ICFJ offering personal finance/biz reporting class

The International Center for Journalists will offer two online courses in English and Spanish on covering marketing concepts such as how to plan for retirement, understanding your 401(k), stock and bond markets, mutual funds and private and public companies. These courses will be available to U.S. journalists who report in minority communities.

The online courses will take place from Oct. 1, 2012 through Nov. 25, 2012. All applicants will be asked to propose a project that they will develop throughout the length of the course. A mentoring period to help participants finalize their projects will then take place from Nov. 26, 2012 until Jan. 3, 2013.

The courses will be open to Spanish-speaking and English-speaking journalists working within minority communities. Participants will learn how to effectively cover consumer and marketing finance issues including topics ranging from credit and lending, housing and mortgages to retirement planning and investing.

The Spanish course will be led by Xavier Serbia, the editor-in-chief and founder of Xavierserbia.com. Serbia is a personal finance syndicated columnist and has written for various Hispanic media outlets. He has extensive professional experience with ICFJ, serving as the lead trainer during last year’s McGraw Hill Personal Finance Reporting Program.

The English course will be led by Chris Roush, who teaches business and economics reporting at the University of North Carolina and has written six books, including two about business journalism. Roush has also previously served as an online course trainer for ICFJ’s programs.

The program will be divided into three parts:

• an eight-week online training on financial markets and consumer business
• a six-week online mentoring period, during which participants produced stories to publish them in the media
• a three-day field trip to New York City, where selected participants will have the opportunity to meet and interview with notable financial experts.

At the end of the online courses, three participants will receive a McGraw-Hill Markets Reporting Award and cash prizes of US$2,000, US$1,000 and US$500.

Be advised that applications sent via email will not be considered. Please use the online application to apply.

For more information, please contact Tom Albrecht at talbrecht@icfj.org.