The doors have opened on a new center to focus on in-depth reporting in Bosnia-Herzegovina.
The Centar za istraživačko novinarstvo is the first of its kind in Bosnia-Herzegovina. It is a centar dedicated to helping local journalists get the time, resources and independence to do comprehensive and accurate investigative journalism.
‘This is a unique opportunity for reporters here who have been constrained from doing their best work’ said Drew Sullivan, director of the center.
The CIN is a joint project of New York University Department of Journalism and The Journalism Development Group LLC. It is funded through a grant from USAID and other donors.
The mission of the center is to train investigative editors and reporters in the practical environment of a working investigative team. Five fellows and five interns work side by side with two American editors to report on the issues most important to the Bosnian and Herzegovinian people. The center strives to write stories that will help the people make informed decisions free of the political rhetoric dominant in the current public discourse.
‘Readership studies have shown that circulation of newspapers and magazines is dropping and the print media of Bosnia-Herzegovina are not reaching most readers. The Centar’s goal is to experiment with new ways of being relevant to the majority of people’ Sullivan said.
Journalists select their own stories and work in teams to complete projects.
‘CIN is the only media organization in Bosnia and Herzegovina where journalists are able to write stories based on true facts, without any external influences, political or economic’ said Svjetlana Ćelić, a newly appointed fellow at the center.
The stories produced at the center are offered to local media free of charge and will be available at the centers web site after local publication. The center’s site is – www.cin.ba -.
The first project of the center is to look at Bosnia’s ailing health care system. The center’s reporting found an inefficient system where citizens often pay three times for health care.
For more information, contact the centar at +387-33-560-040 or at [email protected].
