Application for the 2021-2022 Media Challenge Fellowship Program
Guidelines
Welcome to the online application Media Challenge Fellowship Program.Media Challenge Initiative invites applications for the Media Challenge Fellowship Program from journalism and media training institutions. The fellowship is intended to provide time and resources to the top applicants to engage in high intense practical meant to turn them into a multifaceted one-man-woman-army journalist.
About the Media Challenge Fellowship Program
The Media Challenge Fellowship Program is an aggressive multimedia journalism training program awarded to the best journalism students from the Inter-University Media Challenge, a practical reporting competition in 12 universities in Uganda. The fellowship program is part of the Media Challenge Initiative’s strategic vision of building the next generation of journalists who are not only multi skilled but also critical participants as change agents in changing their communities and the negative African narrative. We aim to combat high rates of youth unemployment while empowering young journalists to improve the quality and impact of the media, seeking to enhance democratic processes through encouraging critical and investigative reports that hold government and institutions accountable.
The fellowship program is based on four pillars:
- The concept of building a “one woman/man – army journalist”: a journalist with multifaceted skills and knowledge;
- Solutions journalism: reporting on solutions shown to be effective at addressing societal problems;
- Development journalism and journalism for social change: reporting on specific topics and in such a way that advances positive and equitable development within society;
- Leadership in journalism: nurturing fellows not only as skilled journalists but also as leaders in their communities and field of choice.
MCI Fellowship Structure
25 days of practical multimedia journalism training including foundations and Multimedia Skills, Participatory youth radio training, Beats reporting, career guidance, media entrepreneurship, data journalism and digital Skills
The Media Mentorship Program;Within the Media Mentorship Program, each fellow is connected to a professional mentor in the media industry for ongoing guidance on a yearlong program. The mentorship program will include;
- One-to-one pairing with a media mentor in mentee’s field of choice
- Community of experts the mentees can reach out to with specific questions
- Mentee-ship Workshops
- Mentor-Mentee Orientation workshop
- Networking events with exhibition of student work
MCI Fellowship Commitments
Please review the commitments below. Are you available and committed to fulfill all of the fellowship requirements and time schedule of trainings? Please be aware that if you are not able to attend any of the fellowship dates, you will not qualify for the fellowship.
- February (reporting for the programme)
- One week in March (Wednesday-Sunday)
- One week in April (Wednesday-Sunday)
- Weekend in early May
- One week in late June (Wednesday-Sunday
- One week in July –Out of Kampala Reporting trip (Wednesday-Sunday)
- Field visits to media houses (throughout – optional depending on fellow availability)
- Graduation in late July
- Reporting up to three multimedia stories on your own time
- Active participation in the mentorship program with all its requirements
Eligibility to apply
The Media Challenge Fellowship Program is open to the following categories of applicants;
- Applicants must be journalism and media students
- Participants in the IMC and expo competitions have an added adavantage
Application Requirements
- Completed Application Form
- Sample of your work like articles, video/radio clips, photography and blogs
- A reference letter from any of your next of Kin
Assessment Criteria
All applicants work for a max of 50 points. Category award winners start the application with a 10 point advantage, 1st Runner-up with 8 points, 2nd Runner-up with 6 points, 3rd Runner-up with 4points and 4th runner-up has a 2 point in their account.
- Passion and Commitment level 10 points
- Creativity, Motivation and Skills: 10 points
- Diversity and Team work: 10 points
- Story Project Idea 10 Points
Timelines
Applications Open: Thursday 23rd December 2021, 9:00am Uganda time
Applications Close: Sunday 23rd January 2022, 5:00pm Uganda Time
APPLICATION FORM
