Deadline: 30 January 2017
The United States Embassy in Harare is seeking applications from broadcast or online media organizations interested in participating in the Bureau of Public Affairs’ Foreign Press Center (PA/FPC) Media Co-op Program.
Media Co-Ops are a (maximum) two-week, highly-intensive U.S. work and travel program usually involving a broadcast media producer/reporter and one camera person — ideally both fully fluent in English — accompanied by a PA/FPC contract producer. Teams must arrive in the United States with fully-functioning equipment, including broadcast-quality cameras, lighting and audio gear, tripods, thumb drives and back-up equipment, and electrical transformers and adapters in good working order.
Media Co-Ops can result in news features, a series of short programs, or documentaries and sidebar ‘slice of life’ profiles. The Embassy encourages participating media outlets to promote the original programs through related radio, TV, or digital/print interviews with U.S. interlocutors and through blog or other social media reports. Program participants return to their media outlets with enhanced skills in media production and knowledge of U.S. reporting and production techniques.
Benefits
- Successful Media Co-op participants will cover their crew’s international air fare to the United States.
- The Media Co-Op funds cover domestic U.S. airfare, hotel and M&IE allowances, temporary healthcare insurance, and miscellaneous production expenses.
- Given the intense pre-planning required for production, crews need to comply with the arranged itinerary and must understand their two-week schedule will be rigorous.
- Healthcare coverage covers only emergencies and accidents; medical or emergency hospital care for pre-existing illnesses or conditions will require out-of-pocket payments by the participants themselves.
- Standard hotel accommodations are arranged and pre-paid by the program.
- The contract producer accompanying the media crew in the United States disburses funds to participants for M&IE upon arrival.
Eligibility Criteria
- The Embassy welcomes proposals for stand-alone, single platform productions and combined TV, radio, and digital multi-platform productions.
- Past Co-Ops have successfully blended national and regional media and independent and mainstream outlets to reach TV, radio, and digital audiences.
How to Apply
Proposals should be submitted at the address given on the website.
Eligible Country: Zimbabwe
For more information, please visit Media Co-op Program.