A LITTLE SOMETHING I DON'T UNDERSTAND

I get on my e-mail lots of announcement about fields trips and journalism trainings organized by famous NGO's for journalists in the developping countries in Eurasia end North Africa and Eastern Europe. The thesme are quite interesting, I 'd really wanna go to some of them. Some of them I actually attended, cause i got scholarships. But lately the scholarships are gone.
I was reading today about this thing on IFJ.
The Media21 Global Journalism Network is seeking applications for its next Global Issues media workshop (Nov. 24-Dec. 7, 2008), this time on the challenges of migration in the 21st century. The first part will take place in Geneva, Switzerland (three days) with expert panels involving key organizations such as IOM, UNHCR, ICRC, MSF, World Economic Forum etc. on diverse aspects of migration, refugees and trafficking affecting host regions such as Europe or North America but also source countries ranging from Mali and Salvador to Afghanistan. This will be followed by three days in Andorra as part of the 3rd Future of Europe Summit providing access to lead European and other international business, academic, NGO and policy representatives. Participating journalists have the option to take part in a week-long field trip either to northern/western Africa or eastern/central Europe.

Deadline for the Migration I Workshop: October 15, 2008. Costs: 5,400 Euros covering all travel, food & lodging, field trip and tuition. Limited grants are available.

The purpose of this unique programme is to provide experienced local and international editors, reporters and producers with a broader perspective of global issues: peacekeeping & peacebuilding; health; climate change, human rights; world trade…It seeks to promote more informed debate by putting journalists from around the world in touch with key players. Media21 works closely with diverse partners and facilitates interactive sessions with the international aid community, private sector, civil society, governments, military, academia, media... It also organizes practically-oriented trips enabling journalists to report first-hand from the field.

Applicants must demonstrate a serious interest and a firm record of journalistic achievement. The workshops are open to journalists with a minimum of three years’ experience, though priority will be given to mid-career and senior journalists. Participants are expected to produce two reports (articles, broadcasts blogs etc.) for their own media and to make these available to the Media21 website. (http://www.media21geneva.org) As Media21 alumni, they are also invited to participate actively in the Global Journalism Network by sharing experiences, contacts and reporting.

For more information, please contact: Daniel Wermus at dwermus@infosud.org or go to http://www.media21geneva.org

My quation is, which journalist do they think has 5 400 euro to pay for this training. I mean who journalist who needs it. Cause I can thing of a few Independent, Gurdian, NY Times people who could pay for it. But do they need it? I mean their newsrooms would always pay for their trips to all those places and report there independently, without the UN people telling them not to photograph that and not to talk to that person and not to step on the grass.

I mean if I had 5 400 euro I'd definetly go on my own with a cameraman and the whole thing would cost us less than that.