Ljudmila Janković is a journalist in the Balkans, where speech isn’t quite free. But podcasting there might help foster a more independent media. Ljudmila Janković. (Photo courtesy Press Freedom Foundation) In the Western Balkans, journalists operate within a...
A free press is a central component of a democratic society. But press freedom worldwide is far from guaranteed. In this article, News Decoder Communications Specialist Andrea Knezevic interviews Ljudmila Janković of Press Freedom Foundation Serbia to uncover the challenges journalists face in the Balkans.
Exercise: As students dive into the world of journalism, help them explore the many ways to tell stories — audio, visual, text. After reading the article, students should listen to the text’s accompanying podcast episode. What are the nuances of audio versus text storytelling? Which types of stories lend themselves to audio best? You may consider following up with a podcast interviewing assignment for students.
Millions of people around the world have no rights and live in the shadows, on the margins of society. Migrants are rescued by a Doctors Without Borders rescue team boat in the Mediterranean Sea after leaving Libya trying to reach European soil, 6 October 2023. (AP...
When a journalist traveled from the east to the west of Europe, the level of press freedom was a cultural shock. A map of countries on the site of Reporters Without Borders shows that Serbia slid to 91st place this year in the Press Freedom Index of countries. In the...
Depopulation threatens the long term economic health of developed nations. At some point they will have to open their borders. An Italian Coast Guard boat carries migrants as tourists on boat, foreground, watch, near the port of the Sicilian island of Lampedusa,...
In this Decoder, correspondent Tiziana Barghini covers why changing demographics, increased life expectancy and outdated public policies may spell trouble for developed nations. Migration may be the solution.
Exercise: Using a word cloud generator or class participation tool like Mentimeter, have students contribute words that they think of when they hear the word “immigration” or “migration”. Create a word cloud with these words before reading the article as a class. Then, after reading the article, have students consider how their perspective on migration might have changed. Create a post-read word cloud and discuss what new insights students have learned from the article.
Polish voters in three different political parties united to wrest control of the government from the conservative Law and Justice party. What happens now? People gather at a rally conducted by the opposition party ahead of the general election in Warsaw, Poland on 1...
Parliament, propaganda and political parties in Poland. In this Decoder, guest writer and former ND intern Karolina Krakowiak reflects on democracy in her home country — and the immense power of voting as a means to change.
Exercise: After reading the article, have a discussion about civic engagement with your class. What does that look like in your country? How can young people get involved in improving the world around them? Why might some be disillusioned with the political system they are a part of? Then, divide students into groups of 3-4. Each group will come up with a slogan to encourage civic engagement in your local community. The class will vote on the best one.
Andrea Knezevic joins the News Decoder team as it helps launch a project to inspire, train and connect podcasters across Europe. News Decoder’s new Multimedia Communications Specialist, Andrea Knezevic. To jumpstart a new collaborative project, News Decoder has...
With an influx of migrants over the past decade, Germany is reconciling to rapidly changing demographics. The idea of German identity is evolving. A woman holds a German flag high. Photo illustration by News Decoder. This article was produced exclusively for News...
As Italian authorities reinvestigate the disappearance of a teenage girl from the Vatican 40 years ago we have to ask: Why is Italy so ripe for conspiracies? The Bramante spiral staircase at the Vatican. Credit: Andreas Tille (CC By-Nc-Nd 4.0) Prosecutors in Rome...
In Palermo, paying “pizzo” or protection money used to be common practice. But now businesses say to the Mafia: Addiopizzo! This article, by high school students Keya Dutt and Lusha Greer, was produced out of News Decoder’s school partnership program....
Florin Stoican tirelessly worked to create Romania’s first citizen-led national park in a country that’s home to 65% of Europe’s virgin forests. Florin Stoican. Courtesy of Florin Stoican. This article, by author Patricia Cîrtog, was the Gold Prize...
