17 Jan TechCamp Malaysia 2022: Smart Journalism, Healthy Democracy
Smart Journalism, Healthy Democracy
Penang Institute and U.S. Embassy Kuala Lumpur invite interested individuals to apply for the upcoming TechCamp Malaysia 2022 program which aims to build the capacity of emerging and mid-career journalists in digital research, data and storytelling tools to counter disinformation and produce high-quality content in the field of political and electoral reporting in Malaysia.
What is TechCamp?
TechCamps are a public diplomacy program hosted in the Bureau of Educational & Cultural Affairs (ECA) at the U.S. Department of State. They are aimed at creating connections, sparking innovation, and empowering the civil society to solve the world’s most pressing challenges through technology. Held in various countries, TechCamp covers a wide range of topics such as combating climate change, countering disinformation, women empowernment and various others. Visit the TechCamp Global page here.
Why TechCamp Malaysia 2022?
The overall rise of disinformation around the world limits the public’s access to unbiased and accurate information. Programs that help to counter disinformation in the media landscape will aid citizens in making better-informed decisions that contribute towards a healthier democracy in Malaysia. Through TechCamp Malaysia 2022, journalists will equip themselves with the right digital tools, gain advanced knowledge and skills such as fact-checking and information verification in newsrooms to counter disinformation. Journalists will be empowered to pursue journalism as a public good and produce higher-quality content in relation to political and electoral reporting, as well as sustain connections with each other, trainers and TechCamp officers.
What will TechCamp Malaysia 2022 look like?
In the 3-day program, participants will attend workshops on topics such as fact-checking, data visualization, election data sources, social media for political reporting, digital storytelling. These sessions will be facilitated by experienced trainers and industry experts from the region as well as the United States. Finally, participants will identify individual challenges in their work with trainers and apply the tools and skills they have gained to develop the right solutions and projects, for instance, creating podcasts on elections, fact-checking workshops, data visualization of election results, creative storytelling on a policy issue, and leverage TechCamp funds to translate their ideas into action.
Pre-TechCamp, participants will take part in a pre-TechCamp journalism training workshop to learn different trends in political and electoral reporting from around the globe.
What happens after TechCamp Malaysia 2022?
On the final day of the program, participants will pitch their innovative ideas or solutions. Post-workshop, participants can refine these projects and apply for grants up to USD 6,000 to execute their projects in countering disinformation.
Participants from: Malaysia
Who is it for?: Emerging and mid-career Malaysian journalists with at least 2 years of experience
Program Dates: 24 – 26 March 2022
Venue: Shangri-La Golden Sands Hotel, Batu Feringghi, Penang, Malaysia
Costs: Travel, accommodation and meal costs fully covered.
Organizing team info: here
APPLY TO BE A PARTICIPANT FROM HERE
For questions regarding the application process, kindly reach us at: techcamp@penanginstitute.org
TRAINING TOPICS
Countering Political Disinformation, Data Visualization, Maximizing Impact, Newsgame, Election Data Sources, Social Media for Political Reporting, Media Storytelling and Design Thinking.
Disclaimer
Due to the ongoing situation with Covid-19 and resulting travel restrictions, participants who register for this program agree to attend the program in full even if TechCamp Malaysia 2022 is to be held virtually. In the event that it happens, participants will be notified at least 20 days prior to the date of the event.
AGENDA
14 March 2022 | Tuesday
Pre-TechCamp | Global Trends in Political and Electoral Reporting & Pitching Expectations
In preparation for the actual program, the secretariat is hosting a virtual session to expose participants to the different trends in political and electoral reporting from around the globe. The session will be facilitated by Kuek Ser Kuang Keng – an award-winning digital journalist and media consultant as well as the founder of Data-N, a training program that helps newsrooms and journalists with limited resources to integrate data journalism into daily reporting.
During this session, the secretariat will also be explaining the pitching and grant application process.
Time: 8.00 p.m.
24 March 2022 | Thursday
TechCamp Malaysia 2022 Day 1
08:30 – 09:00 Registration
09:00 – 09:15 Welcoming by the Organizing Committee and Introduction to Techcamp
09:15 – 10:30 Keynote Remarks and Q&A Session
10:30 – 11:00 Coffee Break + Group Activity
11:00 – 12:30 Design Thinking + Framework Session
Framework: how to scale down an idea/concept to be implemented within a short time-frame and with a small team; how to pitch your idea to your manager/supervisor/management
12:30 – 13:30 Lunch + Networking
13:30 – 15:30 Regional Panel Discussion
15:30 – 16:30 Coffee Break + Group Activity
16:30 – 18:00 Focus Domain Discussion
– Refresh at Hotel/ Free and Easy Dinner (Self Arrangement)
25 March 2022 | Friday
TechCamp Malaysia 2022 Day 2
08:30 – 09:00 Registration
09:00 – 09:10 Recap from Day 1
09:10 – 11:15 Speed-geeking and Interactive Breakout Session 1
11:15 – 12:15 Challenge Statement and Group Work
12.15 – 14:00 Lunch + Networking
14:00 – 15:40 Speed-geeking and Interactive Breakout Session 2
15:40 – 16:00 Coffee Break
16:00 – 18:00 Brainstorming Solutions, Group Work and Pitch Preparation
18:00 – 20:00 Refresh at Hotel/ Free and Easy Dinner (Self Arrangement)
20:00 till late Brainstorming Solutions, Group Work and Pitch Preparation to Continue. Trainers to assist if needed. (Self Arrangement)
26 March 2022 | Saturday
TechCamp Malaysia 2022 Day 3
Before 09:00 Check Out (Luggage to be Brought Along)
09:00 – 09:30 Registration
09:30 – 10:00 Closing Ceremony
– Closing Remarks by Dato’ Dr Ooi Kee Beng, Executive Director, Penang Institute
– Closing Remarks by Ambassador Brian D. McFeeters, U.S. Ambassador to Malaysia
– Closing Remarks by YAB. Chow Kon Yeow, Chief Minister of Penang
– Group Photo
10:00 – 11:00 Pitch Presentation 1 (10 minutes presentation + Q&A Per Group)
11:00 – 11:10 Break
11:10 – 12:00 Pitch Presentation 2 (10 minutes presentation + Q&A Per Group)
12:00 – 12:30 Concluding Remarks
12:30 – 14:00 Lunch