Expertalia: A tool for journalists to diversify sources
The Belgian Association of Professional Journalists (AJP), a member of the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) launched a web tool Expertalia, an expert directory for media professionals with the aim to diversify media sources in media reporting.
The initiative, supported by the Federation Wallonia-Brussels, aims to bring more equality and diversity in the use of experts by the media. Expertalia is a tool targeting at journalists with the aim to renew their sources of information by offering new experts from a diverse background.
To date, Expertalia lists 200 experts in various fields (science, law, economics, society, etc), active in research, education, professional or voluntary sectors. Journalists can easily obtain access to Expertalia by registering online. Expertalia also has a partnership with the Diversity cell from the Belgian French-speaking public broadcaster (RTBF), which will promote the tool to its journalists and conduct training or coaching media.
Expertalia is part of an ongoing initiative carried out by the AJP on diversity in media. It is a concrete response to the unfortunately recurrent finding of deficiencies in equality and diversity in the media. according to previous studies in the Belgian French speaking media, among the 20 experts interviewed by reporters, only 4 are women (in television), and only 3 (daily press). In addition, the diversity of background among these experts is very poor, both in daily press and television (9% to 14% came from diverse origins).
For more information, please contact Martine Simonis, Secretary General of AJP or Halima El Haddadi, AJP Diversity Coordinator.
