Call for Applications

Media organisations based in Afghanistan and Pakistan which are interested in collaborating with their counterparts in the neighboring are hereby invited to nominate journalists working with them for the next phase of exchange of Pakistani and Afghan journalists under the Pak-Afghan Media Collaboration programme. In this phase, six Pakistani and six Afghan journalists, each nominated by the media houses s/he works for, would be selected to visit the neighboring country for a week where they would conduct research for reporting on a topic approved by their media organisation. Each selected journalist would work in collaboration with a journalist selected from a media group in the neighbouring country. The selected journalists would get training on various aspects of reporting from abroad and on conflict-sensitive journalism.

The programme:
Since 2011, the Pak-Afghan Media Collaboration initiative has been striving to improve the access of media houses and journalists in Pakistan and Afghanistan to balanced information, perspective and elaborate analysis about the neighbouring country by facilitating Pak-Afghan media houses to work together. Under the initiative, a small number of Pakistani and Afghan journalists nominated by their media houses are selected to visit the neighbouring country for around a week in order to conduct research and report on a topic approved by their media organisations. The aim of this programme is to enhance collaboration between media organisations of the two countries and, therefore, it is the media organisation that can submit an application on behalf of a journalist working full-time with them.

Each selected journalist works in collaboration with a journalist selected from a media group of the neighboring country. The selected journalist from one country travels to the other country where her/his work is facilitated by a media house for around one week. A selected journalist from the host media organisation then visits the other country for a week where her/his work is in turn facilitated in the same manner. Journalist previously selected under this media collaboration initiative include many working with leading media houses in Afghanistan and Pakistan who have conducted research in partnership with selected journalists from the other country. A 14-member Advisory Board comprising renowned media personalities in each country will meet consider the applications and select the winning ones. A Cooperation Fund created under the programme will cover the costs related to research and reporting on the story ideas selected. This initiative is funded by International Media Support and is implemented in Pakistan by Pak Institute for Peace Studies (PIPS) and in Afghanistan by The Killid Group (TKG).

Themes:
Proposed themes for reports by journalists nominated by media houses are listed below.

• Human rights;
• Freedom of expression;
• Economic opportunities across the border;
• Situation of women living across the border;
• Educational opportunities and challenges;
• Bilateral trade, transit trade, and impact of trade on the economy of both countries;
• Cultural exchange programs;
• Historical ties that bind both countries together;
• Peace that leads to political strengthens of both countries;

N.B: Please note that this list is not exhaustive and only includes some of the many possible thematic areas.

Qualifications:
Journalists can only apply by completing the online application form below, with the express authorisation of the media organisations that employ them full time. The authorizations of the media organisation will be inferred from a recommendation letter the organisation sends by courier directly to Pak Institute for Peace Studies (in case of Pakistani journalists) or The Killid Group (in case of Afghan journalists), as the case may be. In order for the application to be considered, the following criteria must be met:

• The nominating organisation must be registered as a media organisation with the relevant government entity;
• The nominee must be a full-time employee of the nominating media organisation.
• The nominating organisation must make a commitment to working together with the selected media house in the neighboring country at least for the duration of the journalists’ exchange;
• The nominating organisation must submit by post a recommendation letter for the nominee, along with three sample reports previously produced by her/him. The recommendation letter must contain:
• A commitment by the nominating organisation to release the nominee for a week in either April or early May 2013 to visit the neighbouring country for around a week and for a two-day training prior to that visit and also commit to help her/ him facilitate the one-week return visit by a selected journalist from the neighbouring country;
• A commitment by the nominating organisation that the report based on their nominated journalist’s work in the neighboring country would be given coverage by the media house within two months of completion of the joint research.
• A commitment by the nominating organisation that the selected journalists will complete the visit to the neighboring country on the dates decided under the exchange programme.
• Submission of three proposed story ideas that the nominated journalist will pursue in the other country, if selected. (The proposed idea must be precise, practical and capable of being completed within one week).

N.B: Journalists who have prior engagements in April and early May 2013 which prevent them from travelling abroad during that time need not apply.

What is covered:
The exchange will not incur any cost for the nominating media group. For journalists selected for the exchange programme, the Cooperation Fund under the programme will cover all essential expenses directly related to the research and reporting on the story ideas selected, such as visa fees, travel to and accommodation in Afghanistan or Pakistan, interpreting, local transportation, and insurance, etc.

Deadline:
The deadline for submission of a duly completed online application and receipt of recommendation letter is 5:00 pm on March 6, 2013. Applications can only be submitted online. The applicants are strongly advised to complete the submission of their applications and upload necessary supporting documents well in advance of the deadline to ensure smooth and successful submission.

Recommendation letter:
The nominating media organisation should send the recommendation letter by post. The application would be considered complete only once the recommendation has been received. 
The recommendation letter for the applicants from Pakistan should be sent by post directly to:  

The recommendation letter for the applicants from Afghanistan should be sent by post directly to: