RT launches international training program

RT has launched a new English-language educational project for journalists, the RT Academy. The first in a series of free online courses will begin on April 1, and applications can now be submitted at the RT Academy website.

The initial training course is open exclusively to journalists from member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

Reporters from the region have shown significant interest in RT’s training programs, and the new project will be mutually beneficial, according to Denis Bolotsky, the head of RT’s Indonesian office.

“We saw that [popularity] at our journalism seminars in Jakarta in September 2023. Besides requests from Indonesian citizens, we’re already receiving applications from Vietnam, the Philippines, and other ASEAN nations. The interest is mutual. They learn from us, and we gain experience working in Global South countries,” Bolotsky explained.

The program is set to expand its scope to other regions in the near future, RT’s head of educational projects, Anna Kovtunova, added.

“RT’s educational and mentorship projects are now reaching an international audience. Our colleagues from ASEAN countries will be the first to take the course, and we look forward to offering our classes to journalists from Africa, India, and other regions in the near future,” she said.

The RT Academy takes a comprehensive approach to news reporting, exploring the entire process from pitching stories and newsgathering to postproduction and distribution. It also covers social media and video content, techniques to verify news, and other vital areas. Top RT specialists will share their experiences throughout the courses.

The RT Academy will also host a series of separate webinars in cooperation with the Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union (ABU) Media Academy.

The first will be held on February 22, and will feature Vsevolod Pulya, the head of RT’s Russia Beyond project, who will discuss the creation of communities around a brand on social media platforms.