Throughout 2020-2021, with the support of Zinc Network, we implemented a media project for the creation of materials in Russian, in the format of audio, video, and text media products. Within the framework of the project, we talk about active youth, initiatives, business ideas, public organizations, and entrepreneurs throughout the Baltics.
The project has become an opportunity for young, Russian-speaking journalists from 6 countries to create original content in Russian while covering the current agenda in the Baltics.
More than 100 professional and novice young journalists from the Baltic countries, as well as Portugal, Belarus, and Poland, were involved in the creation. The project became a catalyst for bringing together journalists with different backgrounds and styles, motivated them to work on one common media project, developing the niche of Russian-language media content. We covered local activities and events in the region, raised the importance of the agenda of local initiatives, talked about many entrepreneurs and activists, thereby developing a democratic approach to citizen journalism in Russian, asking more and more new questions, getting different views, and opinions.
Also, within the framework of the project, online and offline lectures and workshops were held for young journalists. During the lectures, professional interviewers and journalists from Daugavpils covered the topics of the mission of journalism, writing, media literacy, interview rules, shared their experience and advice. During the practical part, the participants of the offline workshops completed tasks that would help them grow in their competence and had the opportunity to receive individual comments from the lecturers.
All materials can be found on our official Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/neweast.europe
MULTIMEDIA PUBLICATIONS ABOUT ACTIVE COMMUNITIES IN LATGALE
In cooperation with the British Council in Latvia and the South Latgale NGO Support Center, within the framework of the People to People Cultural Engagement project, in January 2021, the Stories of Active Communities project was launched. This is a media project aimed at analyzing and promoting the activities of NGOs and active communities in Latgale, which solve the existing problems in the region.
In 2020, at the Latgale youth forum, young people put forward 68 problems/ recommendations for working with youth in Latgale, which are divided into 6 directions, including; communication and information, education and growth, culture, health, sports,
entrepreneurship, and youth assistance.
Based on a list of 68 regional problems - recommendations prepared by young people and proposed to the Latgale planning region, we studied the situation related to these problems/ recommendations in Latgale and developed a series of multimedia publications (texts, videos, podcasts) in several languages. It was important to show illustrative examples of the activities of various communities in Latgale and how they solve the above-mentioned 68 problem situations in the region.
Our task was to understand what problems are still relevant in society, how and who solves them, how society can be involved in solving these problems, what problems in the region receive less attention, and as a result, our task was to promote examples of positive, effective solutions/projects/activities that are implemented by organizations, entrepreneurs and communities from all over Latgale.
During the project, 25 interviews (4 videos, 4 podcasts, 5 live broadcasts, 12 text materials) were conducted with youth workers, activists, NGO representatives, who spoke about their contribution to solving local problems.
“I am deeply convinced that if your goal is to change the world, journalism is the most effective and quickest weapon for this”
Tom Spoppard
NEW MEDIA
Our media projects are aimed at developing civic and independent journalism; at creating a new, positive, diverse, and objective agenda. In our projects we use video, audio, and text formats, creating live broadcasts on social networks, podcasts, videos, and articles, telling about interesting people, new projects, culture, youth initiatives, modern entrepreneurs, positive experiences, etc.
To date, we have attracted more than 50 young beginner and professional journalists from the Baltic countries. Poland, Belarus, and Portugal have already created more than 100 video, audio, and text materials, creating materials in Russian and Latvian. coverage 150,000 coverage in social networks.
We also care about the quality of our audiovisual materials: we increase the number of professional equipment; adapt to modern digital formats, and cooperate with professional operators and sound specialists.