With November just around the corner, the conference program of VVOJ 2012 / EIJC 2012 is under construction. But we can already give you more than just a peek at what’s coming to Plantijn Hogeschool, campus Meistraat in Antwerp on November 16 and 17.
Focus on Europe and on datajournalism/datavisualization
Investigative journalism in and on Europe will take a prominent place in the program:
* Cross border investgations on arms trade (with Blaz Zgaga and Matej Surc), human traficking, environment, health care and finance will be presented in a track of five sessions in cooperation with Journalismfund.eu.
* Interested in cross border projects but at loss on How to do it? Brigitte Alfter (Denmark) will present a brand new handbook on methodology.
* Finding data on European topics? Nils Mulvad (Denmark) digs into farm subsidies (and on request: into other databases), Stefan Candea (Romania) and Stefan Urbanek (Slovakia) open a ‘programmers meet journalists’ media lab setting, and help you tackle data problems with free software.
* Get the latest information on European freedom of information requests from experienced ‘wobbers’.
* Financial crisis and economic downturn, we will shed light on the dark side of the state of Europe.
While datajournalism is getting hotter than Mars, the European Investigative Journalism Conference provides the tools. For starters and buffs, with an eye on datavisualization!
* Experience the art and craft of datajournalism, with key note speaker Geoff McGhee (Creative Director of Media and Communications at the Bill Lane Center for the American West, Stanford University, USA). And get a hands-on training by McGhee too!
* VVOJ will present and help you explore its own Medialab for Reporters, a website on tools, tips and tricks on datajournalism (live in the Fall of 2012). With VVOJs own Henk van Ess, Rachel Levy and Arno Kersten.
* David Donald (Center for Public Integrity, USA) and Jennifer LaFleur (Pro Publica, USA) will train you in the full range of datajournalism: from searching what is available, getting out what is not available yet, scraping and cleaning and visualizing. Get on board during EIJC 2012, or register for the special Data Training Day on November 15, 2012! NOTE: Conference participants can register for the special fee of 30€.
* In a special track of four sessions, we will take you through the entire work flow of working with data: finding, curating, publishing and visualization.
Expert track and round tables
In special tracks throughout the program, participants will get full opportunity to bring their own dilemma’s, questions and topics to the table:
* Expert track: experts on finance, health, the environment, archives and science reporting will be available to answer questions.
* Round tables on (investigative) journalism education, cross border reporting and freedom of information requests are provided. Participants will be able to decide on the spot on other round table topics and find colleagues from throughout Europe, but also in Flanders and the Netherlands.
Don’t forget about Flanders and the Netherlands!
Not everything will be about Europe, for this is a VVOJ conference too. So look out for the Dutch language track of workshops:
* Reading annual reports and find news just around the corner. Bring your own materials and get answers to your questions from Paul van der Cingel (Windesheim) and Dirk Truymans (head Balanscentrale National Bank Belgium).
* Learn about organizing investigative projects at smaller media such as regional papers, with Hugo Logtenberg and Bas Soetenhorst (Parool).
* Investigate NGOs and charitable organizations. Paul van der Sneppen will show you how.
Tools and techniques
Special attention for every reporter’s toolbox:
* get creative and let the juices flow, Karel van den Berg (Netherlands) will teach you how to do it.
* sharpen your tongue in two special sessions on the art of the interview.
* Work with social media as a research tool, with Hille van der Kaa (Netherlands) and Michael Opgenhaffen (Belgium).
* Try out new techniques in searching, finding and curating information from the web, with Ewoud Sanders (Netherlands), Eric Hennekam (Netherlands), Marcus Lindemann (Germany).
* Protect your work, from snoopers, scoopers and surveillers, with Albrecht Ude (Germany).
* Finding and writing the investigative story. Mark Lee Hunter (USA, France) and Luuk Sengers (Netherlands) will teach the full Story Based Inquiry methodology.
* Get the basics on working with Document Cloud from David Donald (USA). Al tool every reporter should get to know!
Sponsors
This conference is facilitated by Plantijn Hogeschool, Vlaamse Overheid, Journalismfund.eu, and regular VVOJ sponsors Adessium Foundation, Stichting Democratie en Media, Hogeschool Utrecht, Hogeschool Windesheim, Fonds Pascal Decroos, NOS Nieuws, Volkskrant, NRC Handelsblad, VVJ, CBS. Conference sponsors are De Standaard, Drukkerij Jan Verhoeven en RTL Nieuws.
