The Asian Network for Free Elections (ANFREL) media fellowship program is back and we’re expanding the program to include journalists from all over Asia. ANFREL is offering a series of intensive training sessions on reporting elections, democracy, and human rights as well as mentorship and financial support for innovative and impactful election-related in-depth stories/series of stories to 10 journalists in Asia. This year’s theme is “Disinformation and Elections: Building Defenses vs. the Infodemic”.

Through the generous support of the Mission of Canada to ASEAN, the ANFREL Asian Media Fellowship on Election Reporting seeks to equip journalists from independent news outlets and freelance journalists in empowering the electorate through crucial reporting of underrepresented voices and underreported issues during elections. This program follows and expands the pilot ANFREL Southeast Asia Media Fellowship on Election Reporting which was launched in 2021.

ANFREL believes that the media play important roles during elections in helping the electorate make informed decisions and in monitoring elections against irregularities and other attempts to undermine democratic processes. This fellowship will reinforce and strengthen the important roles that the media play in ensuring free and fair elections in Asia.

Successful applicants should be able to demonstrate experience in reporting on elections or related stories, confirm their commitment to the fellowship, and present a comprehensive story plan, including a statement of the problem or issue, approach to reporting, target sources, timeline and publication strategy, for an in-depth article or series of articles that they will pursue throughout the program.

Applications must be sent to anfrel@anfrel.org with the subject “ANFREL Asian Media Fellowship Application”. The deadline for submitting applications is on 30 September 2022.

Shortlisted applicants will be scheduled for interviews in early October 2022. The media fellowship program will run from October 2022 to February 2023.

About the Theme

Disinformation and Elections: Building Defenses vs. the Infodemic

The spread of malicious lies and trumped up information during elections has undermined the conduct of such democratic processes around the world. The systematic and organized character assassinations, historical revisionism and myth-making online, among others, have increasingly influenced the perception and actions of the electorate that adversely shape the outcome of elections. It has come to what has been called an “infodemic” where the overwhelming barrage of mis- and disinformation online has polluted the information landscape and has had various groups like the media, civil society organizations and others working overtime to contain and counter the attacks. Yet the threat of disinformation in elections is only beginning and will continue to prosper and linger for a long while as it continues to undermine the free, fair and democratic conduct of elections.

The theme seeks to explore how disinformation affects elections, efforts to counter disinformation, and how various stakeholders respond to the infodemic crisis that undermine democracy and human rights.

Eligibility

• Journalists from independent media outlets, local-based community media, or freelance working in Asia. Five of the 10 slots will go to journalists from ASEAN countries (Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam) and Timor-Leste.

• At least three years of demonstrable experience in reporting elections, politics, and/or democracy and human rights issues.

• Journalists from the women’s sector, the LGBTQI+ community, ethnic groups, and persons with disabilities are highly encouraged to apply.

Requirements

• Application statement which expresses your interest in the program and demonstrates your experience and background as a journalist.

• Resume with contact information of at least two character references. Character references should send their endorsement letter separately to anfrel@anfrel.org on or before 30 September 2022 with the subject “ANFREL Asian Media Fellowship Endorsement Letter”.

• Links to portfolio/sample works.

• A story plan for a story or series of stories related to the theme that you wish to pursue under the program including a statement of the problem or issue, approach to reporting, target sources, timeline and publication strategy.

• As available fellow positions are limited, ANFREL also invites applicants to present how they plan to share what they will learn from the program with their organization and/or peers.

• Waiver from your media outlet, if applicable.

Support Offered by ANFREL to Successful Applicants

• Training on fundamental election concepts and reporting techniques (training sessions will be conducted online);

• Mentorship on election reporting;

• Financial and editorial support for the production of a story/series of stories on election-related issues.

For more questions or clarifications about the program and the application process, please contact ANFREL program officer John Antiquerra via email at john@anfrel.org with the subject “ANFREL Asian Media Fellowship Inquiry”.

Download here: "Call for Applications: ANFREL Asian Media Fellowship on Election Reporting"

Call-for-Application_ANFREL-Media-Fellowship