Experience Above and Beyond Expectations
By: Conor Smith Gaffney, BIRN’s intern during summer 2008
28 January 2009 "BIRN gave me a remarkable amount of independence and responsibility,
allowing me to essentially dive head first into a stream of fascinating events
and personages. The internship’s latitude and the expectation of quality
reporting mean an amazing potential for any number of projects relating to the
Balkans." - Conor Gaffney, BIRN intern, summer 2007
For the summer of
2008 I was an intern with BIRN, working primarily in Sarajevo with the Justice Report staff. I also worked briefly in Belgrade with the editorial staff of Balkan Insight.
I intended the internship to be a way to better understand issues
facing the region, and as a means to develop my professional interest and competence
in the field of journalism. What I got was an opportunity to cover some major
news events in the region first-hand and to work with an outstanding team of
editors and journalists whose guidance and expertise have been invaluable to
the realization of my professional and personal goals.
The experience was above
and beyond my expectations and has provided me with the groundwork for a strong
future in journalism.
In Sarajevo
I went almost daily with BIRN journalists to the State Court to cover
proceedings in the War Crimes Chamber. I was present at the landmark verdict on
the crimes committed at the Kravica Farming Cooperative—Bosnia’s first
genocide ruling and first ruling on war crimes committed during the Srebrenica
massacre.
Further afield, I covered the Srebrenica memorial event in July and
interviewed survivors of the Omarska camp outside Prijedor. Back in Sarajevo I interviewed directors and actors during the Sarajevo Film Festival, meeting major
cultural figures from the Balkans, Europe, and America.
In these experiences I was
able to strengthen essential skills in interviewing, researching, and practice
the journalistic style of writing. I was given the chance to write a wide range
of articles, from lengthy analysis pieces, to news shorts, to film and book
reviews and blog posts.
I met a number of excellent journalists, lawyers,
academics, and public servants and have a substantial network of contacts in
the region.
BIRN gave me a remarkable amount of independence and responsibility,
allowing me to essentially dive head first into a stream of fascinating events
and personages. The internship’s latitude and the expectation of quality
reporting mean an amazing potential for any number of projects relating to the
Balkans.
It was flexible enough to accommodate my specific plans and
substantial enough to provide me with a new direction and a new set of
questions as I continue my path towards a career in journalism.
More specific information about Conor’s projects and
experiences as an intern with BIRN can be found on his blog: www.conorgaffney.com
Justice Report is a
specialist reporting agency focusing on war crimes trials taking place before
local courts; development of the local legal system; and efforts to come to
terms with the past.
Read more
OSCE: Success of War Crimes Processing Endangered
An OSCE report on Witness Protection and Support in War-Crimes Cases says, among other things, that Bosnia and Herzegovina has neither improved the position of victims and witnesses nor has it won their confidence in criminal proceedings and war-crimes cases.
Read more
Balkan Investigative Reporting Network
The opinions expressed in Balkan Insight are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of the Balkan Investigative Reporting Network
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