Paydesk

28/11/2024

🌟 Unforgettable Stories: Celebrating Excellence at the 20th AIB Awards 🌍

What makes a story truly unforgettable? Courage, creativity, and the power to inspire change. That’s exactly what we celebrated at the 20th Association for International Broadcasting (AIB) Awards on November 22nd. As a proud sponsor, Paydesk joined an incredible night honouring journalists and storytellers from around the world.

✨ Lifetime Achievement Award: Sir Michael Palin
A true legend in broadcasting, Sir Michael Palin was awarded the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award. From his groundbreaking comedy with Monty Python to his heartfelt travel documentaries like Around the World in 80 Days, Palin has redefined storytelling with humour, warmth, and a deep respect for humanity.

📺 Highlights from the Night
This year’s winners reminded us why journalism matters:

📰 War on Gaza (Al Jazeera English): A raw, powerful look at the personal toll of war.
📹 How Indiscriminate Israeli Fire Killed Half a Family in Gaza (CNN): An investigation blending cutting-edge analysis and heartbreaking human stories.
⚖️ The Push: Murder on the Cliff (Channel 4): A gripping courtroom-style documentary that left us on the edge of our seats.
We also celebrated emerging talent, like Ayanda Charlie, whose fearless reporting in South Africa proves that the next generation of journalists is ready to make their mark.

💡 Why Paydesk Supports the AIBs
At Paydesk, we’re passionate about empowering journalists and media professionals to tell the stories that matter. Whether it’s connecting freelancers with broadcasters or ensuring fast, reliable payments, we’re here to support the people shaping the global conversation.

🌍 Congratulations to all the winners and finalists—you inspire us every day!

27/03/2024

Grants up to $15,000 for business & financial investigative reporting. Apply by March 31st 👇

Empower your storytelling in business journalism with the McGraw Fellowship.

🌟 Significant Support: Grants up to $15,000 plus editorial guidance for deep reporting on economic, financial, and business topics.

🌍 Open to All: Freelancers and staff journalists in all media formats encouraged to apply, with a strong push for diversity.

🔍 Broad Scope: Welcomes stories on critical local to international issues, aiming to cover under-reported communities and topics.

📅 Bi-Annual Applications: Deadlines for Spring and Fall 2024 fellowships on March 31 and October 6, respectively.

📚 Impactful Journalism: Previous projects include investigations into environmental hazards, economic inequality, and more.

✍️ Application Process: Submit a detailed pitch, work samples, and a resume, highlighting reporting plans and story potential.

https://buff.ly/2r5uAw4

The McGraw Business Journalism Fellowship

25/03/2024

As the United States heads towards the 2024 presidential election, the journalism industry faces an existential crisis, marked by layoffs, shrinking audiences, and a deluge of misinformation.

Amid these challenges, the Press Forward initiative, led by the MacArthur Foundation, aims to inject up to $1 billion into local news, offering a potential lifeline to an industry in distress.

The initiative's strategy focuses on local journalism, recognizing its critical role in democracy and its potential to counteract misinformation. By establishing city and state-based chapters, such as those already launched in places from Chicago to Alaska, Press Forward aims to raise significant funding from philanthropic sources committed to revitalizing local news ecosystems.

Over the past year, the industry has seen over 21,400 media job cuts, the highest since 2020, affecting major outlets like the Washington Post, the Los Angeles Times, and Vice. The crisis is exacerbated by the rise of fake or AI-generated news on social media platforms, where misinformation spreads rapidly, further destabilizing the news ecosystem.

Digital readership and revenue continue to fall, with major social media platforms altering their algorithms to de-emphasize news content, leading to reduced traffic and financial strain for news organizations. Concurrently, there's been a noticeable shift in news consumption habits, with an increasing number of Americans turning to platforms like TikTok for news, where the risk of encountering misinformation is high.

So the question looms: Can Press Forward address the profound issues plaguing US journalism? The initiative's targeted support for local news seeks to rebuild trust and counter misinformation by ensuring communities have access to credible information. This effort is particularly vital in combating the "news deserts" that have emerged nationwide, leaving communities vulnerable to unverified and fake news.

Critics may argue that the systemic challenges facing the media cannot be resolved solely through funding. However, Press Forward's comprehensive approach, which includes fostering collaborations and attracting new donors, represents a significant step towards reinvigorating local journalism.

19/03/2024

To successfully engage younger audiences, news publishers must pivot towards more inclusive, flexible, and interactive content strategies, as underscored by a collaborative report from FT Strategies and the Medill School of Journalism's Knight Lab.

The research, informed by interviews with 45 news consumers aged 18 to 24 across India, Nigeria, and the US, highlights six key approaches: fostering direct relationships through partnerships with creators, personalizing experiences through algorithmic tools, producing social-first content, employing accessible language, innovating in content formats, and embracing solutions journalism.

This shift is crucial as the 2023 Reuters Institute Digital News Report indicates that 18 to 24-year-olds predominantly turn to social media for news, debunking the assumption that these habits will change with age.

To effectively engage younger audiences, news publishers are encouraged to embrace a more vibrant and interactive approach, highlighted by the following strategies:

🤝 Building Direct Relationships: Partnering with creators and empowering editorial staff to share their personal stories, thereby establishing a stronger connection with the audience.

🔍 Personalization: Using filtering and algorithmic tools to tailor experiences to individual tastes and interests.

📱 Social-First Content: Developing content specifically designed for social media platforms, recognizing their prominence as the go-to news source for the younger demographic.

💬 Accessible Language: Employing a less formal tone to make content more approachable and digestible, thereby eliminating perceived barriers.

🌐 Innovative Content Formats: Experimenting with new presentation styles beyond traditional texts and videos to captivate and engage audiences in fresh ways.

🌍 Solutions Journalism: Concentrating on reporting that not only identifies problems but also explores potential solutions, providing a sense of hope and actionable insights.

Insightful findings include:

🔄 Changing Habits: Contrary to the belief that younger audiences will gravitate towards traditional news outlets as they age, data suggests a sustained preference for news consumption through social media.

🎨 Portfolio Approach: While maintaining successful strategies for existing audiences is essential, publishers must also adapt to align with the evolving preferences of younger demographics, striving for a balanced approach to reach and engagement.

🧩 Complex Preferences: Younger audiences seek out content that is rich in information and diverse in format, reflecting a nuanced approach to media consumption that extends beyond simple short-form videos.

🗣 Language and Tone: The conventional formal tone of news delivery risks alienating younger readers, who prefer content that feels more conversational and direct.

🔎 Explainer Journalism: Emphasizing background and analysis to render news stories more comprehensible, particularly for topics where the audience may lack prior knowledge, is key.

Read the full report: https://buff.ly/3VH31cf

Examples of rising star journalists are Jessica Burbank and Dylan Page - with about 20 million followers on TikTok between them.

18/03/2024

There are over 60 elections this year. Not all of them will be peaceful. Find out how to stay safe

The "Journalist Safety Kit" provided by the Committee to Protect Journalists offers comprehensive guidelines and recommendations for journalists covering elections. It addresses the increased risks of attacks, harassment, and detention during such events, and provides strategies to mitigate physical, psychological, and digital threats. Key points include:

📋 Emphasizes the importance of editors and newsrooms preparing their staff through risk asses Preparation and Risk Assessment: Emphasizes the importance of editors and newsrooms preparing their staff through risk assessments, securing necessary equipment, and ensuring staff are experienced and aware of the health and safety protocols relevant to their assignments.

🛡️ Physical Safety: Offers detailed advice for covering political rallies, protests, and working in hostile or crime-affected areas. Recommendations include having the proper accreditation, assessing and avoiding risks, using non-identifiable clothing, and maintaining situational awareness.

💆‍♂️ Psychological Safety: Addresses managing trauma, stress, and PTSD that may arise from covering potentially distressing events. It underscores the importance of management support, regular debriefings, and professional mental health assistance if needed.

🔒 Digital Safety: Guides on securing devices and sensitive information, preparing for communication blackouts, and dealing with online abuse and misinformation. It highlights the importance of encrypting devices, using secure communication tools, and having backup plans for internet shutdowns.

😷 COVID-19 Considerations: Provides safety tips for reporting during the pandemic, including adhering to public health guidelines, using personal protective equipment, and evaluating the risks of exposure at public gatherings.

Overall, the kit serves as a crucial resource for journalists to navigate the complex and potentially dangerous landscape of election coverage, emphasizing preparedness, safety, and the importance of both physical and mental health.

Read the full Journalist Safety Kit https://buff.ly/4adOd8P

15/03/2024

A dystopian sci-fi about ? Civil War is a provocative action drama directed by Alex Garland, premiered at the South by Southwest Film & TV Festival yesterday, drawing attention for its stark depiction of war journalism within a dystopian near-future America under authoritarian rule. The film follows a journalist navigating through a divided country, aiming to interview a three-term president, portrayed by Nick Offerman, amidst civil unrest and warfare. Garnering strong initial reactions, the film is hailed as a riveting, haunting cautionary tale that refrains from delving into the politics behind its conflict, focusing instead on the horrors and practicalities of civil war. The film is released globally on 12th April

SUBSCRIBE: http://bit.ly/A24subscribeFrom writer/director Alex Garland and starring Kirsten Dunst, Wagner Moura, Stephen McKinley Henderson, and Cailee Spaen...

13/03/2024

The European Parliament today passed the Media Freedom Act, this is why it matters 👇

It's a groundbreaking law designed to shield journalists and the media landscape within the European Union from undue political and economic pressures. With a notable majority vote, the legislation sets forth a series of measures to uphold media independence, protect journalistic sources, and ensure transparency in media ownership and state funding.

Key aspects of the Media Freedom Act include:

🛡️ Protection Against Interference: The law mandates member states to actively safeguard media independence, prohibiting all forms of editorial interference.

🔒 Ban on Spyware Use: Authorities are restricted from using spyware against journalists, except in strictly defined cases involving serious crimes, with oversight by a judicial authority.

📢 Editorial Independence: Public media outlets are required to maintain editorial independence, with leadership and board members selected through transparent, non-discriminatory procedures.

🌐 Transparency of Ownership: All media outlets must disclose ownership information in a national database, enhancing transparency and informing the public of potential biases.

💸 Fair Allocation of State Advertising: The law requires detailed reporting on state advertising funds received by media, aiming for a transparent and equitable distribution of public funds.

⚖️ Safeguards Against Online Platform Restrictions: A new mechanism prevents major online platforms from arbitrarily limiting or removing content from independent media, ensuring a fair digital space for all voices.

Support for Journalistic Freedom: The legislation responds to the European public's call for stronger protections for media pluralism and independence from undue influences, as voiced during the Conference on the Future of Europe.

This comprehensive legal framework marks a significant step forward in the European Union's efforts to fortify press freedom and support a vibrant, independent media sector.

07/03/2024

€475,000 in grants available to investigative journalists 👇

Journalismfund.eu is offering the European Local Cross-Border Journalism Grants to tackle the shortage of local independent journalism in Europe by providing financial aid and fostering cross-border collaborations.

This grant program is designed to support local investigative and in-depth journalistic projects through a total budget of EUR 475,000, distributed over four application rounds, with EUR 118,750 allocated per call.

The initiative encourages local journalists and media outlets to embark on investigative projects that address issues relevant to Europe, promote comparisons with other European regions facing similar challenges, and contribute to building a European network of investigative journalists.

Open to teams of at least two professional journalists or local news outlets from different European countries, the program seeks proposals for innovative, cross-border investigations that extend beyond conventional journalism.

By facilitating access to expansive resources and promoting novel research methods and networking, the program aims to enhance the impact and reach of local investigative journalism. The next application deadline is April 25. Apply here: https://buff.ly/3uOJLhW

06/03/2024

🚀 Dive into the future of journalism with the 2024 News Corp Media Fellowship!

The fellowship, offered in collaboration with News Corp and The Wall Street Journal, aims to enhance digital journalism skills and support data - or digitally-driven projects. It includes digital innovation training, grant funding, and an exclusive newsroom placement with WSJ.

💡 Successful applicants will spend two months embedded in WSJ's New York City office, with a focus on audience engagement, leadership, and knowledge exchange.

📅 Applications are open from February 16 to March 24, 2024, with the fellowship running from September 15 to November 15, 2024. Benefits include a stipend and covered expenses during the New York City stay.

More details and application here: https://buff.ly/3I6B2dH

05/03/2024

Fixers need more credit. Here is why.

In the realm of global journalism, the figure of the "fixer" is indispensable yet often overlooked. Fixers are local journalists who assist international reporters by providing a myriad of essential services such as translation, cultural interpretation, logistical support, security assistance, and editorial guidance. Their deep knowledge of the local landscape enables foreign journalists to navigate unfamiliar terrains, secure necessary permissions, and gain access to pivotal locations and individuals.

Despite their integral role, fixers frequently remain uncredited, highlighting a significant disparity within global media practices. These professionals are not only logistical supporters but also cultural and linguistic bridges, offering insights that enrich reporting. They take on varied responsibilities, from managing safety concerns to providing editorial feedback, embodying a versatility that is crucial to the success of international reporting endeavors.

The relationship between fixers and international journalists underscores a complex interplay of power dynamics, with fixers often navigating the challenges of unequal opportunities and risks. Their work is a testament to their agency and commitment to journalism, even as they face potential safety risks without the protections afforded to their international counterparts.

Acknowledging the vital contributions of fixers is not just about giving credit where it's due; it's about fostering more equitable practices in journalism worldwide. As we move forward, it's imperative that the global media community reflects on and adopts best practices that honor and safeguard the rights and well-being of fixers, ensuring a more balanced and just field of global reporting.

paydesk is the payment platform for the information business. It is a marketplace where publishers, broadcasters and editors find, book and hire professional newsgathering assets around the world. paydesk puts everybody in touch and guarantees payment, if the job is completed.

04/03/2024

"Burn Book" offers a compelling look into the tech industry's transformative moments, through the lens of Kara Swisher, a veteran journalist renowned for her fearless reporting and insightful commentary on Silicon Valley. Swisher's book combines investigative journalism with personal anecdotes, presenting a critical yet engaging narrative on the tech giants that shape our world. It's a must-read for those interested in the intersections of technology, power, and society, providing a unique perspective from one of the industry's most respected voices.

29/02/2024

Nominate a hero for the 2024 Courage in Journalism Awards! Seeking nominations for women & nonbinary journalists who've shown bravery in the face of adversity. The award honors the those who report on taboo topics, work in environments hostile to women, and share difficult truths. Submit by Mar 3, 2024 🏆

29/02/2024

The One World Media Fellowship applications are open until March 21, 2024! Aimed at aspiring journalists and filmmakers, this fellowship provides a £1000 grant, expert mentorship, and access to workshops and webinars, nurturing talent in global storytelling. Don't miss your chance to produce impactful non-fiction media. Apply now! Details: Search: "OneWorldMedia Fellowship"

Connect with 10k+ news professionals for global sports, business, entertainment and politics - newsgathering & integrated workflow platform and budgeting.Top talent for any story -pilots

28/02/2024

"Managing Emotions in Journalism" by Maja Šimunjak, derived from in-depth interviews with over 30 British journalists. This insightful book examines the emotional challenges faced by journalists and offering strategies for managing these emotions effectively. Essential reading for anyone looking to understand the intricacies of emotional resilience in the demanding field of journalism.

27/02/2024

Calling all investigative journalists! 🕵️‍♂️ The Paul Foot Award 2024 is now open for entries. Dedicated to rewarding investigative or campaigning journalism, it offers a top prize of £8,000. Entries must have been published in the UK between 1st April 2023 and 31st March 2024. The deadline for submissions is 1pm on 26th March 2024. This award commemorates the work of investigative journalist Paul Foot. For more information on submission guidelines, visit the official website.

The Paul Foot Award is an award given for investigative or campaigning journalism, set up in memory of revered journalist Paul Foot, who died in 2004.

26/02/2024

Learn how to leverage AI in journalism with training offered by the Online News Association and hosted by Mike Reilley, a Senior Lecturer from the University of Illinois. These courses, priced at just £25, start tomorrow and run weekly on Tuesdays or Wednesdays throughout the spring and summer, offering an affordable way to acquire new skills. Sponsored by Microsoft, the courses cover topics from utilizing LLMs such as ChatGPT, GPT-3, and Claude, to employing AI for fact-checking, providing invaluable insights into integrating AI into news reporting. Tomorrow's class offers an Introduction to AI tools. Register here:

AI presents a tremendous opportunity for journalism. Our industry, our businesses and our communities need us to meet this moment with ethics, integrity and focus. About the Program The AI in Journalism Initiative is your home for resources to learn, experiment with and incorporate emerging technolo...

20/02/2024

What books by journalists would you recommend? Our recommendation is the new memoir, "Eyewitness to Peace and War," by Eamonn Mallie, a veteran Northern Ireland journalist, who takes us on a journey through his illustrious career, reflecting on the pivotal political moments that have shaped Northern Ireland's history. From his early days growing up in a family that valued education and reading, Mallie's work ethic and passion for the truth drove him to the forefront of political journalism. His memoir offers a deeply personal look at the sacrifices made for his career, the impact on his family, and his reflections on the changing landscape of Northern Ireland. Through encounters with key political figures and personal anecdotes, Mallie provides an insightful look into the complexities of Northern Ireland's past and hope for its future. This book is a must-read for anyone interested in the power of journalism and the role it plays in documenting history and shaping our understanding of political landscapes.

19/02/2024

Apply now for the BBC Komla Dumor Award. Aimed at outstanding African journalists, the 2024 edition is open for applications. Named in honor of the late Ghanaian journalist Komla Dumor, the award recognizes his contribution to African journalism. The recipient will spend three months at the BBC in London, enhancing their skills. The application deadline is March 15th, 2023. This initiative reflects Komla's dedication to telling African stories with depth, reflecting the continent's vibrant narratives on a global stage. Search: "BBC Komla Dumor Award"