The U.

S.

Department of State, Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor (DRL) announces an open competition for organizations interested in submitting applications for projects that strengthen local independent media in Belarus.





DRL’s goal is

credit: From Wikimedia

to support local independent journalists and media outlets in Belarus to produce fact-based reporting and objective information.

The program should increase citizens’ access to objective information about domestic and global issues of public importance, by enhancing local independent media’s ability to engage a larger print and online readership.

The program should improve the quality of local and Russian-language media; increase the public’s access to reliable and unbiased information; and strengthen the sustainability and digital security of targeted independent media outlets.





Program activities could include training for local independent journalists and editors on news writing, international standards of journalism, investigative journalism, data analysis, and multimedia content production according to international standards of journalism; providing coaching, training, technical and financial assistance to independent journalists; providing national and international exposure to foster local journalists’ professional development; engaging independent journalists on practices and providing skills for dealing with digital and physical security; fellowships for journalists, editors, media marketing and sales staff; providing legal and psychological services to address the needs of independent journalists; and small grants and tools to help independent local media engage more effectively with their audiences on topics that are important to the community.