Improving media coverage of teen-dating violence and abuse

This grant supports a two-day educational workshop for journalists covering intimate partner violence (IPV) among teenagers, an important step in improving media coverage and building the capacity of news media reporting on these issues. Prevention of teen-dating violence is a major focus of the overall IPV initiative of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF). A better understanding of IPV prevention will benefit the media from a public health perspective. This workshop will serve as a forum for: (1) educating news professionals about teen-dating violence and abuse, along with effective prevention strategies; (2) connecting working journalists, editors and producers with local and national expert sources; and (3) mentoring among journalists -- a chance to exchange best practices, challenges and opportunities in reporting on IPV. Deliverables will include written resource materials, expert interviews, and videos of the two-day workshop's panel discussions to promote effective and ethical reporting on teen-dating violence and abuse. DartCenter.org, whose target audiences are journalists, journalism educators and mental health practitioners, will showcase these resources, as will the Columbia Journalism School's Web site and RWJF.org. Columbia Journalism School, together with RWJF staff, will select workshop participants, identify and recommend speakers and other experts, and otherwise help to shape the workshop agenda.

Grant Details

Amount Awarded $32,043.00

Awarded on: 2/25/2011

Time frame: 6/1/2011 - 11/30/2011

Grant Number: 68604