Czech Radio welcomed its first post-pandemic guests: a group of young foreign journalists
After two long pandemic years, Czech Radio was able to host a group of foreign guests and give them a tour of the headquarters. Young journalists hailing from Montenegro, Armenia and Georgia, as well as two budding journalists from Belarus currently based in Poland, visited the historic Czech Radio complex in Prague as part of their participation in the Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) Regional Reporting Fellowship program.
The young journalists learned about the history of Czech Radio – which stretches back as far as 1923 – its portfolio of stations and its financing. An exclusive visit to the newsroom gave the guests the opportunity to see this unique space for themselves and to hear from Jakub Lucký, Editor of the Foreign News Desk, who explained not only the general operation of the newsroom, but also the important process of approving news before it goes on air. The group then stopped by the studio of Czech Radio Plus, the radio’s spoken word station, where the topic of conversation shifted to the technical side of broadcasting in pandemic times and the use of social networks by radio media. All the guests commented appreciatively on the size of the studios, their lighting and bright color schemes - features that they said were unusual in their countries of origin.
After the tour, the visiting journalists were able to sit down and speak with the Head of the Foreign News Desk, Filip Nerad, who explained how Czech Radio’s network of foreign correspondents works, how Czech Radio has been covering the war in Ukraine and, on a more personal note, what it was like to work in Brussels as a foreign correspondent. Together they discussed how to verify information, the fight against fake news, the future of radio and the current trend of "visual" radio, i.e. streaming studio recording sessions. The young foreign journalists also wanted to know where they could listen to Radio Prague International’s English language broadcasting and whether Czech Radio offers any podcasts in English.
"The purpose of the Fellowship is to contribute to the professional development of aspiring journalists in the EU’s Eastern Partnership countries and the Western Balkans in support of media freedom and independence. The Fellowship is guided by RFE/RL's mission to provide accurate, independent journalism in support of democracy and human rights. The program is financed by a grant from the U.S. Department of State," explains Jana Hokuva, who is responsible for media and public affairs at RFE/RL.