Facebook and the Foundation for Excellent Journalism Award on Wednesday last week announced a new digital training program for local and alternative media, marking the first time that the US tech giant is to directly fund the promotion of local reporting in Taiwan.
After three years of collaboration, the Facebook Journalism Project and the foundation would hold a series of workshops throughout this month for small media firms focusing on local communities and other topics outside the mainstream, the organizations said.
Experts would teach reporters how to reach more people through technology and digital platforms, as well as hone their digital skills, they said.
Photo: Hu Shun-hsiang, Taipei Times
Participating media would be encouraged to create reporting plans and apply for grants to develop more content that aligns with the public interest and reflects diverse voices in society, they added.
“The Internet and digital platforms are a lifeline for local media,” foundation chief executive Eve Chiu (邱家宜) said.
The program is to accelerate the digital transformation of Taiwanese media and help organizations continue to provide quality reporting on issues overlooked by mainstream media, she said.
“We are looking forward to the professional experiences shared in these workshops helping media operate more steadily, while also creating a more diverse and prosperous journalism environment in Taiwan,” she added.
Facebook has long supported Taiwanese media with trainings and resources provided through the journalism project, said Wu Tzu-min (吳子敏), who manages Facebook’s media partnerships in the region.
This is the first time that the social media giant is to provide grants specifically for local and diverse media in Taiwan, Wu said.
The project also shows Facebook’s intent to invest more resources in the long-term development of Taiwan’s news industry, while continuing to encourage the development of quality journalism and accelerating the digital transformation of news media, she added.
Facebook has since 2019 been supporting the foundation’s work in encouraging a standard of excellence and professionalism in Taiwanese journalism.
Last year, Facebook encouraged the foundation to establish its Innovation in Journalism Award to inspire journalists to utilize technology and diverse media formats to enhance viewers’ understanding of the news.
Facebook also provides award finalists with CrowdTangle training, which teaches journalists to use the firm’s public data analysis tools to find stories, and track and analyze trends.
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