JEMSTONE Newsletter 3

The first event of the new contract took place during November in Amman, when Jemstone, in partnership with the French ‘Mission Audiovisuelle Regionale’ and the newsagency, AFP, ran a short workshop (in French and Arabic) for news photographers from the five Arab countries of the Eastern Mediterranean, as well as Saudi Arabia and Bahrain. Jemstone paid for the expert and the facilities required, as a media exchange visit. We will be running more such joint events (see below).

Jemstone is now an associate of UNESCO’s Mediterranean Programme and linked to CoPeAM, the Permanent Conference of Mediterranean Audio-Visual Operators.

For the new programme Jemstone has restructured its operations in Amman -- Nidal Dalgamouni, Head of Productions at JTV, is now our Regional Adviser. The Head Office has been strengthened. From 1st January, all communication with Jemstone should be through the Head Office: phone-00 962 6-859980, fax-819552, e-mail: info@jemstone.net, postal address: PO Box 850191, Amman 11185, Jordan.

National Jemstones: we’ve had the first local meetings and more are planned -- the schedule was disrupted because our contract was not finalised until early November.

Newsletter: we are now faxing out 700 copies of this Newsletter all over the Middle East and Europe. It is expensive. We want to send as many copies by e-mail as possible. So, please, right now, send your e-mail address to lara@jemstone.net

The next events: -- apply now**

Jan 10-12 -- short workshop about internet for journalists in the region already using the web at work; in Amman, in partnership with Arabia.On.Line and JRTV.

Feb 14-20 -- specialist reporters’ workshop for business, economic and finance journalists; in Jordan, in partnership with the World Bank.

Feb, late -- masterclass for senior editors on Arabic language journalism, to discuss and develop a “guidebook for Arab journalists”; in Damascus.

March , early -- specialist reporters’ workshop for environmental and ecological journalists; in Sinai, in partnership with Egypt National Parks.

March -- management skills workshop on the advanced use of audience and readership research for the media; in Cyprus.

April -- three week course for the managers of training departments in Eastern Mediterranean media organisations; in either Hilversum or London. -- see Newsletter 2 for likely events later in the year.

PLEASE NOTE from now on we expect organisations to cover the costs of travel to each event (except in cases of hardship); we’ll continue to pay all other costs.

APPLY NOW -- fax or e-mail us if you or your organisation is interested in any of the events above and we will send you details. tl/5/12/97