(The full name of the Center: Union – International Center for Journalists Caucasus);
Registered in Tbilisi Vake-Saburtalo District Court on October 11, 2002;
Degree # 5/9 649;
The goals of the Center: Promotion to the civil society formation process;
Promotion to independent media development;
Raising the journalists’ professional skills;
Publishing activity;
In 2005 at CCFJ was established
the Caucasus Investigative Reporting Center under leadership of Knight International Press Fellow Jody McPhillips. In 2007-09 was designed and implemented trainings in biodiversity covering and announced three contests in Biodiversity reporting in Caucasus region. The contest and journalism training on this topic was administered by the International Center for Journalists, Washington, D.C., USA;
ICFJ initially conducted four training workshops: Borjomi, Georgia (1-5 May, 2007); Zaqatala, Azerbaijan (14-18 May, 2007); Tbilisi, Georgia (24-25 November, 2007); Bakurinai, Georgia (23 – 25 October, 2008);
In November 24, 2007 and October 22, 2008 ICFJ conducted award ceremony for reporting on conservation of biodiversity for journalists from countries in the region in effort to bolster enthusiasm and initiative to cover these issues. First prize was in the amount of $1,000; second prize was $500 and third prize was $200. The third contest winners will be announced at the end of September;
Sponsored by the Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund, this program was designed to boost the capacity and motivation of journalists in the Caucasus region to report on conservation of biological diversity. Participants discussed and analyzed past coverage, heard from experienced journalists on how to do in-depth reports on conservation issues and attended at least four field trip which allowed for hands-on practice reporting; The program was tailored to address the key issues facing each country, such as better management of protected areas, increasing the number and size of protected areas, controls on damaging activities, and other conservation issues of public interest. Journalists from Azerbaijan, Armenia, Georgia, the republic of Dagestan and other southern Russian republics trained to cover biodiversity effectively, accurately and interestingly while engaging local conservationists to effectively voice their messages to the media, government and public. Cooperated with Democratic Sociaty - East Foundation (Warsaw, Poland) CCFJ realized 2 Projects:
1. In frame of the projects “A Local Newspaper – a guide to local government” DSEF organized two workshops for 24 journalists from 12 regional (Georgian) newspapers in Georgia. First workshop:”An access to public information as a right of each citizen”, Bakuriani, Georgia, July 26-28, 2007;
Second workshop:”A contribution of a local newspaper to development of a civil society”, Tbilisi, Georgia, August 23-25, 2007;
The main focuses of workshops was access to public information (with participation of Polish and Georgian experts) and public debates; In the frame of this project Democratic Society East Foundation invited 12 journalists from Georgian regional newspapers to visit Polish regional newspapers (November 5-11, 2007);
2. Second project “Local Press for Development of Local Self-government in Georgia – Election Campaign in Local Press” (2008) included 2 trainings and 12 Georgian journalists visit in Poland. First workshop: “The role of the local newspaper during the election campaign. The Georgian election low”, Tbilisi, Georgia, 1-3, May 2008;
Second seminar: “A local newspaper as a representative of local community’s interests. Monitoring of promises made by politicians during the election campaign”, Bakuriani, Georgia, 27-29 September 2008;
In the frame of this project Democratic Society East Foundation invited 12 journalists from Georgian regional newspapers in Poland to attend workshop “Critical Reporting” (24-28 October, 2008);
Both projects ware co-financed by the Polish aid programme 2007 of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs;
3. The development of the local press essential to the process of decentralization and local development in Georgia (2009-1020)
4. "Local newspaper in Georgia as a small enterprise" (2012)
a. Training "Distribution of very foundation of economic stability in the local paper - small business" (Kvareli Lake, 17-19 July 2012)
b. Visit Georgian Publishers and editors of local newspapers in Poland (Krakow, 13-18 September 2012)
c. Training for publishers and employees of Georgian local newspapers How to plan your own distribution? (Batumi, 8-10 October 2012)
5. "Preparing the Georgian local newspapers to introduce a system for collecting classified ads" (2013)
a. interviews with editors of local newspapers Georgia
In early March, trainers and experts Democratic Society East met with publishers and editors-in-chief of newspapers from Georgia during individual consultations. The meeting includes information about changes in publishing since the end of the project and an analysis of emerging issues. study visits to two local publications in Poland (Wyszków and Arkadiusz)
Do you offer classified advertisements should be directed to the company? What are guided by the local authority selecting the paper, which advertises? Is classified ads should be in one place in the newspaper? - These and other questions fell while visiting journalists local and regional newspapers from Georgia in Poland. Visit to the Polish local press publications and meetings with local authorities are continuing efforts to implement the Georgian editorial systems that support their economic stability. Last year, the Democratic Society East together with the partner organization Caucasus Center for Journalists implemented the project for the introduction of the Georgian newspaper's own distribution system. training concerning the organization of the system of obtaining classified ads (Georgia)
d. create a platform for classroom at TDW home page . For several weeks, as part of a project implemented by the Foundation for Democratic Society East together with the Caucasian Centre for Journalists, operates an online platform for Georgia's local and regional newspapers. Platform is a place where participants have access to all materials and documents relating to the theme of this year's and last year's project. Above all, it is a place for exchanging experiences Georgian publishers and editors of local media with one another and with publishers of Polish. The forum which is part of the platform provide the experts - Polish independent publisher of local newspapers who are involved in the implementation of media projects conducted by TDW in Georgia. Platform is constantly evolving. The current logged on to the publishers and editors are 12 local and regional newspapers Georgia. They have access to materials and documents relating to the distribution of its own, and a system for collecting classified ads. As the implementation of the topics on the management of local publishing, the platform will appear supporting material changes in the Georgian media. Newspapers participating in the project:
1. Guriis Moambe - Ozurgeti,
2. Kakhetis Khma - Gurjaani,
3. Kartlis Khma - Gori
4. Mtavari Samegrelo - Poti
5. Rustavis Ambebi - Rustavi,
6. Samkhretis Karibche - Akhaltsikhe,
7. Trialetis expressi - Trialeti,
8. Khalkhis Gazeti - Gori
9. Zugdidilebi - Zugdidi,
10. Speqtri - Gurjaani,
11. Tchemi Kharagauli - Kharagauli,
12. Tkibuli Droit - Tkibuli.
