and the Ukraine.
For example n Serbia, we worked in partnership with the Radio Netherlands Training Centre to establish the European Centre for Broadcast Journalism in Belgrade. During 2001 and 2002, 29 training courses were held. Fifteen local trainers were trained and 340 radio and TV journalists attended. An 11-week post-graduate production course was also established.
Latin America and the Caribbean
We have delivered environmental journalism training in the eastern Caribbean.
The Middle East
We are currently delivering journalism training in Iraq, Iran, and the Palestinian Territories.
For example In 2006, we provided training in the principles and practice of fair, balanced and independent journalism to 31 journalists and 26 young, aspiring journalists from Iran. Trainees were selected from more than 1,000 applicants and came from all over the country.
A website, Zig Zag, was developed so that trainees would be able to practice their new journalism skills. Published in Farsi, the website includes peer review mechanisms, message boards and feedback. Contributors use a password-protected holding area where features are centrally edited before being published live to the site. Zig Zag has around 450,000 users.
More about the Iran journalism training programme.
We have also delivered journalism training in Egypt, Jordan, Oman, Syria, Lebanon.
