What are the IRP Gatekeeper Editors Fellowships?
Twice a year up to 12 U.S. senior editors and producers will be awarded fellowships to travel as a group on an intensive fact-finding visit to a single important but somewhat under-covered country in the news.
When are the destination countries selected?
Announcements of the selected countries are usually made in January and May.
How long does the trip last?
IRP Gatekeeper Editors trips generally last between one and two weeks.
What types of activities do the trips include?
IRP Gatekeepers editors meet with key government officials, representatives of non-governmental agencies, members of the business community, members of the local media and others. Individual time for gatekeepers is also provided.
Who is eligible to apply?
Any journalist in a supervisory position in any type of media who helps to determine what news items will be selected for publication or broadcast. In the past, gatekeepers have included senior executives in print, television, radio and online media. Gatekeepers must be U.S. citizens or else working as fulltime staff editors in the U.S. for a U.S.-based news organization.
Are previous participants in IRP Gatekeeper trips allowed to apply again?
Gatekeepers must wait at least five years before they may reapply for another Gatekeepers trip. Thus, participants in the 2004 Gatekeepers trip and earlier ones are eligible for the 2009 trips.
What costs of the trip does the International Reporting Project cover?
All costs of travel, meals and accommodations during the fact-finding trips are paid for by the International Reporting Project unless a news organization wishes to pay their editors own expenses. Gatekeepers are responsible for paying the costs of their passport, visa and immunization fees, as well as the cost of transportation between their home cities and the gateway city from which the gatekeepers’ trip will depart.
Do Gatekeepers produce stories from the trip?
Yes, Gatekeepers are encouraged to produce stories, op-ed columns, audio slideshows, blogs or other pieces from the trip, and a majority of Gatekeepers in the past have done so. If Gatekeepers do produce stories, they must provide a credit line to the IRP for making the trip and story possible. The IRP may also ask Gatekeepers to be interviewed about the trip for the IRP web site.
Where does funding for the Gatekeeper trips come from?
The IRP does not accept any government funding, either from the U.S. or elsewhere. Support for all IRP programs comes entirely from private, non-partisan foundations in the U.S. whose names are listed on the IRP home page, as well as from contributions from individuals. The program schedules for the Gatekeeper trips are devised entirely by the IRP senior staff, who are former journalists and who create a program of appointments and activities based on the interests and requests of participating editors.