PRB

Journalism in the Aftermath of COVID-19: Building a Public Health Reporting Corps in India and Nigeria

In this inaugural program your learning and reporting will focus on the topics of health misinformation and vaccine hesitancy. Corps fellows will work collaboratively with colleagues from India and Nigeria to report cross-border stories, with the objective of drawing sustained attention and stimulating debate around the needs and structural inequities exposed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Deadline for Applications: June 13, 2022

PRB is seeking journalists working in India and Nigeria for a new program aimed at knowledge sharing and cross-border collaboration in news coverage of public health. As envisioned, the Public Health Reporting Corps is a group of international journalists dedicated to investigating and documenting systemic health challenges and solutions, trained to collaborate and co-report stories for increased depth and reach, and with unique and extensive access to experts and sources across sectors.

PRB will select up to 20 journalists as founding Corps fellows. While gaining in-depth knowledge and support to enhance their reporting, fellows will co-create a sustainable, journalist-led Corps. They will be given the structure, training, and technical assistance needed to launch the Corps and will be integral to shaping Corps priorities and principles. Corps members may have future opportunities as mentors and leaders of new Corps groups.

During the 14-month fellowship, members will interact directly with global experts in health services and supply, humanitarian response, and civil society to gain a deep foundation of knowledge. They will be coached on how to create a cross-border team, how to collect and share information collaboratively, and how to work effectively with colleagues using online tools and platforms. They will have the opportunity to apply for reporting grants and will participate in story ideation and pitch sessions.

Supported by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, the Public Health Reporting Corps will center activities during its premier reporting cycle on health equity and COVID-19 recovery, digging deep to understand the twin challenges of health misinformation and vaccine hesitancy and the social and systemic realities that underly them. As a Corps fellow, you will examine these realities to improve the long-term resilience of public health.

Eligibility

Journalists working in any part of India or Nigeria, covering any locality for any outlet, may apply. Journalists from India and Nigeria but based in other countries will be considered but must show sustained coverage of their home country and place stories with national outlets. Freelance and staff applicants are equally welcome.

Successful applicants will have deep experience reporting health stories and a strong interest in expanding their networks and knowledge around public health and institutions. They will be committed to sharing information and co-reporting stories with colleagues across borders. Additionally, as founding members of the Public Health Reporting Corps, applicants must be willing to engage in creating a collaborative and sustainable network of public health journalists.

Social, economic, ethnic, and religious diversity among applicants is an asset to the Public Health Reporting Corps. Fellows must speak English and participate in English-language program activities but may produce work in any language.

Application and Selection

Applicants must submit a statement of interest, three work samples, a current CV/resume, and two professional references through the Public Health Reporting Corps’ online application portal. Applications must be in English; work samples can be in any language.

Your statement of interest should include about 500 words describing why you want to become a Public Health Reporting Corps founding member, your vision for the Reporting Corps, and what you hope to accomplish during the first year of the program, including two to three stories or topics you would like to cover under the topics of health misinformation and vaccine hesitancy. You may also include your professional goals, focus areas, or training needs. Your three work samples can be in any format but should represent your best journalistic work and demonstrate the breadth of your skills.

All applications must be received by June 13, 2022, and will be reviewed for compliance with application criteria and substance. The selected group of finalists will participate in video interviews with program organizers.