Media travel support

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Journalist in the Barents Region have for many years been crossing borders and covering news stories all over the region. The growing interest of the media organization Barents Press is a clear indication of this.

The Norwegian Barents Secretariat would like to increase the amount of cross border journalism by contributing to cover the travel expenses. The media travel support program is open for all Norwegian and Russian journalists who would like to work in their neighboring country. By applying this program you could get up to 70 percent of the travel expenses covered by the Norwegian Barents Secretariat.

Increased awareness
– The Norwegian Barents Secretariat find it important to give journalists in both Norway and Russia the opportunity to cross the border and write more about their neighboring country in the north. This will contribute to strengthen bonds between the two countries, and increase the awareness and commitment to the Norwegian-Russian cooperation, says General Secretary Rune Rafaelsen in the Norwegian Barents Secretariat.

The Norwegian Barents Secretariat hope that the travel support program will contribute to that news desks more often choose to pursue a good idea for an article in the neighboring country, instead of shifting it aside because of too high expenses.

Freedom of press
Rafaelsen underlines especially that the Norwegian Barents Secretariat has no intention of control or set any criterions to the contents of the articles or subjects which is focused on.

– An important factor for launching this program is in fact to increase the focus on freedom of press in the Barents Region, says Rafaelsen.

Another reason for launching the program is also to increase the scope and the width of journalism in the Barents Region.

– There are several issues in both countries which could be interesting to see with new eyes and form another angle. Maybe this program also can be a contributor to increased focus on new debates and topics.

For more information about media travel support program, please contact program coordinator Jonas Sjøkvist Karlsbakk
Telephone: +47 913 96 943
e-mail: jonas@barents.no