Media Community Newsletter 18 July 2023

Find out how you can tell better climate stories, apply for a 3-month fellowship in Accra and read stories that moved us.

1. Journalism Trends: Climate change is still one of the biggest stories to tell, and newsrooms have started responding accordingly, with 49% of respondents in the  journalism, media and technology trends report for 2023 saying that they’re created specialist climate teams to offer more climate news. Get started by looking for stories that inform communities about climate change, connects them to local experts and solutions, and provide inspiration on how to adapt to global warming.

2. Who’s funding: Is there an underreported issue you are passionate about? The Pulitzer Center Journalism Grants on Crisis Reporting is looking for applications for innovative data-driven journalism projects that spotlight underreported issues.  The grant supports ideas for data mining techniques like machine learning, and natural language processing, as well as spatial data analysis, satellite imagery, drones, and sensors.  Deadline: Rolling.  More info.

3. Training Opportunity: Calling emerging journalists based in Accra and aged between 21 and 30 years. Applications are now open for the Media Foundation for West Africa’s Next Generation Investigative Journalism fellowship. It comes with mentorship and training, fact-checking and investigative journalism, and workshops focused on issues of progressive taxation, domestic resource mobilization and illicit financial flows. Deadline: 25 July. More info.

4. In the spotlight: The 2024 class of the prestigious Nieman Fellowship has been announced, and the cohort features Lebo Diseko, a South African correspondent for the BBC World Service. She will study how journalists can adapt to and help protect democracy from the rising threats of post-truth politics, populism, and polarization, with a focus on new ways to engage audiences. You can see some of her reports here.

5. Stories that moved us: When COVID-19 lockdowns hit in 2020,Jecinta Njoki Kimanibought some polymer clay to keep her daughter busy. Today, Kimani’s has a thriving creative business called Clay Koki, a startup specializing in creating statement earrings made entirely from polymer clay. Stella and Winnie Mutai are not just bonded by being twins. The sisters also share a purpose: tackling climate change. Read more about the dynamic duo. Over in Southern Africa, Zimbabwe and Zambia have joined forces to create a trans-frontier conservation area  to utilize their shared natural resources. The agreement focuses on the lower Zambezi and Mana Pools National Park areas.

Are you an African journalist who wants to tell better stories about Africa? bird news agency is looking for you, but first, you have to complete the African Stories: A guide for journalists on how to tell better stories about Africa course. It’s free, digital, and only takes three hours to complete. Then you can pitch and get paid to publish on bird.