Source: www.spczs.engo.pl

The "Independent media 9" program of the Polish-Czech-Slovak Solidarity Foundation is addressed to journalists and editors from newspapers and magazines, radio and television stations, internet portals and information agencies in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova, Russia and Ukraine. The program is financed by the National Endowment for Democracy (USA).

The program will consist of three 2-week study visits for about 26 persons from the aforementioned countries. During the visits, participants will have an opportunity to visit the editorial offices of newspapers and magazines, radio and TV stations, internet portals and information agencies. They will acquaint themselves with the work and experiences of their Polish colleagues. The study visits will be tailored to the professions and specializations of the guests. Also planned are seminars and lectures on such subjects as: the transformation of the Polish media after 1989, laws regulating public and private media, investigative journalism, media ethics, journalists' organizations, advertising and the media, the problem of competition in the media, political lobbying and independence of the media. The study visits are planned to begin in January 2009. Meetings and lectures will be translated into Russian. Participants in the program will be selected by means of a competition, with the social Council determining the winners on the basis of entries containing the following documents: - individual application of the candidate for the study visit in Poland and the editorial office he/she represents (*), - letter of recommendation for the candidate issued by his/her editorial office. (*) Application forms are available in the office and on the Foundation's website.

The application must be delivered to the Foundation by post, fax or e-mail until 5th December 2008.

Candidate evaluations will take into consideration their activities to date, usefulness of participation in the program for the participant and the editorial office he/she represents. During the program, participants will be accommodated in a tourist-class hotel in 2-person rooms.

The Foundation will pay a per-diem allowance to cover costs incurred during the stay in Poland (food, local transport, telephone calls, cultural program). It will also provide health and accident insurance. The Foundation will reimburse the costs of travel to Poland by train or bus. In the case of participants from the Asiatic part of Russia and the Caucasus, the Foundation may reimburse the price of air tickets, but reserves the right to establish the maximum amount of the reimbursement. Additional information about the program may be obtained in the Foundation's office.

Fundacja Solidarności Polsko – Czesko – Słowackiej ul. Szpitalna 5, m 5, III p. 00-031 Warszawa, Poland

tel. (+48-22) 828 9128  w. 141, 826 35 98, fax (+48-22) 828 9129 e-mail: fundacja@spczs.engo.pl, spczs@szpitalna.ngo.pl www.spczs.engo.pl