IWPR Prepares Journalists for Conflict Reporting

Before the war broke out, the project had prepared dozens of journalists for covering ethnic conflicts and war-time situations.

For example, a workshop held in Tbilisi, from August 2 to 3, focused on restrictions imposed by the government on breaking news and on coverage of public disorders and conflicts.

Just three days later, when conflict erupted, workshop participants had a chance to put the knowledge they had gained during the training session into practice.

"I think I am lucky to have taken that course of theory of working in a conflict zone," said Irakli Managadze, who reported from the Georgian villages of Frone and Nuli in the conflict zone during the hostilities.

"I started to feel responsible. I checked every word I wrote, afraid to make a mistake due to my lack of experience."

Trainer Nino Gerzmava said the journalists had understood the importance of keeping reports from hot-spots restrained and based on fact rather than on emotion.

"The proof of this is how our journalists worked in the conflict zone - some of them had a difficult time trying to control their emotions, but never once was an unverified report published on IWPR's special blog," he said.