Independent Journalism Foundation: Bucharest

Who we are

The Center for Independent Journalism is a non-governmental, non-profit organization, offering courses and specialized training for journalists and media organizations. The Center organizes courses, seminars, debates, roundtables and professional assistance focusing on media specific problems. CIJ is a project of the Independent Journalism Foundation, New York, which operates similar centers in Bratislava and Budapest.

CIJ opened in 1994. Since then, hundreds of students have received opportunities in professional training at the Center. Throughout the year, the Center offers a variety of courses, ranging from the basics of journalism to specialized courses for print, radio and TV. These courses include: newswriting, interview techniques, writing skills, reporting (political, investigative, economic and environmental reporting), as well as courses in comunications, new media, photojournalism and media legislation.

Most of our trainers are journalists from the United States and Romania with many years of experience and excellent professional reputation. Among them are such well-known journalists as: Tudor Octavian (Academia Catavencu), Bogdan Preda (Bloomberg Romania), Iaromira Popovici (Dilema), Robert Turcescu (Europa FM), Dragos Marin (PRO TV), Eugen Istodor (Academia Catavencu), Dan Apostol (Fapte), Francisc Vasas (Antena 1), Emanuel Tanjala (Formula As), Claudiu Saftoiu (Plai cu Boi), Dan Suciu (Banii) and Corneliu Ivanciuc (Academia Catavencu).

The Center offers Romanian journalists from across the country the opportunity to meet American journalists who share their experience with their Romanian counterparts. Many foreign journalists, most of them Knight Fellows, have visited Romania in the last few years, providing specialized and individual training to numerous publications, radio and television stations. Trainers spend up to two weeks with each host organization, working with the journalists in Romania to find ways to improve the country's media. Foreign trainers include media professionals working with The New York Times Group, ABC, CNN, NBC, NPR, Philadelphia Inquirer, Press Entreprises and others, as well as faculty of Columbia University in New York, University of Illinois and Penn State Univesity.

The Center for Independent Journalism hosts the Freedom Forum News Library, which is part of an international press library network founded in the US. The library offers an important collection of books, periodicals, videotapes, and CD-Rom databases as well as free Internet access.

Our partners

· Independent Journalism Foundation, New York
· Freedom Forum, Arlington, Virginia
· International Research and Exchanges Board (IREX), Washington, D.C.
· International Federation of Journalists, Bruxelles
· Article XIX, London
· World Press Freedom Committee, Reston, Virginia
· World Association of Newspapers, Paris
· International Women's Media Foundation, Washington
· South East Network for Professionalization of Media
· Press Monitoring Agency "Academia Catavencu"
· The Association for Protecting and promoting the Freedom of Expression (APPLE)
· APADOR-CH
· The Association of Romanian Journalists (SZR)
· The Euro-Regional Center for Democracy, Timisoara

CIJ is the contact point/coordinator of the National Working Group for Media, created under the Media Task Force of the Stability Pact.

Our contacts

Ioana Avadani, executive director
- ioana@cji.ro
Mihaela Danga, deputy director
- mihaela@cji.ro
Carmen Macavei, executive assistant
- carmen@cji.ro
Georgiana Ilie, coordinator assistant for the Roma Program
- georgia@cji.ro

Our Programs

Pro Media II

Simulated Newsroom

Roma Mainstream Media Internship Program

Reporting Diversity for Romanian Journalists

Legal Assistance for Journalists

Democracy in practice

South East European Network for Professionalisation of Media

Future Projects

Summer School for Young Faculty in Journalism

Summer School for Highschool Students

Where We Are:

Centrul pentru Jurnalism Independent
Str. Bibescu Voda 18, Et 2, Ap 4, 5, 6
sector 4, 70528 Bucuresti,Romania