There is Power in a Union! A Workshop on Organizing in the Media Field

The Journalism Breakthroughs Project led by the CEU Democracy Institute’s Media and Technology Working Group is organizing a one-and-a-half-day event in which members of media organizations, labor activists, students, researchers and members of civil society organizations are invited to debate and discuss the use of organizing into unions, networks, associations and communities to push forward the rights of journalists and to protect the freedom of the media. As the title of the workshop suggests, a significant source of inspiration will be drawn from the work of labor movements, as they have successfully managed to mobilize vulnerable and oppressed groups, which have pushed for major social and political change.

PEER-TO-PEER LEARNING

The workshop will dedicate 4 sessions to peer-to-peer learning. Participants in the event have the opportunity to present their experience and expertise around 3 topics:

1. I organized my fellow journalists into a union, network, community. How did I do it?
2. I regularly manage to fund our union, network, community. How do I do it?
3. I took on the state/the government/the corporation and I won. How did I do it?

FORMAT

The format of the workshop will be a mix of presentations, peer-to-peer learning sessions and trainings. This will be a hybrid event online-on site event. All sessions of the event are public. 

TO ATTEND IN PERSON REGISTER HERE.

PROGRAM

THURSDAY OCTOBER 20TH

10:00 – 10:15     Welcome and Introduction, Dumitrița Holdiș (CEU Democracy Institute)

10:15 – 11:30     A Manifesto for Organizing, Marko Miletić (Mašina, Serbia)

11: 30 – 11:45    Coffee Break

11:45 – 13:00     Training on Labor Organizing, Helena Milinković (Radio Television  Slovenia - RTV)

13:00 – 14:00      Lunch

14:00 – 15:30      Session 1: Organize

Nóra Ugron (ELMO - Eastern European Left Media Outlet), Alexandra Ștefan (MediaSind Romania), Jakov Kolak (Radnička Prava/Regional Industrial Trade Union, Croatia) Des Freedman (Goldsmiths, University of London and Media Reform Coalition, UK)

Facilitator: Éva Bognár (CEU Democracy Institute)

15:30 – 15:45        Coffee Break

15:45 – 17:00        Session 2: Funding

Laura Hryhoryeuová (The Kapital/Engaged Monthly, Slovakia) Petra Ivšić (Trade Union of Croatian Journalists, Croatia)

Facilitator: Dean Starkman (CEU Democracy Institute)

17:30 – 19:00        Keynote Speech: How to Lose Control Over Your Own Profession: The Trial-and-Error story of Romanian Journalists' Associative Efforts

Ioana Avădani (Center for Independent Journalism, Romania)

19:00 – 20:00         Reception

FRIDAY OCTOBER 21ST

10:00 – 11.30          Session 3: Struggle

Zsuzsa Detrekői (CEU Democracy Institute, Hungary), Boris Vasev (Radio Television Slovenia - RTV)  Helena Milinković (Radio Television Slovenia - RTV)

Facilitator: Jelena Prtorić, Freelance Journalist/Arena for Journalism in  Europe

11:30 – 11:45           Coffee Break

11:45 – 13:00           All participants: Reflections

Facilitator: Dumitrița Holdiș (CEU Democracy Institute)

13:00 – 14:00             Lunch and Farewell