ProdaVinci Online Keynote: Journalism and childhood: tools for ethical coverage

“Coverage of childhood is not just about parenting or upbringing. Many people associate it only with this type of content, when there are harsh realities that also need to be talked about, always responsibly, or situations that particularly affect boys and girls,” says Irene Caselli, a journalist with more than 15 years of experience in radio, television and written press, dedicated to issues about childhood and early childhood.  

Caselli will lead the keynote conference “Journalism and childhood: tools for ethical coverage,” as part of the Academia Prodavinci Training Program for Journalists. The activity will take place on Wednesday, November 29, 2023, at 9:30 am, Caracas time/ 8:30 a.m. EST. Those interested in participating in this video conference can register here.

It will be a videoconference via Zoom open to the general public, aimed especially at journalists, students, teachers, human rights defenders and professionals interested in addressing issues about children. The videoconference will also be broadcast on Prodavinci's social networks. 

Caselli remembers that a few years ago, when he began to notice the concerns, challenges, and problems of boys and girls in his reporting, it was difficult to convince some editors to give these stories their own relevant space. Today she knows that it is not only necessary to make the stories visible, it is also important to be aware of the responsibility it implies. Children are a vulnerable population and sensitivity and knowledge are required to address them. 

For a decade he was a foreign media correspondent in Latin America, working for the BBC, The Washington Post, The New York Times and The Guardian, among others. At that stage of his career he covered Venezuela. In 2019 she was chosen to cover early childhood at The Correspondent. In January 2021 she launched her own newsletter, The First 1,000 Days , where she writes about the first thousand days of her life, sometimes inspired by her experience as a mother of two. She has received grants from the IWMF, the European Journalism Center and the Solutions Journalism Network. Caselli speaks six languages ​​(Italian, English, Spanish, German, Portuguese, French) and is now learning Greek. 

What will be discussed in the video conference?

During the videoconference, Caselli will share her experience as a journalist focused on early childhood and childhood, advice on good practices during the investigation and production of journalistic works, keys to an ethical approach to stories, how to interview children - and when it is advisable to avoid this practice - and how to involve caregivers, tips for addressing early childhood issues, reflections on the digital footprint of published stories, and self-care suggestions for journalists. 

How to take part?

Those interested in participating in the talk from Zoom must register in this form between November 24 and 28, 2023, until 11:59 p.m., Caracas time.

How to contact us?

For comments or questions, you can write to [email protected]