Opening date: April 10, 2017
Application Deadline: May 10, 2017
Program Description: The U.S. Embassy in Skopje is pleased to invite applications from broadcast and online media outlets interested in participating in the Bureau of Public Affairs’ Foreign Press Center (PA/FPC) Media Co-op program.
Media Co-Ops are up-to-two-week, highly intensive U.S. work and travel programs usually involving a reporter and a camera person accompanied by a PA/FPC contract producer. Media Co-Ops provide the team an opportunity to report from the United States, traveling throughout the country and interviewing policymakers, activists, professionals, and everyday citizens that will help them tell a story about the United States through their lens, on topics of mutual interest, ranging from combatting violent extremism, to rule of law/anti-corruption, to democracy/human rights/media freedom, to entrepreneurship, innovation, economic growth.
Media Co-Ops can result in news features, a series of short programs, or documentaries and sidebar “slice of life” profiles. We welcome creative and innovative proposals in terms of format and topic for stand-alone, single platform productions and combined TV and digital multi-platform productions. We encourage participating media outlets to promote the original programs through related 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.
Requirements
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.
Given the intense pre-planning required for production, teams need to comply with the arranged itinerary and must understand their two-week schedule will be rigorous.
The final product(s) must be broadcast within three (3) months upon return of the team to Macedonia.
Funding
Media Co-op participants will cover their own international airfare 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.
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 team in the United States disburses funds to participants for M&IE upon arrival.
Application format
Applications should include the following information:
- Description of the media outlet including their audience.
- Short biographies of the proposed team members. Ideally, both team members should be fully fluent in English.
- Topic(s) that will be covered during the Media Co-op program.
- List of possible shooting locations and interviewees in the United States.
- The desired time frame for travel of the team.
- The desired outcome of the Media Co-op program.
Proposals should be submitted to usembskopjepress@state.gov by May10, 2017.
