AJM Academy for Responsible and Free Journalism: “Training – Academy for Journalists and Media Workers – T-AJM

The Association of Macedonian Journalists (AJM), the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ), and the Initiative for a European Perspective (IEP) presented the initiative “Training Academy for Journalists and Media Workers – T-AJM” as part of the International Week of Media Literacy. This initiative aims to contribute to the creation of a favorable environment in which freedom of expression and media freedom will be nurtured.

Mladen Chadikovski, the President of AJM, emphasized the need to create a creative atmosphere for free and independent journalism.

“We will strive to create even more prepared journalists who will be the foundation of good information. In this way, the public will be influenced in the direction of obtaining accurate, verified, and timely information, which is our common ultimate goal. The need for capacity building in journalism remains significant due to the ongoing, rapid changes in this field. Journalists, both young and experienced, must be adaptable and continuously upgrade their skills to meet the challenges of an ever-evolving media landscape while upholding the core values of journalism. AJM’s mission through the academy is to contribute to the construction of that favorable environment,” Chadikovski said.

Ricardo Gutiérrez, the Secretary General of the European Federation of Journalists, said that this initiative is extremely important for freelance journalists, especially in an era when journalism is under constant pressure to change for the better.

“Training is needed more than ever, given the threats to journalists and their safety. Special emphasis should be placed on digital security and the ethical challenges journalists face in the right and wrong use of artificial intelligence. In my opinion, those are the two main areas where we need additional skills the most. It is important to note that the training of journalists is aimed at obtaining better quality and more reliable information because we are not only here for the profession but above all for the public as the end consumer,” Gutierrez said.

At the event “Many People, One Mission” held at AAVMU, Dragan Sekulovski, Executive Director of AJM, Elena Milenkoska-Mihailovska, President of the Initiative for a European Perspective, and Davor Pašoski, who acted as an external collaborator in the analysis of a previously conducted survey, were in attendance.