International Olympic Committee Young Reporters Programme 2014 (Nanjing,China.)

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) is delighted to announce a second cycle for the IOC Young Reporters Programme, a sports journalism training programme that will be run during the Nanjing 2014 Youth Olympic Games.

The Young Reporters’ initiative will bring 30 young reporters from five continents to the Youth Olympic Games in Nanjing (China), 16-28 August 2014, offering them homes in the  Youth Olympic Village alongside the athletes, access to all the sports, and specialised  media training from senior sports journalists.

The programme will include aspiring young reporters aged 18 to 24 years old representing Africa, Americas, Asia, Oceania and Europe. They will be joined by young reporters from  China (the host nation for the 2014 Youth Olympic Games), Norway (the host nation for the  2016 Lillehammer Winter Youth Olympic Games) and the host nation of the 2018 Youth  Olympic Games (Argentina, Buenos Aires).

National Olympic Committees (NOCs) will nominate Young Reporters on the basis of  performance and promise. They could be university students engaged in journalism  studies or young professionals already working full-time in the news media. Then each Continental Association will choose two male and two female participants to represent their  Continent.

The IOC will cover the cost of airfares, accommodation, meals and full tuition. Professional  trainers and seasoned journalists will act as mentors and coaches.

The programme will offer Young Reporters intensive class and field training in written, photographic, television, radio and new media reporting of sport as well as guest speakers representing key international media organizations and senior Olympic officials.

The integration of social media and new media platforms will form a core component of the Young Reporters training, giving participants all the tools required to work in today’s  converging news rooms.

The success of the first Young Reporters cycle has many layers, including: a Youth Olympic Games covered by youth for youth; training in the foundations of Olympism and  the relevance of the Olympic ideals; unmatched experience leading to Young Reporters  confirming employment in the media, and selection of a number of them to cover the  London Olympic Games for established and well recognised media organizations; and
establishment of a dialogue between the Olympic Family and the next generation of  Olympic reporters.

This second IOC Young Reporters Programme is a unique initiative aligned to the Youth  Olympic Games’ cultural and training themes and will be managed by the IOC along with  the support of Nanjing Youth Olympic Games Organising Committee and the Olympic  Broadcasting Service.

IOC YOUNG REPORTERS PROGRAMME, NANJING 2014
IN BRIEF
– The Young Reporters Programme is a sports journalism training programme that  will be held during the Nanjing 2014 Youth Olympic Games
– It will run from 13 – 28 August 2014, with Young Reporters arriving in Nanjing on  12 August and departing on 29 August
– 30 Young Reporters, 15 male and 15 female, will participate
– Candidates will be aged between 18 and 24 years of age (as of 28 August 2014), will be university students engaged in journalism studies, or young professionals  already working full-time in the news media
– Interested candidates must approach their NOCs
– NOCs will nominate two candidates to their Continental Association
– Continental Associations will choose two male and two female participants to represent their Continent, with a limit of one Young Reporter per NOC
– The 20 Young Reporters representing Africa, Americas, Asia, Oceania and Europe  will be joined by eight candidates from China (the host nation for the 2014 YOG),  one from Norway (the host nation for the 2016 Lillehammer Winter YOG) and one  from the host nation of the 2018 YOG (to be announced in July 2013).
– IOC will cover the cost of airfares, accommodation, meals and full tuition
– Young Reporters will be accredited as “E” media, and will stay together in the Youth Olympic Village with the athletes
– Professional trainers and seasoned journalists will act as mentors and coaches
– Training and course work will be undertaken in English only
– 01 November 2013: Deadline for NOCs to submit NOC candidates names to their Continental Association
– 16 November 2013: Deadline for Continental Association to submit names of four candidates, two male and two female, to the IOC
– 16 December 2013: IOC will notify all successful candidates (and their NOCs)  of their acceptance to the Young Reporters Programme, Nanjing 2014

SELECTION PROCESS AND TIMELINE

• June 2013 Announcement of 2nd IOC Young Reporters Programme,  Nanjing 2014.
• Jun-Nov 2013 NOC Young Reporters selection process
• 01 Nov 2013 Deadline for NOCs to submit applications to their Continental Associations
• 16 Nov 2013 Deadline for Continental Associations to submit names to IOC
• 16 Nov–10 Dec ‘13 IOC will conduct online interviews with all candidates to validate proposed candidates
• 16 Dec 2013 Successful Young Reporters notified by IOC
• Feb–Mar 2014 IOC will liaise with Young Reporters and will book air flights
• 12 August 2014 Young Reporters arrive in Nanjing
• 9 29 August 2014 Young Reporters depart Nanjing

DATES

• The Nanjing Youth Olympic Games starts with the Opening Ceremony on  Saturday 16 August and finishes with the Closing Ceremony of Thursday 28  August, 2014.
• The Young Reporters Programme will run from 13 – 28 August 2014, Young Reporters arriving in Nanjing on Tuesday 12 August and departing on Friday 29  August.

FURTHER DETAILS

Young Reporters who are interested in participating in the programme are requested to  contact their National Olympic Committee.

http://www.olympic.org/en/content/NationalOlympic-Committees/
http://www.facebook.com/youngreporters
http://www.youtube.com/user/YOGReporters
For further information, contact

Anthony Edgar
Head of Media Operations
International Olympic Committee
Château de Vidy, 1007 Lausanne, Switzerland
Email: anthony.edgar@olympic.org
Phone: +41 21 621 6111
Toshio Tsurunaga
Programme Manager, Relations with National Olympic Committees
International Olympic Committee
Villa Mon-Repos, 1001 Lausanne, Switzerland
Email: toshio.tsurunaga@olympic.org
Phone: +41 21 621 6111