Vietnam
Fojo’s work in Vietnam began in 1998 and since then more than 5000 Vietnamese journalists have received training through Fojo programmes. At present Fojo is supporting the development of a national media resource and mid-career training centre for journalists, the MTC, in Hanoi. The institute is established as a branch of the Ministry of Information and Culture and with an advisory board where Vietnamese print, broadcast and digital media are represented.
Vietnam of today has 16 000 journalists employed in the media houses and some
10 000 freelancers. Only 30% of the working journalists in Vietnam have received formal journalism education. The MTC aims to provide skills- and subject-oriented training programmes for reporters and media managers from all parts of Vietnam. It will also offer in-house training programmes to the media houses and special consultative workshops to managers and editor-in-chiefs. It has ambitions to become a media resource centre providing information and support to both local and international journalists.
The main objective of the MTC, as defined by our Vietnamese partner, is to promote democracy and freedom of expression and access to information via an independent, self-controlled and more open media. Fojo is supporting the MTC by advising and assisting in the development of training programmes and training formats as well as its pool of trainers. We are also working with the MTC in its efforts to support the modernisation of the Vietnamese media businesses, in terms of multi platform publishing and development of content that is relevant and interesting to the readers and audiences.
The MTC project is supported by Sida through the Swedish Embassy in Hanoi 2010-2013.