PRESS COUNCIL FELLOWSHIP

The Press Council of Ireland and Office of the Press Ombudsman upholds the freedom of the press to publish journalism which adheres to the highest of ethical and professional standards.

The Press Council’s 2024 Fellowship will be awarded to a working journalist in the early years of their career. It will offer them the opportunity to take part in an international journalism event – the renowned International Journalism Festival in the historic town centre of Perugia, Italy. The Festival takes place from 9 to 13 April 2025 and will have over 200 sessions and over 500 speakers in its five-day programme. The Press Council fellowship will cover the 3 days during which English language events are programmed.

The Fellowship

The Fellowship includes:

  • Travel from Ireland to Perugia on 9 April 2025, returning on 13 April 2025
  • Four nights accommodation in Perugia
  • A per diem for necessary out of pocket expenses

(Any other costs, including insurance and daily expenses, must be met by the winner.)

The Competition

In this era of contested facts, the Press Council invites applicants to submit an article of up to 800 words exploring the reality and actual impacts of misinformation and disinformation. Articles should be grounded in real examples showing these impacts and supported where necessary by expert commentary. Personal stories are of interest, as are stories based on a broader, information-based approach or deep dives into a specific area or topic within the topic of misinformation and disinformation. We welcome submissions from journalists working in news, features, and commentary, whether in politics, sport, arts, environment, communications, media, technology, business or any other relevant area. Published and unpublished articles will be considered.

Full Submission Guidelines

Eligibility

The journalist should be able to demonstrate that they have been working in journalism for between one year and four years at the time of entering the competition, whether full-time, part-time or in a freelance capacity. They must currently work (full-time, part-time or freelance) for a publication or publications which are members of the Press Council of Ireland. A list of member publications can be found here. They are not required to work solely for member publications.

Note: The judges reserve the right to vary the terms of the competition, and their decision will be final.

Submission Requirements

Applicants are required to submit:

  • A titled article with a maximum word count of 800 words, ensuring that in their view the article adheres to the Principles of the Press Council’s Code of Practice.
  • A one-page bio or covering letter setting out their journalistic experience and current role, to include their name, address, email address and mobile phone number.
  • A note from a senior editor at a member publication of the Press Council confirming that they work full-time, part-time or in a freelance capacity as a writer for the publication. The senior editor should also agree that if the article wins the Fellowship the publication will consider publishing it.
  • Written confirmation that they have a valid passport and are entitled to travel within the EU.

Application Deadline

The article and supporting documentation should be submitted by email to administrator@pressombudsman.ie with the subject line “Application for Press Council Fellowship” by 17:00 on 16 December, 2024

The Judges

The judges for the Fellowship are:

Lisa Hand

the Dublin based journalist and broadcaster Lise Hand, who has worked in several national newspapers reporting on current affairs, news, politics, social issues, culture and the arts. She is currently an associate manager with Spotify, working on global misinformation and disinformation.

Peter Geoghegan

The London based journalist and author Peter Geoghegan. Peter Geoghegan is an Irish writer, broadcaster and investigative journalist.  His book, “Democracy for Sale: Dark Money and Dirty Politics” was a bestseller and publications in which his work has appeared include New York Times and the Guardian.
The Press Council of Ireland and the Press Ombudsman believe that a proactive approach to diversity and inclusivity is important in redressing imbalances of representation in our media landscape.  As such we strongly encourage applications by journalists from underrepresented areas of society.