Funds for journalism training available [UK]

British journalists from socially or ethnically diverse backgrounds can apply for a training grant.

The Journalism Diversity Fund offers grants to journalists attending courses with the National Council for the Training of Journalists (NCTJ).

Candidates must provide proof of application or have secured a place in an NCTJ accredited course during the  academic year.

Applicants must reside in the United Kingdom and have a genuine commitment to journalism.

The deadline to apply for the next group of bursaries is April 1.

For more information, click stellanwofia.blogspot.com

MLDI offers grants on digital rights advancement [Africa]

Independent media organizations, nongovernmental organizations and law centers in East, West and southern Africa can apply for this grant.

The Media Legal Defence Initiative (MLDI) offers funding for legal assistance or litigation activities that safeguard or advance media freedom.

The program aims to advance digital rights and freedom of expression online. Grants of U$20,000 will be available to to set up a media legal defense unit that provides pro bono legal support to journalists, citizen journalists and independent media.

Organizations must have a background or demonstrable interest in litigation and/or provision of legal support and  previous experience in the advancement and protection of freedom of expression in the country or region.

The deadline is Feb. 9.

For more information, click stellanwofia.blogspot.com

Film festival focuses on life with disabilities [Worldwide]

Filmmakers from around the world can submit documentaries to this international festival.

The Belgrade International Film Festival "
BOSIFEST 2020" for and by people with disabilities will take place Oct. 19 to 21 in Belgrade, Serbia. The theme of the festival is the work and life of people with disabilities.

The competition accepts documentaries up to 100 minutes long in English or with English/Serbian subtitles, produced in the last five years.

The deadline is April 24.

For more information, click stellanwofia.blogspot.com

Essay competition focuses on inequality [Latin America, Caribbean]

Latin American citizens ages 15 to 24 can enter this contest.

The Global Youth Advancement Network at Michigan State University organizes an essay contest about inequity and ways to confront it.

Entries must be in English, have 600 to 900 words and address themes such as challenging racism, conserving the environment, educating for change and promoting gender equality.

The winner of the first prize will receive a laptop computer and a scholarship to attend the 2021 Global Youth Advancement Summit in East Lansing, Michigan.

The deadline is Feb. 21.


For more information, click stellanwofia.blogspot.com

Science journalism Awards calls for entries [Brazil]

Journalists who cover science, technology and innovation can compete for an award.

Brazil's National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq/MCT) has launched the 2020 José Reis Award.

Contestants must submit a maximum of 15 works that were published or broadcast in any format.

The winner will receive BRL20,000 and airfare to attend the Annual Meeting of the Brazilian Society for the Progress of Science (SBPC, in Portuguese) in July at the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte.

The deadline is April 24.

For more information, click stellanwofia.blogspot.com

Loyola Law School offers journalism program [US]

Professional journalists with at least three years of experience can apply for this fellowship.

The Civil Justice Program at LMU Loyola Law School is accepting candidates for its Journalist Law School, which aims to help journalists who cover the courts on national, regional or local levels.

Selected journalists will participate in a intensive seminar on the legal system June 10 to 13 in Los Angeles. Classes are taught by law faculty and practicing journalist-lawyers.

The program will provide lodging, most meals and partial travel of up to US$300.

The deadline is Feb. 14.

For more information, click stellanwofia.blogspot.com

Photojournalism Award seeks entries [Worldwide]

Women photojournalists who reported in dangerous environments can be nominated for an award.

The International Women's Media Foundation (IWMF) is seeking nominations for the Anja Niedringhaus Courage in Photojournalism Award honoring AP photographer Anja Niedringhaus, who was killed in Afghanistan in April 2014.

The award recognizes women photojournalists whose work reflects the courage and dedication of Niedringhaus, and who exhibit extraordinary strength of character, bravery and perseverance in documenting the world.

Nominations must be in English and include 12 photographs that best represent the scope and style of their candidate’s work.

The winner will receive a cash prize of US$20,000 and her work will be showcased publicly.

The deadline is Feb. 23. Self-nominations will be accepted.


For more information, click stellanwofia.blogspot.com

Photo contest seeks entries [Russia]

Photojournalists and amateur photographers ages 18 to 35 who are Russian citizens can compete in this contest.

The Russian Union of Art Photographers is launching its annual photo contest Young Russian Photographers.

Participants may submit photo projects and stories including three to six photos, all united by a general theme or multimedia projects.

The participation fee is RUB500.

Winners will be awarded culture and arts scholarships and diplomas.

The deadline is April 20.


For more information, click stellanwofia.blogspot.com

Magazine Late offers online reporting course [Latin America, Spain]

Spanish-speaking journalists can register for this online training.

Latin American magazine Late has launched a new edition of its reporting school. The course will run March 12 to July 30.

Focusing on narrative and freelance journalism, the training will consist of six modules: specialized journalism, reporting, writing, editing, mobile and social media journalism, photojournalism and a final workshop on pitching,

Instructors are Yasna Mussa (Chile), Alejandro Saldivar (México), Daniel Wizenberg (Argentina) and Giovanni Jaramillo Rojas (Colombia).

Registration costs US$160.

The deadline is Feb. 20.

For more information, click stellanwofia.blogspot.com

Deadline Approaching :Open Knowledge Foundation offers mini-grants for Open Data Day [Worldwide]


Local groups can apply for funds to organize an open data event.

The Open Knowledge Foundation is offering 60 mini-grants of US$200 to US$300 for the Open Data Day 2020, which will take place March 7 around the world. 

The program aims to help events that will cover one of the following tracks: environmental data, tracking public money flows, open mapping or data for equal development.

As well as sponsoring the program, among others, Datopian will be providing technical support on Open Data Day 2020.

The deadline is Feb. 9.

For more information, click stellanwofia.blogspot.com

NUFFIC offers scholarships to study in the Netherlands [Brazil]

Brazilian students in various fields, including communication, can apply.

The Orange Tulip Scholarship Programme 2020 (OTS), administered by the Nuffic Neso Brazil, is granting full and partial scholarships for postgraduate and undergraduate students.

The scholarships are intended for courses taught in English in a variety of affiliated universities in the Netherlands.

Candidates must be fluent in English and meet specific requirements set by the university of their choice.

Registration is open, but deadlines range from February to May 2020 depending on the university.

For more information, click stellanwofia.blogspot.com

Field reporting Awards focuses on natural resources [North America]

Professional journalists in need of financial support can apply for a reporting grant.

The Institute for Journalism & Natural Resource (IJNR) seeks proposals for its 2020 Field Reporting Awards, focusing on natural resources, the environment, energy, development, agriculture, environmental justice and public health.

The grants may cover travel, lodging, research or any other cost involved with reporting. Up to 11 grants ranging from US$500 to US$1,000 will be awarded.

Journalists of color and other underrepresented or minority journalists are strongly encouraged to apply.

The deadline is Feb. 14.

For more information, click stellanwofia.blogspot.com

Journalism program in China seeks applicants [Worldwide]

English-speaking journalists worldwide can apply for a global journalism program in China.

The School of Journalism and Communication at Tsinghua University offers a master of arts degree in global business journalism, which seeks to train future journalists who can help the public understand the complexities of global business and the economy.

The two-year program, a partnership between Tsinghua, the International Center for Journalists (ICFJ) and Bloomberg News, is fully taught in English. Enrollment in the courses is about half international, half Chinese.

A limited number of scholarships are available to top applicants. Those interested in applying for a scholarship are encouraged to apply early.

The deadline is March 1.


For more information, click stellanwofia.blogspot.com

Zenith magazine offers reporting grant [MENA]

Journalists in Syria, Algeria, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Tunisia and Yemen can apply for a reporting grant.

The zenith magazine, in partnership with the Candid Foundation, is accepting applications for the zenith Reporting Grant 2020.

Applicants must have an idea for a topic that is urgent, under-reported and of importance to a wider audience and that demonstrates a clear connection to one of the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals.

The grant will support 20 journalistic research projects with a maximum amount of EUR3,500 (US$3,880) each.

The deadline is Feb. 29.


For more information, click stellanwofia.blogspot.com

Workshop focuses on human securities [Philippines]

Filipino communication professionals ages 22 to 35 can apply for a fellowship to attend this workshop.

The East-West Center and the U.S. Embassy Manila are organizing the Philippines Foresight Series. The first workshop will take place March 24 to 28 in Manila and the second one, March 31 to April 4 in Davao City.

The workshops will cover some of the biggest issues impacting human security in the Philippines, including environment management, public safety, citizen engagement and disinformation.

The program will select 24 professionals, who will be reimbursed for local transportation costs. Lodging and meals costs will be covered by the organizers.

The deadline is Feb. 28.


For more information, click stellanwofia.blogspot.com

Importance of ASO in Mobile App Marketing Strategy by Sergio D. Scudieri


Due to the latest advances in mobile technology, the number of people using mobile apps is growing drastically day by day. The number of mobile applications is growing each day and app stores are continuously evolving and changing their algorithms to rank apps based on several ranking factors.
Once the initial app development is completed, and the app has been launched to famous app stores, business owners and marketers tend to focus on different app marketing techniques, but skip ASO (app store optimization) which is one of the key elements of a successful app marketing campaign. Some businesses with a marketing budget opt for reliable app marketing services to get their app to the top and get visibility and downloads.

Whether you are promoting your newly launched mobile app yourself or availing services of a marketing company for this purpose, ASO should be an integral part of your marketing campaign to increase the visibility of your app in app stores for more downloads.

What is ASO?
App store optimization is the practice of improving the rank and visibility of a mobile app in app stores. The higher an app ranks, the easier it is to find in the app store, and the more it will get hits and installs. ASO includes app title, app description, tags, and screenshots etc.
Importance and benefits of app store optimization (ASO)

More Organic Installs
With a good ASO strategy, you can steer more traffic towards your app to see an incredible boost in organic downloads. Organic installs as a result of ASO will cost nothing and help you get your app in front of potential users easily. A properly optimized app with target keywords starts ranking higher in app store search results. Users are easily able to search and find the app in stores and it cuts the acquisition costs down.

Get your App in Front of Relevant Users
When the most relevant and strong keywords are creatively used in the app description, tags and other aspects, it helps you get your app in front of the most relevant and qualified users that are more likely to install it. Proper keyword research can help you find the best performing and most relevant keywords according to the niche of your app.
Stability

ASO provides more organic installs for an app, and more organic installs provides stability for your app. No doubt paid marketing brings lots of new users and installs, but it is not a long-term solution as once you are low on your budget, the downloads will drop and you will start loosing users and lower revenues as well. On another hand, when an app is optimized properly for app stores, it keeps you ranking higher in search results without any drops down. In results, you experience a stable fame for your app and increased profits too.

Increased Revenue
When your app appears on the top in search results, users are more likely to install your app. And if your app is monetized in any way for making money, you will definitely start getting more bucks in your accounts in results of more clicks, subscriptions or in-app purchases etc. ASO will keep your app on the top by increasing its visibility and discoverability in app stores.



Sergio D. Scudieri  is a guest writer for SANJU Blog and Project Manager - Digital Marketing Specialist SEMnexus. He writes about exciting new technologies especially those beneficial to journalism