INDEPENDENT MEDIA CENTRE KURDISTAN

IMCK director lectures at Sulaymaniya University

2012-01-19T16:38:00.000+03:00

IMCK director Judit Neurink held a lecture at the Media Department of Sulaymaniya University. Her public was made up of print students of the fourth and final year of the faculty. The lecture took place at the university on Thursday January 19, 2012.

Neurink spoke about the difference of the situation of media education in her motherland, the Netherlands, about the profile of a journalist, about responsible journalism and about the role of journalists in a democracy.
The lecture is the first of a series to help students practice the making of journalistic stories.

Lights for Gali Kurdistan

2012-01-17T20:47:00.001+03:00

Satellite channel Gali Kurdistan has a second consultancy to get its lighting in shape. Dutch expert Walter Birkhof started on Tuesday January 17, 2012 working with the staff to improve the way the programs of this PUK channels are lighted.

He started where earlier consultant Lukas Morawski left off. The consultancy is meant mainly to make sure shadows are acceptable in the many live programs of the channel. The consultancy lasts for 6 days.

Dutch parliamentary visits Media bo Khalk

2012-01-16T08:55:00.000+03:00

Dutch parliamentary Harry van Bommel, who is member of the foreign affairs committee in the Dutch parliament for the SP, visited Media bo Khalk on Sunday January 15, 2012.

He was interviewed by the students on the aim of his visit. The information will be used on the website the students will be making as part of their internet training that started earlier in the day.

Van Bommel is in Iraqi Kurdistan on invitation of KDP. He is working to get the Dutch government to recognize Anfal and the attack on Halabja as genocide, and at the same time is trying to find support for activities for Dutch companies in the Kurdish region.

Internet for Media bo Khalk

2012-01-15T17:20:00.002+03:00

Students of Media bo Khalk, the post graduate training by IMCK running in Erbil, on Sunday January 15, 2012 started a course on the use of internet for journalists. Trainer Elin Wyn came from Cardiff to teach them in five days how to report on internet, how to use internet for finding information and news and how to make a simple website.

Both print and TV students take part. Co-trainer is Sardasht Aziz, who earlier taught the group the principles of working on internet.

Ms Wyn is representing Falmouth College University, which is supporting Media bo Khalk with advise and trainers, to make sure the course will grow into a masters in journalism.

Day for the IMCK board

2012-01-13T18:15:00.001+03:00

The board of IMCK on Friday January 13, 2012 held a meeting of a day to discuss how to further professionalize the organisation. Consultant Ernst Faber worked with them, and the IMCK management team on making 'rules for board and director' and profiles for board members.

The meeting took place at the IMCK offices in Sulaymaniya. The IMCK board consists of 7 members. Present were Parwa Ali (chair), Asos Hardi (deputy chair), Kawa Mohammed, Rebin Rasul and Fatah Zakhoiy.

IMCK at conference Kurdistani Nwe

2012-01-09T17:33:00.000+03:00

IMCK-director Judit Neurink was invited on the 9th of January 2012 to speak at a conference held by Kurdistani Nwe. The occasion was the 20th anniversary of the Kurdish newspaper. Present besides IMCK were the editors-in-chief of the four main newspapers in Kurdistan. From left to right on the picture below: Stran Abdulla (Kurdistani Nwe), Kemal Raoof (Hawlati), Shwan Mohammed (Awena), the moderator and Judit Neurink with IMCK-translator Yad Raoof Jalal. Not seen on the picture is Ako Mohammed of Rudaw newspaper.

The invitees talked about the challenges that journalism and media face, now and in the future. One topic of concern was the growing competition by the Internet. Judit Neurink focused among other things in her speech on the difficulties of getting young people interested in journalism in Kurdistan.

Watch the video below to see the speech.

TV news for Media bo Khalk

2012-01-08T09:54:00.000+03:00

Students of the TV-group of IMCK's post graduate course Media bo Khalk started on their first 'international week'. TV-maker Karin Greep, who has been part of the curriculum in the earlier versions of Media bo Khalk as well, came to Erbil to teach them how to make news items for TV. Greep is an experienced journalist working with different TV stations in the Netherlands.

The training started on Sunday January 7, 2012 at the training centre of IMCK in Erbil and will last for 5 days. International weeks, with expert trainers from outside Iraq, will be held regularly until the end of the course in May 2012 to offer knowledge and support the training by local Iraqi trainers.

Making Rewan more attractive for the reader

2012-01-05T11:11:00.001+03:00

Women newspaper Rewan works with IMCK trainer Khidher Domle on making their content more interesting for a bigger group of readers. On January 5, 2012, Domle spent a day with the editorial staff in the library of the women centre in Sulaymaniya.

How to attract readers, how to make stories more interesting, how to choose subjects and how to handle them in a way that will interest the readers were the main subjects to be covered.

Lectures for assaish by IMCK

2011-12-18T17:03:00.001+03:00

Some 200 future officers in Assaish in Erbil on Sunday December 18, 2011 were briefed by IMCK on the role of the media in connection to their own work.

IMCK senior trainer (and director) Judit Neurink talked to three groups of students at the end of their six month training to become officers about the relation between media and police in a democracy. She used real situations to inform them on possible confrontations, and how to handle situations when press is involved.

Main message of the lecture was that journalists by law have the right to collect information, and in a democracy are working to inform the people.
These lectures in the future will become part of the six month course for officers in Erbil assaish.

Training reporters KirkukNow

2011-12-15T16:16:00.001+03:00

Reporters of Kirkuk Now on December 15, 2011 were offered a day of training in the training hall of IMCK in Sulaymaniya. In the morning IMCK senior trainer (and director) Judit Neurink worked with them on the questions of 'what is news', 'what news is interesting for the readers of KirkukNow.com' and 'which sources do you use to make a good item for the site'.

In the afternoon photographer and photo-editor Julie Adnan informed them on the use of pictures. What can you do with pictures on the internet, what not? What is copyright? She was assisted by Nwenar Fatih, who is an editor and photographer for KirkukNow.

Shell director briefs participants

2011-12-12T20:40:00.000+03:00

Communications director Diego Perez from Shell Iraq informed participants of the Natural Resources Workshop in Erbil on details about the work of Shell in Iraq, oil contracts and other interesting details.

The workshop, which is a project of IMCK and NPA, runs for five days. Twenty journalists from all over Iraq take part, of whom about half women.

Second Natural Resources Workshop starts

2011-12-10T12:28:00.001+03:00

IMCK and Norwegian Peoples Aid started on December 10, 2011 the second of three workshops on Natural Resources. The training lasts five days and takes place in the Safeer Hotel in Erbil. From the first group of thirty participants, twenty were selected to take part.

Trainers are James Gavin, an expert in reporting on oil and economics, and IMCK co-trainer Kholoud Alamary. Experts are invited in the mornings to inform the journalists about the subjects related to oil and water. Afternoons are spent on writing stories and getting information on how to improve journalistic skills.

The best stories will be edited and published on the 'Iraqi Treasures' website opened for this project. Apart from IMCK and NPA, also Mesalah and Kirkuk Journalists Group are involved in the project. A third workshop is planned for March.

Documentary makers and illegal immigration

2011-11-22T12:39:00.000+03:00

Twelve documentary makers from Sulaymaniya and surroundings on November 22, 2011 attended a briefing with IMCK and Statt Consulting on illegal immigration. The meeting took place in the training hall of the mediacentre in Sulaymaniya.

The TV makers were briefed on details about illegal immigration and its results. Documentaries by Kamaran Jamal about the subject were shown, and trainer and documentary maker Salar Sultan conducted a small workshop on how to write a scenario for a documentary.

Dutch Ambassador visits IMCK

2011-11-15T11:42:00.001+03:00

On Monday November 4, 2011 Dutch Ambassador to Iraq Jeroen Roodenburg visited the IMCK office in Sulaymaniyah.

During this visit Ambassador Roodenburg was introduced to staff members of the IMCK and informed about the activities of the IMCK in Iraq and Iraqi Kurdistan.

Media bo Kalk 3 is opened

2011-11-13T17:06:00.001+03:00

Media bo Khalk, the post graduate course in journalism by IMCK was opened officially in Erbil, on Sunday November 13, 2011. The Dutch embassador Jeroen Roodenburg opened the course together with two former students of earlier editions of Media bo Khalk.

Roodenburg made a comparison of diplomats and journalists and concluded that they both are curious, they report and they care about people. The difference is their public, as diplomats are reporting in confidentiality.

The Assistent Director of the Department of Foreign Affairs of KRG, dr Didar Zebari, spoke of his support for IMCK in setting up an important training course for journalists like Media bo Khalk. As did former KRG minister Chnar Abdullah, who pointed to the importance of professional journalism for the development of Iraq.

IMCK board member Rebin Rasul explained the importance of good education for starters in journalism, from his own experience when working for the Kurdish newspaper Hawlati.

Media bo Khalk3 will start

2011-11-12T17:38:00.001+03:00

Students for the third edition of Media bo Khalk/Media for People/Al Ilam lil nas arrived in Erbil on Saturday November 12. The first group of students from Baghdad, Basra, Kirkuk etc were briefed by project manager Saman Penjwini and the trainers Khaled Sulaiman (lead trainer), Ako Mohammed (print) and Aram Saeed.

The formal opening of the post graduate course will take place on Sunday November 13, 2011 at the Safeer Hotel in Erbil.

Iraqi Treasures on line

2011-11-02T12:28:00.001+03:00

Iraqi Treasures is on line!

The website publishes the best stories of the Natural Resources workshops, that IMCK organises with Mesalla and Kirkuk Journalists Group.The project is funded by Norwegian People's Aid.

On line now are the main stories out of the first workshop (October 2011 in Erbil) on Oil, Gas and Water. After the workshops in December (2011) and March (2012) more stories will be published.
The website are in Arabic (with a special corner for stories in Kurdish).

The information from the stories can be used (mentioning the source) by colleagues in Iraq publishing on the subject.

Presentation and interview training at Gali Kurdistan

2011-11-02T10:29:00.000+03:00

International trainers Felix Meurders and Henk ten Oever started a 2 day on the job training at Gali Kurdistan. The training, which started on November 2, 2011, focusses on interview and presentation skills.

Meurders is a veteran of Dutch television and has presented several programs on national Dutch television and ten Oever is a Dutch media specialist. In total, there were 20 people taking part in the training.

Presentation and interview training at Kurdsat

2011-10-31T12:59:00.000+03:00

International trainers Felix Meurders and Henk ten Oever started a 2 day on the job training at Kurdsat. The training, which started on October 31, 2011, focusses on interview and presentation skills. Meurders is a veteran of Dutch television and has presented several programs on national Dutch television and ten Oever is a Dutch media specialist.

In total, there are 8 participants from 2 different programs of Kurdsat, namely "Subject" and "Behind the News", taking part in the training.

Lecture for media staff

2011-10-27T10:49:00.000+03:00

IMCK director and senior trainer Judit Neurink offered staff of media offices of different departments of the Ministry of Internal Affairs in Sulaymaniya a two hour lecture on basic journalism. About twenty people were present in the language training room of the Residency office in Sulaymaniya.

The lecture on Ocotber 26, 2011 was part of a training on working with media organised by Radio Nawxo in Sulaymaniya.

Training of Media bo Khalk trainers

2011-10-26T14:39:00.000+03:00

International trainer Gie Meeuwis started a 5 day training of trainers. The training, which started on Saturday October 22, is ment to prepare the trainers of Media bo Khalk for the third edition of this postgraduate course in journalism.

The trainers that Meeuwis works with are Ameen Muhamad and Aram Saeed, and the training mainly focusses on TV making.

First workshop natural resources

2011-10-22T13:52:00.001+03:00

IMCK, together with Masallah and Kirkuk Journalists Group (KJG), started the first of three workshops on Natural Resources. On Saturday October 22, a group of 30 journalists from all over Iraq came to Erbil for a first training on Oil, Water and Gas. The project is initiated and funded by Norwegian People's Aid (NPA)

Trainers are James Gavin, who is specialized in the subject and trained a group of Kurdish journalists for IMCK before, and Khaled Suleiman, who is one of IMCK's trainers and publishes on the subject in Kurdish and Arabic media. The workshop takes place at the IMCK training hall in Erbil.

The workshop is the first of three; the 20 best participants will pass on to the next workshops in December and March. Participants come from all over Iraq. Working language is Arabic.

Selfdefence training for Lveen and Hawlati newspapers

2011-10-20T15:06:00.000+03:00

Trainer Walrick Halewijn gave a one-day selfdefence training for Lveen newspaper on October 19, 2011. The training took place at the IMCK training-hall in Sulaymaniya. There were 6 participants who were taught how to handle aggression directed at journalists and how to defend themselves in case of an attack.

On October 20, 2011, Halewijn offered an afternoon training in selfdefence at the Hawlati newspaper office. There were six participants who took part in this training.

Self defence for Metrography and Nawxo

2011-10-18T14:53:00.001+03:00

Trainer Walrick Halewijn trained photographers attached to the Kurdish organisation Metrography on self defence. The one day training took place on October 17, 2011 at the training hall of IMCK in Sulaymaniya. Sixteen photographers were very happy with the information offered on how to handle agression, and the exercises how to act if attacked.

At Nawxo News Agency, he offered an afternoon of training (on October 18, 2011) which took place at the premises of the radio-station/newsagency in Sulaymaniya. About 18 members of the agency and radio staff attended.

Selfdefence for journalists

2011-10-16T10:54:00.001+03:00

In reaction to the violence against journalists in Kurdistan, IMCK started a series of one day trainings on selfdefence for journalists. The first workshop took place on October 16, 2011 at the IMCK training hall in Sulaymaniya.

Trainer Walrick Halewijn trains on how to avoid agression, how to be aware of dangers and how to react when attacked.

Portraits by Eddy van Wessel

2011-10-15T13:43:00.002+03:00

Eddy van Wessel returned to Kurdistan to conduct another workshop on portrait photography. Van Wessel is an internationally admired photographer who traveled the world (http://www.eddyvanwessel.com/).

The training, that focusses on portrait photography but also covers basics, started on October 14, 2011 in the IMCK training hall in Erbil and lasts three days. The 11 participants are from Erbil and Kirkuk. Some of them work as reporters who also make pictures, some work as photographers.

Evening course at IMCK Erbil

2011-10-08T16:56:00.000+03:00

Twelve editors and experienced journalists from different newspapers in Erbil joined IMCK on Saturday October 8, 2011 for an evening training on editioral subjects.

The workshop of six late afternoons (4-7 PM) is the first that IMCK has organised for those journalists its normal trainings to not reach because of their working hours.

Trainers are IMCK-trainers Ako Mohammed, Khaled Suleiman and Khaled Suleiman. The training will focus on text editing, making better leads and headlines, making stories more attractive to read and making them with the reader in mind.

Sulaimaniyah Declaration October 5th 2011

2011-10-06T12:20:00.002+03:00

Sulaimaniyah Declaration October 5th 2011

2011-10-06T12:12:00.000+03:00

Reportage and interview training

2011-09-29T10:41:00.001+03:00

Al Jazeera journalist Mustapha Zraid started a 4 day training on interviewing and raportage making for TV.The training started on Thursday, September 29 at IMCK in Sulaymaniya.

During the training participants will learn how to conduct an interview and make a reportage for TV. There are 13 participants coming form 5 different TV stations, namely KNN TV, Gali Kurdistan TV, Nalia TV, Speda and Payam.

Photo editing training

2011-09-28T16:19:00.000+03:00

International trainer Jenny Smets started a 5 day training in photo editing. The training started on Wednesday, September 28 and is held at the Xendan office in Sulaymaniya. Smets is a Dutch foto editor who has worked for several Dutch newspapers.

During the training participants will learn how to use photos in news items and how photos can clarify a news story. In total 15 photographers and designers from different newspapers, magazines and websites such as Wena Megazine, Chawder NP, Xezan Megazine, Speda TV and Rudaw, took part in the training.

IMCK and NPA will organise 3 workshops on natural resources in Iraq

2011-09-26T17:14:00.000+03:00

Oil, gas and water are important issues in Iraq. Yet they are hardly covered in the media.
IMCK, in cooperation with the Norwegian People’s Aid (NPA), Masallah and Kirkuk Journalists Group wants to work on improving the knowledge of journalists on the subject, and stimulate journalists to become specialized in natural resources.

IMCK signed a contract with NPA to organise 3 workshops on the subject, to be held in October, December and March, in Erbil. Journalists from KRG, Baghdad, Basra and Kirkuk working on economics, for newspapers and audio visual media who are specialized in economic reporting will be invited to take part. The workshops will result in a website and possibly a book.

Workshop TV reportage with DC4MF

2011-09-23T09:38:00.000+03:00

Al Jazeera journalist Mustapha Zraid started on September 23, 2011 a five day workshop on TV reportage and interview for TV-journalists from Arabic Iraqi TV stations.

The workshop is the second in cooperation and coordination with the Doha Centre for Media Freedom (DC4MF).

Participants come from all over Iraq; they work for stations in Baghdad, Basra, Dijala and Kirkuk. The workshop will focuss on how to make reportage about people, and about issues that are important for people.

Info graphics on the second level

2011-09-16T11:14:00.000+03:00

For those who already have a basic knowledge on making info graphics for TV, international trainer Ceasare Schuit started a five day training at the mediacentre in Sulaymania. Participants are from different TV stations in Iraqi Kurdistan. They will be taught how to better use the combination of different softwares to make info graphics for TV.

Ceasare Schuit is a TV designer specialized in making info graphics, who works for different clients in the Netherlands.

Radio training at Newroz radio

2011-09-15T16:02:00.002+03:00

International trainer for IMCK Joris van de Kerkhof opened a 3 day training at Newroz radio in Sulaymaniya. The training, which is an on the job training, started on September 15, 2011. Van de Kerkhof is a reporter and trainer working at NOS Radio in the Netherlands and has trained with the IMCK in Iraqi Kurdistan for several times.

Newroz radio is a government station, which does not focus on politics. Instead, it proclaims to produce programs aimed at its listeners. The station broadcasts from 7 AM to 11 PM and every hour there is a news bulletin. Furthermore it broadcasts programs about social matters, religion, health and health care, sports and traffic.

During the training the employees of Newroz radio are taught how they can make more programs aimed at listeners.

Kirkuk Now meeting at IMCK

2011-09-15T11:44:00.004+03:00

Editer-in-chief Salam Ibrahim of Kirkuk Now called his reporters from Kirkuk for a meeting to the IMCK office in Sulaymaniya. Kirkuk Now is the first independent website for Kirkuk, set up by IMCK.

During the meeting on Thursday 15 September, 2011, eleven reporters were present. They discussed the achievements of Kirkuk Now so far and talked about possible improvements.

IMCK boardmeeting with new boardmember Fatah Zakhoye

2011-09-15T11:15:00.003+03:00

On Thursday 15 September the board of the IMCK held its first meeting with its new boardmember Fatah Zakhoye. He was a Minister of Culture in the former Kurdistan government of Sulaymaniya.

Chairwomen is Parwa Ali, vice-chair is Asos Hardi. Other board members are Kawa Mohammed, Rebin Rasul, Aram Saeed. Another new member, Srwa Abdulwahid, could not be present. The meeting took place at the IMCK office in Sulaymaniya.

Open letter to the presidents about safety

2011-09-12T15:14:00.001+03:00

Seven Kurdish editors in chief and IMCK sent an open letter to the Iraqi president Jalal Talabani and the Kurdish president Massoud Barzani urging them to work on journalists' safety. ,,Journalists no longer feel happy and secure'', the open letter says, as attacks on journalists in Iraqi Kurdistan are increasing.

The letter was written after the attack on Awene director Asos Hardi, and refers to hundreds of the incidents against journalists that took place since the demonstrations in Iraqi Kurdistan of early Spring. ,,The work of journalists and their freedom are in a crisis that will affect the reputation of the Kurdistan region'', the letter says, ,,and that will draw international attention''.

The editors in chief and IMCK warn that if the attacks do not stop, and if the Kurdistan Journalists Law is not applied as it should be, freedom of speech will be in danger. They ask the presidents for a legal investigation of those cases that involve attacks on journalists, and urge them to consider making an access of information act. They should also make a point of the right of journalists to work in a safe environment.

The letter is signed by the editors in chief of the following papers, that also published it: Hawlati, Lveen, Komal, Aso, Awene, Chatr and Rudaw, as well as by IMCK director Judit Neurink.

Radio training at Germian radio station in Kalar

2011-09-12T12:05:00.004+03:00

International trainer Joris van de Kerkhof started a 3 day training at Radio Garmiyan in Kalar. Van de Kerkhof, who is a reporter and trainer working at NOS Radio in the Netherlands, has trained with the IMCK in Iraqi Kurdistan for several times. The training which started on September 12, will take place on the job at the radiostation.

Radio Garmiyan in Kalar is a part of the Kurdistan Islamic Union, but does not want to be involved in politics. The goal of the station is to stimulate civil journalism and focuss on education.

The station was set up in 1997 and has 17 people working for it, as well as several volunteers. The station broadcasts 12 hours a day in both Kurdish, Arabic, Farsi and English. It is the most popular radio station in Kalar.

According to Joris van de Kerkhof "it was very rewarding to see the new knowledge directly applied."

Info graphics for TV editors

2011-09-10T10:46:00.000+03:00

International trainer Ceasare Schuit started a workshop on making info graphics for TV for editors of TV stations in Baghdad and other Arab Iraqi towns. The five day workshop started on Saturday September 10, 2011 in the training hall of IMCK in Erbil. The twelve participants come from all over Iraq.

The training is a joint project of IMCK and the Doha Centre for Media Freedom (DC4MF). It is meant to provide Iraqi TV with staff that can make info graphics, thus enhancing the quality of the Iraqi media.

The workshop is the start of a more regular cooperation between IMCK and DC4MF, as the latter intends to reach out to Iraqi media through IMCK.

Ceasare Schuit is an experience TV editor who specialized in making info graphics. He is secunded by IMCK co-trainer Ako Mohammed.

Bloggers informed about illegal immigration issues

2011-09-08T16:36:00.000+03:00

The team of Statt Consulting has briefed bloggers from Suleymaniya, Rania and Kalar on the background and effects of illegal immigration. IMCK organised a round table for the bloggers in its office in Sulaymaniya, on Thursday September 8, 2011.

The briefing was done by the same team that already informed TV-makers of the Kurdish channels Speda and Zagros.

Briefings on illegal immigration

2011-09-06T14:54:00.001+03:00

IMCK in cooperation with Statt Consulting organised two briefings on the subject of illegal immigration for reporters of the TV stations Speda TV and Zagros TV.

The briefings took place in Erbil, on September 6, 2011. There were 3 speakers. Renee Le Cussan (Regional Programme Officer) spoke about the perspective of destination counties and the social, political and legislative issues surrounding irregular migration in destination countries. Salih Amir (Online Liaison Officer) gave a description of effective communication strategies in the online world regarding irregular migration. And Hazhar Taha (Media Liaison Office) talked about traditional media efforts to highlight irregular migration in the Kurdish media.

IMCK condemns attack on Asos Hardi

2011-09-03T12:00:00.001+03:00

IMCK condemns the attack on Asos Hardi, director of Awene and vice-president of the IMCK. Hardi was attacked in the early evening of August 29, 2011 - the last day of Ramadan .

Hardi is not the first journalist in Kurdistan to be attacked. The Metro Centre to Defend Journalists has extensively reported on this phenomenon. He is, however, by far the most prominent journalist it has happened to. According to IMCK director Judit Neurink "this attack creates an atmosphere of fear in which nobody feels save anymore."
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Prize for reporting on illegal immigration

2011-08-28T17:19:00.000+03:00

Aso Amin of Chawyxelik website won the first prize (500 dollars) in the contest of IMCK and Statt Consulting for stories in Kurdish media on illegal immigration.

His story about a man who returned after a failed migration to Kurdistan, who choose the hardship of living in a far off region, showed the different aspects of the problem, the jury of the Prize thought. Aso used the example of the returnee to show the bigger story of illegal immigration.

The prize was handed to him by IMCK director Judit Neurink during a little ceremony at the IMCK office , on Sunday August 28, a date chozen because of the proxility of the Eid holiday. The jury was made up of IMCK trainers and journalists Khidher Domle and Salaam Ibrahim, and Hazhar Taha for Statt Consulting.

There were also two second prizes (of 250 dollars each) which went to Sara Qadir of Awene newspaper for a story about the effects on women who stay behind when men leave to go abroad, and to Bahez Osman of NRT TV (picture below), who used a report on the workshop IMCK and Statt organised on illegal immigration to show the subject in a news item from different angles.

In total the jury looked at 11 stories, mostly written reports.

On the job at Bas newspaper

2011-08-02T16:57:00.000+03:00

IMCK trainers Khidher Domle and Ako Mohammed started on August 2, 2011 on a 3 day, on the job training at the offices of Bas newspaper in Erbil.

Bas is a small newspaper published in Kurdish and Arabic, focusing on business news and reporting.

The training will focus on news, leads and headlines, design, target groups and reporting for the reader.

Oil is Money Prize

2011-08-01T12:05:00.001+03:00

At the IMCK offices three Kurdish journalists were awarded a prize for best stories on oil related issues. The Oil is Money Prize was the finale of the project IMCK did with Open Society Intitute to improve the knowledge of Kurdish journalists (and thus of Kurdish readers/viewers) on the subject.

After the Oil workshop IMCK offered in March 2011, the participants were invited to keep posted on a special Facebook page, and to meet two times with trainer Ben Lando (of Iraqi Oil Report) and some experts. All participants were invited to send in stories for the Prize.

The jury consisted of Asos Hardi (director of Awene Newspaper), Khaled Sulaiman (Editor in Chief of Haftana magazine), Ben Lando (Iraqi Oil Report) and Judit Neurink (director IMCK). They choose the three best stories out of a dozen that were sent in. The prize ceremony took place on July 31, 2011.

The winner is Aran Sidia from Hawler Newspaper, with a story about the results of oil production for the environment.

Second prize went to Shaxawan Nasih, who as a freelancer published a story in Awene newspaper about gas that is wasted in Kirkuk. Third price went to Ara Ibrahim who published a story in Hawlati newspaper about decisions taken by parliament concerning the oil production that were ignored by the Kurdistan Ministry of Oil.

Basic journalisme in Rania

2011-07-25T16:17:00.001+03:00

IMCK senior trainer Khidher Domle started on July 25,2011 in the Public Library in Rania training a group of seventeen local journalists on basic skills in journalism. For the first morning session, he was assisted by IMCK senior trainer Judit Neurink. The participants work for local media or as a correspondent for Kurdish media.

This project is a cooperation between IMCK and MWOD, Media Work Development Organisation.

The three day training will focus on civil journalism: reporting for people about people. How to make Kurdish media attractive for more readers, target groups, news, sources, interview - all will be covered.

Domle will be seconded on day 2 and 3 from IMCK trainer Shwan Mohammed (editor in chief of Awene newspaper).

Starters training in Erbil

2011-07-23T10:13:00.001+03:00

Twenty one starters in journalism joined trainers Wiggele Wouda and Ako Mohammed on Saturday July 23, 2011 at the IMCK traininghall in Erbil for a five day workshop on basic journalism.

They will be taught about news, sources, interview, responsible journalism and reporting for people about people. This is the second training IMCK is offering on the basic level in 2011, next to its post graduate training Media bo Khalk.

New journalism in Duhok

2011-07-22T12:08:00.000+03:00

Fifteen young starters in journalism received a certificate after 5 days of workshops on basic journalism.

Trainers Wiggele Wouda and Khidher Domle taught them about 'new' journalism, reporting for people about people, and welcomed them to the new generation of journalists in Iraq.

The training took place at the stadium of Duhok Football Club, and will from July 23, 2011 be repeated for a new group of youg starters in Erbil.

On the job trainers being trained

2011-07-18T10:03:00.002+03:00

The Independent Media Centre in Kurdistan aims to give more on the job trainings, international trainer Gie Meeuwis came to Sulaymaniyah to give training to six future trainers. This trainers should train there colleagues from different media outlets in Kurdistan in the future. His five-day training started on Sunday the 17th of July.

Meeuwis is returning to Kurdistan, as he is IMCK’s main trainer for these kind of Trainings of Trainers (ToT). He teaches the six participants how to get their message across in a workshop situation, and gives some theoretical basics on training of trainers.

The six new trainers will be used for training at several media outlets in Kurdistan. The workshop takes place at the mediacentre's training hall in Sulaymaniya and takes five days.

Starters workshop in Duhok

2011-07-17T14:12:00.000+03:00

International trainer Wiggele Wouda started a workshop for starters in print journalism, in Dohuk on Sunday July 17, 2011. The workshop will cover the basics of journalism, like what is news, which are rules and ethics in journalism, and know who to write for (target groups). Part of it is skills training (news items, interview etc).

Wouda is journalist and journalism teacher at the Univeristy of Groningen, the Netherlands. His co-trainer is IMCK senior trainer Khidher Domle. The workshop lasts 5 days and takes place in the conference room of the football stadium of Football Club Duhok. Sixteen young journalists take part.

Wouda will repeat the same training afterwards for starters in the Kurdish capital Erbil.

Certificates in Blogging for the future

2011-07-05T18:34:00.000+03:00

Around 29 bloggers from all over Iraq ended on Tuesday July 5 2011 a six day workshop in Erbil, offered to them by IMS, Unesco and IMCK. Trainers were Naseeem Tarawnah and Mohammed ElQaq from 7iber Inc in Amman.

During six days they talked about improving their weblogs, ethics and about forming a network. The workshop ended with the group and IMS' Osama Al-Habahbeh making recommendations on responsible blogging for the bloggers network, and certificates being presented.

Happy end of Media bo Khalk 2

2011-07-04T13:52:00.000+03:00

The 22 students of Media bo Khalk (Al Ilam al nas, Media for People) 2010/2011 were presented with certificates to celebrate the end of their 8 months post graduate course in journalism. The ceremony took place on Monday July 4, 2011 in Erbil.

Guest speakers were the KRG Minister of Culture, Youth and Media, Kawa Mahmoud, and Public Diplomacy officer Selim Ariturk of the US RRT in Erbil. They both spoke about the importance of independent and professional media for Iraq.

Falah Mustafa Bakir, the Head of the Department of Foreign Relations of KRG, sent a letter in which he stated that 'maintaining honesty and helping build hope and heal the wounds of the past is the signal role that journalists play'.

The second Media bo Khalk was possible thanks to American, Dutch and Kurdish funds. The latter came from PUK leader Mallah Bachtiar, and from former KRG prime minister Nerchirvan Barzani, who explained in a letter the reason for his support is 'the need for professional journalism in the new Iraq. In the wake of decades of despotism and suppression of freedom of speech, there is a considerable lack of professionalism amongst the members of the Iraqi media'.

Parwa Ali, chairwoman of the IMCK board, led the ceremony, in which IMCK-director Judit Neurink announced plans for the next course, to start in November, in close cooperation with the University College of Falmouth.

Blogging in Erbil

2011-07-02T10:54:00.000+03:00

Some pictures of the Bloggers workshop of IMCK, IMS and Unesco still going on in Erbil.

Blogging for the Future

2011-07-01T10:36:00.000+03:00

IMCK in cooperation with IMS and Unesco started on June 30, 2011 a 6 day workshop for Iraqi bloggers, called Blogging for the Future. Bloggers from all over Iraq take part in the workshop, that will focess on making their blogs more attractive, both in content, writing and technically.

Trainers are Nasreem Tarawnah and Mohammed Elqaq from 7iber-inc in Amman. The workshop runs in the Strant Hotel in Erbil, and continues untill July 5.

The workshop is made possible thanks to funding from IMS and Unesco.

Network meeting oil reporters

2011-06-29T10:15:00.018+03:00

Participants on IMCK's workshop on oil report returned to the mediacentre in Sulaymaniya for a network meeting. On June 28, 2011, they spent a day discussing their stories with trainer Ben Lando, who runs the Iraqi Oil Report website.

Special guest was Adnan Mayah, project officer of Al Mesalla Org for Human Resources Development, who briefed the reporters on the EITI project in Iraq, which collects information on the oil industry in Iraq and needs a Kurdish component too.

The reporters are asked to submit their stories on oil related subject no later then July 15, to be able to compete for the Oil is Money Prize that IMCK and Iraqi Oil Report are offering for the best stories on this subject.

The project is made possible with funding of the Open Society Institute.

Illegal Migration 2

2011-06-10T09:16:00.006+03:00

It was full and hot in the training hall of IMCK in Sulaymaniya. Even though it was a Friday, almost twenty journalists participated on June 10, 2011 in the workshop about illegal immigration.

Experts from Statt Consulting shared information on the effects of Kurds taking illegal routes to the West, about policies, and the lives of people who left, were not accepted and has to come back to Kurdistan.

The two workshops are meant to give Kurdish journalists more detailed information about the problem, and stimulate them to report on it in their media.

Workshop on illegal migration

2011-06-08T11:51:00.003+03:00

Is the West the Paradize? Under this titel IMCK together with Statt Consulting organizes two workshops about illegal migration and Iraqi Kurdistan. Journalists are invited to workshops of a day in Erbil and Sulaymaniya, with experts and guests on the subject.

21 journalists from different Kurdish media attended the workshop held on June 8, 2011 at the IMCK traininghall in Erbil. They were informed about migrantion and its rules, the results of migration for persons and societies and about personal stories concerning migration.

The second workshop will be held in Sulaymaniya on June 10.

Portrait photography for Duhok

2011-06-05T11:54:00.006+03:00

Photographers in Duhok started on Sunday June 5, 2011 on an 3 day workshop with international photographer Eddy van Wessel. He is training the group of 15 photographers on how to make better portrait photo's. The workshop takes place at the Azadi Panorama in Duhok, the General Directorate of Culture and Arts.

The workshop will cover technical issues and lighting, but will mainly look at more creative ways to make a portrait photo.

Training Arabic magazine makers

2011-06-02T10:37:00.001+03:00

International trainer Robert Slagt started on June 1, 2011 to train a group of magazine makers from Baghdad and other Arabic cities in Iraq. The training in the IMCK training hall in Erbil is modeled like the one he did for their Kurdish colleagues and takes 3 days.

Van Wessel trains in Baghdad

2011-06-01T17:02:00.002+03:00

International photographer Eddy van Wessel started a 3 day workshop on portrait photography in Baghdad. The training that started on June 1, 2011, was the first of its kind by IMCK in the Iraqi capital. The picture below (by Van Wessel) shows IMCK's project coordinator Mustafa Qais opening the training.

Van Wessel will teach a group of eight Iraqi photographers how to make pictures that are technically better, and especially how to make portraits that show something about "the soul" of the person.

Workshops for magazine makers

2011-05-29T16:45:00.003+03:00

Iraq has many magazines, but who do they target? International trainer Robert Slagt returned to Iraqi Kurdistan to conduct two workshops for magazine makers. The first one, with a group of Kurdish journalists and designers who make magazines, started on May 29, 2011. Co-trainer was IMCK-trainer Salam Ibrahim.

In three days Slagt and the participants try to make clear which are the target groups, and what the magazines should offer to reach them. Makers from Civil, Xazan, Standard and other Kurdish magazines participated.

Interns Media bo Khalk return

2011-05-22T16:51:00.004+03:00

Interns of the post graduate course of IMCK, Media bo Khalk, returned to their teachers to receive comments on the work done in the past weeks.

The students started on May 1 on a two month internship with Iraqi media. They have been placed with media all over Iraq, and according to their talents. They come back weekly or twice monthly to Erbil or Sulaymaniya to discuss with their MboK trainers how they can further improve their work.

British consul visits IMCK

2011-05-15T13:03:00.004+03:00

Chris Bowers, the British Consul in Erbil, visited the office of IMCK in Sulaymaniya in Saturday May 14, 2011. He was briefed on the activities of IMCK, and especially about the plans for a third edition of the post graduate training Media bo Khalk, which is to start in November.

Bowers also visited the editial staff of the independent website KirkukNow.com, which IMCK set up and is partly financed with British funding.

Press, police and politicians talk about press safety

2011-04-22T16:48:00.004+03:00

Representatives of police and security police (assaish), editors in chief and politicians from all over Kurdistan talked together about improving the safety situation for the Kurdish press during the conference 'Safety for journalists is safety for all'. The conference was organised by IMCK and took place on Thursday April 21, 2011 in the Noble Hotel in Erbil.

,,Kurdistan is at a cross roads'', said Frank Smyth, the journalist security coordinator of CPJ (the Committee to Protect Journalists in Washington) during the conference. ,,I can see the growing pains in the relation between police and press. The Kurds have to make sure that the space for the press grows as Kurdish democracy grows''.

The CPJ coordinator was an important guest in the conference, which was opened by the KRG minister of Culture, Kawa Mahmoud, who also spoke of the role journalists play in a democracy.

Smyth said at the end of the conference to be impressed by the way the different representatives, who were from different sides in the society, discussed the subject, which is very actual in Kurdistan, with more then 150 incidents involving journalists since the protests in Suleymaniya started on February 17. ,,They discussed the problems togethers, in stead of just speaking to each other''.

After naming the problems and their background, the particpants to the conference were divided over three working groups. One group spoke about a possible press council, or a committee to ensure the safety of journalists, another decided that it would be wise to create some sort of a badge for press to be worn during demonstrations, and the last found a number of 'Kurdish solutions' to the problem. It suggested a commission from the Ministries of Internal Affairs and Justice which can react to complaints about violence against the press. They also suggested a compensation scheme for journalists who have become the victim of violence by authorities, and they adviced to make special postcards with a big 'NO to violence against the press'.

The conference is the finale of a project that IMCK conducted to improve the relations between press, police and politicians in Kurdistan, which was funded by the American Regional Reconstruction Team (RRT) and the Open Society Institute. IMCK will work on the recommendations from the conference and will present ideas to help implement them in some way.

Launch of news website in Kirkuk

2011-04-16T15:59:00.006+03:00

The team of Kirkuk Now on Saturday April 16 launched the news website in Kirkuk, to media, ngo's, politicians and others. The presentation was organised especially for Kirkuk, to give the website as much attention as possible.

Project manager Jantine van Herwijnen and leading consultant Shwan Mohammed joined IMCK-director Judit Neurink (and Saman Penjwini from IMCK) on stage to give the most important details about the website, and to ask the Kirkukis to share their information with the Kirkuk Now team.

KirkukNow.com provides the people of Kirkuk with independent news and information on what is happening in their city.

KirkukNow.com launched

2011-04-14T12:52:00.007+03:00

The first independent news website for Kirkuk, KirkukNow.com, was officially launched on April 14, 2011. During a press conference in Sulaymaniya, IMCK senior trainer Khidher Domle spoke about 'a dream come true'. Leading consultant of Kirkuk Now is Shwan Mohammed; he spoke of a website that creates a bridge for all Kirkukis.

IMCK director Judit Neurink called the website 'from Kirkukis, for Kirkukis', as they will be invited to react, give their news and send their pictures. Pictures which show 'Kirkuk as you see it' will be placed on the website, next to news from the city and concerning the city.

Kirkuk Now is published in Kurdish, Arabic, Turkmen and English, to provide all people in Kirkuk with the same information. The setting up of the site is possible thanks to funding by the Dutch ngo Hivos, the Belgian and the British government.

For Kirkuk, the launch of the site will take place on April 16, 2011.

Final changes to Kirkuk Now

2011-04-10T16:33:00.004+03:00

Internet editor Marco Visser returned to the IMCK to work with the Kirkuk Now staff on final changes needed for the website, before it will be officially launched on April 14 (in Sulaymaniya) and April 16 (in Kirkuk). Kirkuk Now is an independent news site for all Kirkuki's, with news, information and discussions.

Human rights in Media bo Khalk

2011-04-10T10:40:00.003+03:00

International trainer Ruth Hopkins started a special week on human rights with the students of the post graduate course in journalism, Media bo Khalk. She will show the students what human rights are, in what way journalists can report on them. She will also give the students a basic view on international law, on what consequences these have for the situation in Iraq.

The course will focuss on human rights all over the world, not only in Iraq. Hopkins trains on the same subject at the Journalism Academy in Utrecht, the Netherlands.

Talkradio in Duhok

2011-04-05T16:36:00.007+03:00

How to use live comments of listeners and still be able to structure the program? That is the main question international trainer Joris van de Kerkhof is covering during a 3 day workshop on Talkradio in Duhok। The training started on Tuesday April 5, 2011. Presenters and reporters from different radiostations in Duhok take part.

Talkradio is popular with radiostations in Kurdistan, because it is simple and cheap. Listeners are invited to phone in, but presenters need more skills and information to be able to stay in charge of the program. During the workshop the participants will also practice interviewing.

The workshop is organized in cooperation with Duhok University and the Badinan Foundation.

Radio for Media bo Khalk

2011-04-02T09:47:00.006+03:00

International trainer Joris van de Kerkhof started on Saturday April 2, 2011, on a short training on radio making with the students of the IMCK post graduate course in journalism, Media bo Khalk.

Students will be introduced to the concept of radio, and be taught how to produce interesting items for radio making use of sounds they record. Van de Kerkhof will also talk with them about interviewing techniques for radio.

The students started on their last month training. In May and June they will be working as an intern at different media in Iraq.

Guest trainer in Oil Workshop

2011-03-29T09:51:00.004+03:00

Ben Lando (left on the picture), who leads the Iraqi Oil Report website, came to Sulaymaniya as a guest trainer for two days in the workshop on reporting on oil issues that runs in the mediacentre.

Lando is an international journalist who set up the website to report on issues related to oil in Iraq. He will be involved in network meetings that IMCK is organising in the coming months for the participants of the training.

Oil workshop started

2011-03-28T12:51:00.001+03:00

International trainer James Gavin started on Sunday March 27, 2011 a special workshop in the Sulaymaniya training hall of IMCK. For seven days he will give Kurdish reporters more knowledge and background information on oil issues. Specials guests will be invited, like Bnar Salah who works for one of the oil companies active in Kurdistan (photo below, with trainer James Gavin).

The training is meant to help Kurdish media to report in a better and more varied way about oil. Human stories that have a connection to oil in Iraq will get special attention.

Gavin is a specialized journalist from Great Britain. The workshop is made possible with funding from the Open Society Institute.

IMCK takes part in donor conference

2011-03-24T19:00:00.003+03:00

IMCK director Judit Neurink participated on March 24 in Amman in the Iraq Donor Conference, organised by the Danish organisation International Media Support. Different donors for media and media-organisations discussed the present situation in Iraq and the consequences for the media, the needs of media and ways for the organisations to coordinate and cooperate.

Other representatives in the meeting, apart those from IMCK and IMS, were from Open Society Institute, Unesco, the Swedish embassy in Baghdad, Internews, Friedrich Ebert Stiftung, Press Now and Irex.

Radio for Media bo Khalk

2011-03-03T16:13:00.002+03:00

International trainers Rommert Kruithof and Robert Baltus used the last days of their stay in Kurdistan to provide the students of IMCK's post graduate training Media bo Khalk with an introduction to radio. As the visit of the planned trainer had been posponed because of the unrest in the region, the two ex-radiomakers joined the MbK-students on March 2 and 3, 2011 to talk about making radio.

The students were taught about eye witness reports on radio, and discussed how to make an hour of radio that is interesting for different groups.

Assaish workshops ended (2)

2011-02-27T10:30:00.001+03:00

Trainer Mirek Wodzik on February 26, 2011 finalized his series of one day workshops for assaish. Of the series of eight, three workshops were canceled because of the unrest in the region.

IMCK hopes Wodzik can return to train more members of assaish on how to work with media, as the clashes between press and police of the past weeks have proven these workshops are needed. IMCK will also pass Wodziks advice to the heads of assaish on how to better prevent these incidents in the future.

Training for Kirkuk Now

2011-02-22T15:43:00.002+03:00

International trainers Rommert Kruifhof and Robert Baltus came to Iraqi Kurdistan to work with the new team of the website Kirkuk Now on the development of the site.

Kruithof will train the new reporters that had been employed since his last visit, Baltus will work on making the team more internet savy. He works as the Head of Social Media for NOS in the Netherlands, and will share his knowledge about making websites attractive for many groups of readers.

The site will be launched in April, after a test phase of a month. It will bring independent and reliable news about Kirkuk in the languages of the town: Kurdish, Arabic and Turkmen.

Rommert Kruithof will at the same time provide media training for some politicians and CEO's.

Training for assaish in Erbil

2011-02-19T09:48:00.006+03:00

IMCK trainer Mirek Wodzik started on February 18, 2011 in Erbil on the second series of workshops for assaish (security police). After the first day, the training again felt the consequences of the unrest in Kurdistan, which led on February 17 to 7 dead protesters in Sulaymaniya. All Kurdish assaish staff was put on alert, in Erbil to guard buildings of the party and party officials.

Wodzik trains assaish on how to work with media. The workshops will resume as soon as possible.

Professionalising papers in Duhok

2011-02-17T22:58:00.003+03:00

Evro and Waar, the two main newspapers in Duhok, should work to become more different to be able to both survive, was the message IMCK senior trainer Judit Neurink brought the newspapers during an evening meeting in Duhok.

The designers of the papers have been trained by IMCK, but the training alone is not enough. Editors and designers must work together more closely, with their readers in mind. The papers need to choose target groups, Neurink told designers, editors and Evro's editor in chief gathered in the building of Duhok TV.

The meeting touched mainly on practical messures that will help the papers work more professionally, and find new reader groups.

Training for UN staff

2011-02-13T17:46:00.005+03:00

International trainer Timothy Spence started a five day workshop on journalism and PR for staff of Unami and other UN-organisation. In total 18 people attend the workshop that is held in Erbil from February 13 to 17, 2011. Spence is being assisted for part of the time by IMCK senior trainer Judit Neurink.

Subjects covered are amongst others how to make a press release that ends up in the media, how to write different styles of journalism, how to make a news item, reportage and opinion piece, and how to make an interview.

Assaish workshops ended

2011-02-12T16:08:00.009+03:00

With a visit of the German consul in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, Stefan Bantle, IMCK international trainer Mirek Wodzik finished a first series of workshops for assaish. On February 12, 2011 he instructed a group of young policemen in Erbil how to deal with media.

Ako Mohammed, the editor in chief of Rudaw, joined the workshop to talk to the assaish members about the problems between press and police. Mohammed took over from AP photographer Yahya Barzinji, who took this role in the workshops Mirek conducted in the past 12 days. They did workshops in Sulaymaniya, Rania, Kalar, Halabja and Erbil, and talked to assaish members of Chamchamal and to officers in the IMCK mediacentre in Sulaymaniya.

Mirek will return shortly for a series of workshops on working with media for the assaish in Erbil, and possibly in Duhok.

The series is possible with funding of the Open Society Institute.

Design training Waar en Evro

2011-02-08T17:08:00.004+03:00

IMCK started on February 7 a design training for two of the main newspapers in Duhok . Frank Hijlkema is providing a 5-day workshop for Waar and Evro, both daily newspapers.

On Thursday, February 10, there will be a meeting with the designers and the editors-in-chief to discuss the workshop and how they can improve their newspaper.

Photography for Kirkuk Now reporters

2011-02-04T17:31:00.002+03:00

IMCK trainer and photographer Soran Naksbendi trained reporters in Kirkuk on how to make pictures that can be used for the new Kirkuk newssite IMCK is setting up. The reporters were taught how to make pictures that tell a story, and were informed on some technical issues concerning photography.

The training in Kirkuk lasted two days and ended on February 4, 2011.

Press spokesmen and journalists

2011-02-03T16:28:00.001+03:00

In Erbil, at the facilities of Agef, IMCK trainers Khidher Domle and Judit Neurink worked with a group of mediapeople from Kurdish ministries on how to get their information to the media. The workshop of one morning took place on February 3 as part of a series of training for spokesmen by Agef.

Domle and Neurink informed the group how journalists work, what they will do to get information and how they can best be informed. They stressed that a good relationship between media offices of the government and the press is essential to provide the Kurdish people with the information that they should have.

Training for Assaish resumed

2011-02-02T15:27:00.005+03:00

The workshops IMCK organized for the Sulaymania security police (Asaish) were cancelled until further notice due to safety precautions in the city. After two days Mirek Wodzik was able to resume his training.

Wodzik will provide one-day workshops on how the police should work with media. During the 20 workshops in total, the trainer will discuss the role press, police and politicians in a democracy. Yahya Barzinji, Kurdish journalist, working for the independent newspaper Awena, will talk about the role of the journalists.

Four workshops will be done in Sulaymania city, the rest of the days the trainer will go to different places of Sulaymania province, as Halabja, Rania and Kalar. Ten workshops will take place in Erbil.

This training is funded by the Open Society Institute

How to work with media for assaish

2011-01-30T15:57:00.000+03:00

International trainer for IMCK, Mirek Wodzik, started on January 30, 2011 on the first of a series of one day workshops for Kurdish security police, assaish. The workshops in Sulaymaniya and Erbil will focus on how to work with media in the now changed, peaceful environment.

The workshops are the result of a pilot IMCK conducted with Kurdish assaish in the Summer of 2010. The project is funded by the Open Society Institute.

Wodzik started the first workshop at assaish headquarters in Sulaymaniya. Due to a tense political situation under influence of the unrest in Egypt and a demonstration called for the day after in Sulaymaniya, the workshop was closed after only a morning session as all Kurdish police was put on alert. The project will resume as soon as possible.

reportage and investigation for Media bo Khalk

2011-01-24T11:09:00.002+03:00

Dutch journalist Barbara Berger came to Erbil, capital of Iraqi Kurdistan, to do a 5-day training for the students of the print group of Media bo Khalk. This is the postgraduate course of IMCK, also known as Media for People.

Bergers course will focus on how to write good reportages, and how to investigate subjects to write more detailed stories about it.

Dale Prince of the Regional Reconstruction Team brought a visit to the students on Sunday, January 23, the first day of the course.

RRT is one of the main funders of the project.

Aras donates books to Media bo Khalk

2011-01-23T10:15:00.002+03:00

The director of Aras publishing company, Badreen Habeeb, donated 175 Kurdish and Arabic books for the library of the postgraduate course in Erbil.

Habeeb and IMCK agree it is important for young people to read about the history and politics of their country, but also modern literature. The students will be asked by the trainers to do a book presentation about one of the books.

Press and police training

2011-01-21T14:53:00.002+03:00

Kees Schaepman and Mariwan Hama Saeed train journalists from different media outlets in Sulaymania on the code of ethics and how to work with the police.

Four 2-day workshops will be held. Every day there will be a different guest. Parliamentariens and police officers will give guest lectures and will discuss their point of view with the journalists.

The training is funded by the Regional Reconstruction Team in Erbil.

Training for editors Kirkuk Now

2011-01-21T14:41:00.002+03:00

The editors started working on the Kirkuk website in the beginning of February. Khidher Domle, senior trainer of IMCK, came to Sulaymania for three days to discuss the articles they made and how they can improve themselves.

Camera and editing for Media bo Khalk

2011-01-16T15:41:00.002+03:00

Farshad Aria came to Erbil to provide two weeks training for the students of the TV group of Media bo Khalk, the postgraduate course in journalism.

The first week he learned the students the basics of working with a camera and how to make professional shots. The second week he will focus on how to edit their work and how to make attractive TV programs and reportages.

New TV trainers being trained

2011-01-04T09:56:00.007+03:00

IMCK needs new trainers for TV. For that reason international trainer Gie Meeuwis started on Tuesday January 4 the first training of 2011: a workshop for TV makers on how to train others.

Meeuwis is returning to Kurdistan, as he is the IMCK's main trainer for these kind of 'ToT's' (Training of Trainer's). He will make the mixed group of (seven) Arab and Kurdish speaking TV-makers work on getting their message across in a workshop situation. The group worked in December on content with international trainer Karin Greep.

New trainers will be used for training outside Kurdistan, and for filling a gap in the IMCK post graduate training Media bo Khalk. The workshop takes place at the mediacentre's training hall in Sulaymaniya and takes five days.

Foreign reporting in Kurdish media

2010-12-19T15:50:00.000+03:00

After years of isolation, the Kurdish society is opening up to the outside world. Investers and traders come in, leaders of foreign countries come to visit. This should have its results for the media.

For Kurdish reporters to get more experience on reporting on foreign issues, IMCK organised a three day training course in Sulaymaniya, starting on December 19, 2010. Trainers are Wendelmoet Boersema, former chief of the foreign desk of Trouw newspaper and former correspondent in Moscow, and Judit Neurink, senior trainer for IMCK and correspondent in Iraq for Trouw newspaper.

Twelve reporters from different (party, semi-independent and independent) media in Sulaymaniya participated in the workshop, which took place at the conference room of Aso newspaper, as the IMCK trainingroom was occupied.

The workshop covered issues like how to choose news items on foreign subjects for your media outlet, how to give the news a Kurdish link, how to find sources for stories outside Kurdistan and how to make good use of correspondents.

Training for print group Media bo Khalk

2010-12-15T15:58:00.004+03:00

After four weeks being teached in the basics of journalism, internet and online journalism, the trainers split up the students of Media bo Khalk into two groups.
Eleven students will specialize themselves in print media, 14 of them will become professionals for TV.

Wendelmoet Boersema, chef of the daily supplement of Trouw, one of the biggest Dutch newspapers, started on December 13 a training on the different forms of writing for the print group.

Her 5-day training includes how to write reportages, news articles, portraits and interviews.

TV-training Media bo Khalk

2010-12-12T14:03:00.003+03:00

Karin Greep started on December 12 a training on how to make a reportage for the students of the TV group of Media bo Khalk. The focus will be on news, news flows, the production of news and how to make a little reportage of that.

During the 5-day training the students will produce a newsitem.

Improve relation between press, politicians and police

2010-12-12T10:41:00.007+03:00

After three 2-day workshops for journalists on improving the relationship between press, politicians and police, Kees Schaepman provided two workshops in Duhok.

In four days 30 journalists received a training on improving journalistic ethics. Subjects discussed are: how to work together with the police, how to behave on the streets, how to work as a responsible journalist.

The training is funded by the Regional Reconstruction Team.

Training Kirkuk Now

2010-12-12T10:10:00.006+03:00

Rommert Kruithof arrived on December 9 in Sulaymania to train the staff of Kirkuk Now, the independent news site which will bring news of the Kirkuk province, developed by IMCK. The site will be the first news outlet in Kirkuk that will bring unbiased news.

The first day Kruithof discussed the layout and content of the website with Shwan Mohamed, the consultant of Kirkuk Now.

The site will work with three editors, who will be trained for two days on how to work together and the basics of online journalism.

Thirteen reporters from Kiruk will work on freelance base for Kirkuk Now. Kruithof will provide a four day training on civil journalism. Another important aspect of the training is that the reporters get to know eachother and will work closely together.

Kirkuk Now is funded by Hivos and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Belgium.

Training of trainers for TV journalists

2010-12-06T14:51:00.004+03:00

Four TV journalists from the South of Iraq and two from the Kurdish region will be trained to be a professional trainer in a training of trainers. Dutch trainer Karin Greep is providing them a 5-day course on content. Greep will focus on interview techniques, news, camera and editing.

In January the same group will follow a 5-day training on training techniques.

Workshops on press, police and politics

2010-12-03T10:59:00.006+03:00

International trainer Kees Schaepman and IMCK trainer Ako Mohammed started a series of two day workshops for journalists, on the relationship between press, police and politicians. Part of the training will focuss on Codes of Conduct. Afternoons will be used for discussions with a politician and a member of the assaish, the Kurdish security police.

Schaepman started the training in Erbil, and will move later to Duhok for more workshops on the subject. In 2011 the same workshops are planned for Sulaymaniya. Participants are from all media in Kurdistan.

The workshops, which have been organised to end violence against journalists and to decrease the animonity between press and both police and politics, have been funded by the American RRT in Erbil.

Differences between Kurdistan and West

2010-12-02T14:26:00.002+03:00

IMCK director and senior trainer Judit Neurink conducted a lecture for the news staff of Kurdistani Nwe in Sulaymaniya, on December 2, 2010. She talked about the differences between media in the West, and those in Kurdistan.

Main differences, she said, are the fact that most journalists in Kurdistan feel they have a political role, and that most media have a connection to political parties. And this leads to content in the media that mainly cover politics. Western media focuss much more on people stories, and work with civil journalism.