JULY 12
http://kosovotwopointzero.com/
Kosovo 2.0 is a really unique organization. I would call them a news organization, but they are certainly altering the definition of what a news organization can be. The way their website is organized provides space for long term projects, shorter news stories, outside blog posts, and more. They do a lot of “advocacy journalism” and work to create space for dialogues on major issues.
My first impression of Kosovo 2.0 was before we left for the trip. I was doing some research and found many of their stories on the recent election in Kosovo to be extremely helpful.
At the meeting with Cristina Mari (Program Manager) and Jack Butcher (Managing Editor), I became very interested in their work. I would honestly love to work at Kosovo 2.0, or another organization similar to it. I’m a huge fan of well-done advocacy journalism, although I think you have to be very very careful with it. However, our world as journalists is changing and I really admire that a group like Kosovo 2.0 is pushing the boundaries of what journalism can be.
Cristina talked a bit about how objectivity plays a role in their work. Obviously, this organization is pretty liberal. She said their goal is not to hide their biases but to make sure their reportage is comprehensive. They want to make sure they address all sides of a story or an argument, but they still acknowledge their own views. This way of looking at objectivity is intriguing. I would love to live in a world where journalism could function under this definition of objectivity. Unfortunately, I am not sure if this is possible right now, especially in the US. TALK MORE ABOUT THIS IDEA
Unfortunately, I am not sure if this is possible right now, especially in the US. Many people in the US will only read one news source, and they often choose the one that aligns most with their views. I do not mean to generalize. There are plenty of us who look at multiple news outlets daily, but there are too many that do not. I am hopeful that in the future, an organization like Kosovo 2.0 will be able to function and thrive in the US.
The one thing that was really difficult to deal with during the meeting at Kosovo 2.0 was their lack of emphasis on photography. They do have a visuals team, which is a great start, but they also use photos taken by their writers with smartphones. Yes, everyone has a camera now, but not everyone is a photographer. It is important that we as photojournalists continue to work to show the value of our work. The journalism world is changing and we do have to adapt to that. Everyone has to pick up new skills in order to have a career. However, this does not mean the skills of others in the journalism world should be discounted. Photographers have to learn to write and to work with audio, video, and more, but writers, videographers, editors, and others are still important. Photojournalists cannot be replaced with iPhones if news organizations expect to see the same level of work produced. That being said, I do really appreciate that Kosovo 2.0 even has its own visuals team.