Project Background: Urban FM is a political radio station with the objective of being in the “permanent opposition”, which involves broadcasting opinion from outside the mainstream since 2000. The Independent News Centre is a collaboration of four radio stations throughout Kosovo to provide an alternative source of news aside from the existing state broadcaster, RTK, and the couple of private broadcasters who tend to follow its line. OXAB would facilitate a journalist from Urban FM/INC to come to the UK to train in journalism (for one or two months). In exchange, the Kosovan journalist would agree to continue working at the INC for a year (for example). They would also then train local journalists in the INC. If the project were to involve work experience at a local organisation then the benefit to the Oxford newspaper would be a free full-time journalist with an alternative perspective.

Funding: There may be substantial funding requirements for this project but there are a number of possible sources, for example: Commercial funding: e.g. British Airways; Oxford news organisation: e.g. Cherwell/Oxford Student, Reuters school of journalism in Oxford; BBC Oxford; local newspapers, or OXAB could apply for funding to an institute or foundation.

Last updated: April 26th, 2009