Babel Reporter

Where is Moldova ?

Prune — Wed, 07 May 2008 15:53:00 +02:00

Some infos here
And a little bit of geography

Agrandir le plan

Going to Moldova

Prune — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 17:01:00 +02:00

And the second team is by now completed. Ready to go to Moldova...

Sebastian Meyer (27) US/UK Coming from New York, Sebastian has lived in London since 2006 where he works freelance. His clients include The Sunday Telegraph, The Times, The Sunday Times, The Sunday Times Magazine, The Evening Standard, The New York Times, and Getty Images.

Sebastian's website

Andrea Davoust (28) CAN/FR Franco-canadian, Andrea has collaborated to New York Times, AFP, The Sunday Herald and is now working for a communication agency based in London. Her many travels implies Erithrea, Albania, Island, Rwanda, Slovakia...

Damien Dubuc (29) FR Graduated from the CFJ two years ago, Damien has lived in Berlin before settling down in Paris. Intern for Liberation and Le Monde, he works now as free lance and has realised few features about refugees in Calais retention center, jails of women in Equateur. He collaborates regularly with Geo Ados.

Prune Antoine (26) FR French editor in charge of social issue for cafebabel.com for the past 2 years. Graduated in International Law, Prune worked for Le Figaro, l'Express and Cosmopolitan. Her features about discirmination of gay in Lithuania has been selected at the EU Journalist Award 2007.

Desperatly seeking for...

Prune — Sun, 06 Apr 2008 16:30:00 +02:00

Looking for European freelance journalists for Babel Reporter Moldova

Creating Babel Reporter

Cafebabel.com, the European online magazine, is launching Babel Reporter, the first transnational collective of European journalists.

The concept is to send a team of 4 reporters (2 teams of 1 photographer and 1 journalist from different countries) to realise in depth reportages during 5 days in Europe.

The objective is to produce high quality feature articles, photo reportages and possibly multi-media reportages on society, culture and travel issues, that will be resold to magazines all around Europe.

cafebabel.com will provide for editorial coordination, 50% travel expenses, legal and administrative framework, translation, and network of resellers all around Europe.

Second session of BR will take place in Moldova in April 2008.

European Journalists Wanted

For this ambitious project, we’re looking for 4 talented freelance reporters (photographer and journalist) from at least 3 different European countries.

Reporters should be below 35 years old and have concrete experience in selling articles and excellent journalistic skills.

Proficiency in English is necessary. Other languages are appreciated.

Knowledge in video/multimedia reportage is highly appreciated.

Reporters should apply with CV, cover letter and examples of articles or photos already published to Prune Antoine

Send info ASAP!

Deadline: 4 March 2008

(Crédit : Senex Prime/flickr)

Publications in chain

Prune — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 16:50:00 +02:00

Ukraine : refugee in unrestricted access

Questions de femmes, France (June 2008)

Axelle, Belgium (27/03/2008)

Ukrainian rock'n roll litterature

Le Monde des Livres, France (04/04/08)
The European Cultural Foundation (ECF)

'Womb to rent'

ELLE, Belgium (28/04/2008)
FEMINA, Switzerland (18/05/2008)

And many more to come...

Sexy Books, Black Bishop and Refugee's Camp

Prune — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 18:12:00 +01:00

Here is a small selection of our work, in PDF, ready to be read. The presentation of the synopsis includes some pictures, all realised in February 2008 for this first edition of © Babel Reporter.

Refugee : Access Unrestricted
New Rock'n Roll Lit'
Embassy of God : the Black Pastor of the Orange Revolution
Surrogacy : Ukrainian womb to rent

Culture : books and rock'n roll

Prune — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 17:47:00 +01:00

UKRAINE NEW ROCK'N ROLL LITERATURE (© Babel Reporter)

A new wave of blogs, books and trendy bookshops is sweeping Ukraine, making writing the new playground of the country’s twenty-something’s. Why, how and since when writing in Ukrainian became a way of resisting the hegemony of the country’s powerful Russian neighbor and asserting a new national pride instigated by the Orange Revolution ?

Text : Prune Antoine

Photography : Cyril Horiszny

Politics : Ukraine, last stop of the migrants

Prune — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 16:38:00 +01:00

REFUGEE : UNRESTRICTED ACCESS IN UKRAINE (© Babel Reporter)

Since the enlargment of the Schengen space in December 2007, irregular migrants coming from India, Pakistan or ex-URSS are trying to give a chance to build up a new life in Europe. Most of them keep crowding in the two retention camp standing along the Ukrainian-Slovakian border. But can Ukraine, the new entrance’s door to European eldorado, answer and fulfill those hopes ?

Text : Prune Antoine

Photographs : Cyril Horiszny

Ukraine : What's hot and not...

Prune — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 16:41:00 +01:00

For the first edition of Babel Reporter in Ukraine, here are the topics that we will cover.

Women

In France and more generally in Europe, the use of 'surrogate mothers' is prohibited by law. But in Ukraine, the motherhood of substitution is becoming a more and more juicy business. Modern clinics and undergound structures are proposing to western couples without children to carry their baby and 'rent the bellies' of ukrainian women.

Immigration

With the signature of new visa agreements between Kiev and Brussels and the enlargment of Schengen zone in december 07, Ukraine fears of becoming the new Ceuta and a new destination of illegal migrations. While Ukrainian authorities have reinforced the monitoring of their borders, some retention camps (founded by the EU but in terrible sanitary condition) are coming up like in Mukachevo, along the polish-ukraino borders. Refugees from ex-URSS or Middle-East keep on crowding in.

Litterature

Ukraine seems now to be a country where litterary thrives. Following the examples of 'classics' ukrainian writers like Juri Andrukhovitch and its groupe of dissident poets 'Bu-ba-bu' or Andrei Kourkov, specialist of political satires and internationally recognised, a new wave of young authors like Ljubko Deresh, Irena Karpa or Serghy Zhadan -in their twenty-something- are emerging on the ukrainian cultural scene. Those baby-writers from the 'Majdan generation', the one having done the Orange Revolution, offer a critical and often trash vision of post-transition society, symbolising the renewal of national identity.

Religion

15 after the independance of the country, while most conventional churches are in decline in Central and Eastern Europe and new Evangelist Church are rising. 20% of all believers in Ukraine are supposed to belong to sects. In Kiev, Sunday Adelaja, a Nigerian pastor founder of the Embassy of God, participated to the Orange revolution and preaches now to masses of people, amongst them lots of oligarchs and youngs, seduced by its new and charismatic approach of social problem and politics : alcoholism or democracy.

And the pioneers are...

Prune — Sun, 23 Dec 2007 16:57:00 +01:00

The team of the first Babel reportage in Ukraine in February 2008 is completed. Each of the participants have been selected, not only because of their strong journalistic background -most of them are used to work as free lancers- but as well as for their curiosity and enthusiasm to get involved in new editorial projects.

Germany

Jan Zappner, 34, is a Berlin-based freelance photographer, working mainly in Eastern Europe, where he visited Ukraine, Belarus, Poland, Bulgaria, Serbia and many other countries. His features concentrate on social topics, on humans and their daily lives which have been published in magazines like Rund - das Fußballmagazin, Das Magazin, Spiegel-online, FAZ, Sueddeutsche Zeitung.

See Jan's portfolio

Italy

Daniele Semeraro, 26, lives in Rome, Italy, and he is a professional
journalist. He's a contributing writer for La Repubblica and
Repubblica.it, works for a political TV programme 'Tetris' (La7) and collaborates regularly to one of the most famous italian blog about new technologies 'geekissimo.com'.

France

Prune Antoine, 26, French editor of cafebabel.com for the past 2 years. Graduated in International Law, Prune worked for Le Figaro, l'Express and Cosmopolitan. Her features about gays in Lithuania has been selected at the EU Journalist Award 2007.

Cyril Horiszny, 30, is a franco-ukrainian professional photographer specialised in Eastern Europe. Graduated in History, he has directed the Centre Culturel Français in Lviv before dedicating himself to photojournalism. Collaborating with international magazines (VSD, Le Monde, Focus, La Croix...), he exhibits regularly its work in art galleries of Kiev, Paris or Berlin.

See Cyril's portfolio

Ukraine, February 2008

Prune — Sat, 22 Dec 2007 18:51:00 +01:00

The session 1 of Babel Reporter will take place in Ukraine in February 2008. Kiev, Lviv and the refugee camps in Mukachevo along the ukraino-solvakian border ...

Babel Reporter for Dummies!

Chakal — Fri, 21 Dec 2007 16:45:00 +01:00

Everything you want to know about Babel Reporter project. Step by step. Follow the guide!

1. What is Babel Reporter?

Babel Reporter is the first transnational collective of European journalists, sending multicultural teams of photographers and journalists together to realise reportages in Europe.

The objective is to produce high quality feature articles, photo reportages and possibly multi-media reportages that will be resold to magazines all around Europe.

2. What’s the working principle?

For each trip, we send 4 Babel Reporters (2 teams of 1 photographer and 1 journalist from different countries) to realise in depth reportages during 5 days in Europe.

Each team (journalist and photographer) has the responsibility to resell its articles.

the first time in the country of the photographer
the second time in the country of the journalist

There will be a total of 4 publications (2 per teams).

After the articles have been sold, “mercenary” from cafebabel.com network can resell the articles all around Europe.

The more articles are sold, the more money everyone makes!

3. What’s the dream team?

For this ambitious project, we’re looking for 4 talented freelance reporters (photographer and journalist) from at least 3 different European countries.

Reporters should be below 35 years old and have concrete experience in selling articles and excellent journalistic skills.

Proficiency in English is necessary. Other languages are appreciated.
Knowledge in video/multimedia reportage is highly appreciated.

Reporters should apply with CV, motivation letter and examples of articles or photos already published to Prune Antoine (p.antoine@cafebabel.com)

4. What kind of articles ?

In order to target magazines in Europe, we will focus on three major themes:

Politics & society
Tourism & travel
Culture

The format of the editorial production should be:

Articles should be 12 000 to 14 000 signs spaces included
Photo gallery should comprise a set of 25 photographic images illustrating the article

5. What’s the role of Babel International / cafebabel.com?

The association Babel International editing the European magazine cafebabel.com is at the initiative of Babel Reporter. It brings to Babel Reporter its brand (cafebabel.com) and notoriety in the field of European journalism.

In the framework of Babel Reporter, Babel International takes in charge:

50% of travel expenses
coordination of the project (editorial impulse
legal and administrative framework for payment
professional translation and international diffusion

6. What’s the role of the Babel Reporter?

The journalist and the photographer have to :

present the synopsis of their article to potential clients prior to departure
prepare their trip (flight, housing, interviews, choose of the fixer etc.)
sell the article to a national magazine

7. What’s the role of the mercenary?

The mercenary is a member of cafebabel.com local offices around Europe. Being involved in their country with cafebabel.com, they have good contacts with national press. Today, cafebabel.com is present in 14 European countries.

Mercenary's role is to:

contact potential magazine in his country
resell the article

8. Can a Babel Reporter be a mercenary too?

Yes, we strongly encourage the participants of this program to be each other’s mercenary. Doing so, Babel Reporters will enjoy the same benefits as the "mercenary". (see paragraph Revenue Sharing)

As a Babel Reporter, you are the best person to talk about the program and you personally know the Babel Reporters you’ve been travelling with.

9. Who pays for travel expenses, housing and fees?

Travel expenses, housing, and fees will be financed 50% by Babel International up to 400€ per Babel Reporter.

The remaining 50% are at the charge of the Babel Reporter.

This amount has been calculated on a estimation of flight ticket (round trip ticket), housing in hotel (6 nights), fees (6 days), and fixer (5 days) expenses.

10. Who pays for translations?

A minimum of 3 professional translations in other languages are financed by Babel International within its network of translators.

11. What is the revenue sharing?

Revenue Sharing
selling
Journalist	30%
Photographer	30%
Mercenary (either photographer/journalist)	10%
BI selling	30%
total	100%
*republishing*
Journalist	30%
Photographer	30%
Mercenaire	10%
BI republishing	30%
total	100%

12. What’s the price I’m supposed to sell my article?

We recommend that you sell your piece 1 000€ (article + photos).

This price is based on the estimation of the average market price for a 12 000 signs article and a set of 25 professional photos.

13. Is there a minimum selling price for the articles?

There is no minimum price for selling your article. Just remember that if you sell your piece for less than 800€ (article + photos), you will hardly cover your own travel expenses.

This is not in your interest and in the interest of Babel Reporter to sell your article for a low price.

14. What if I don't sell my article at all?

If you don't sell your article, you will penalize your partner, Babel Reporter and... yourself of course!

So we hope this would not happen, because if you join Babel Reporter, it’s because you want to sell and be published!

15. I’m a Babel Reporter, how much do I get?

The money you’ll get will depend on the quality of your article, your capacity to sell it for a good price, and the number of republication that will be made by the network of mercenaries.

For example:

If you sell your piece (article + photos) 2 times for 1 500€, this is the net income (after deduction of travel expenses you have to pay) that you’ll get:

journalist: around 900€
photographer: around 900€

If your article is resold by a mercenary for the price of 1 500€, this is what you’ll get for royalties after each re-publication:

journalist: around 450€
photographer: around 450€

If you are a mercenary yourself, and manage to sell an article for the price of 1 500€, this is what you’ll get for each re-publication :

mercenary : 300€

The more articles are sold and resold, the more money everyone makes!

16. What’s the contract I sign with Babel International?

Prior to departure, all Babel Reporters sign a contract with Babel International of exclusive assignment of the exploitation rights on one year period. It means that for each publication or reproduction of your article during one year, the revenue sharing will apply to you, your partner and Babel International.

Babel International owns the exploitation rights: it is responsible for coordination of the project, translation, for signing contracts of publication and reproduction with the clients, and for redistributing the money to the entitled beneficiary.

After publication, its aim is to assure the best prices and best exploitation of your article by providing its network of resellers around Europe.

The Babel Reporters own the moral rights for their articles: they are responsible for the content and need to give their agreement before any republication of their article.

17. How is the money redistributed?

Each contract of publication/reproduction is signed between Babel International and the client (magazine).

Upon receipt of the money from the client, Babel International redistributes the money to the Babel Reporters within a period of 15 working days.

18. What are the exclusivity rules?

The client owns the publication/reproduction rights for a limited period of time ( more or less 3 months), for a limited sector of activity (travel print magazine, culture print magazine, internet etc.), and for a limited geographical zone (regional, national). This is negotiated with the client.

This means that Babel International can sell the same article several times, in different press supports, and in different countries.

19. Who will be credited?

When the article is published/reproduced, the following names should appear:

name of journalist
name of photographer
name of translator

The concept of Babel Reporter

Prune — Thu, 22 Nov 2007 19:37:00 +01:00

Basically the articles we want to produce will be organised around 3 subjects: society /culture/ tourism & travel.

Topics have to be fresh, original and European, easily identifiable as 'Babelian'.

If the project works as expected, the expeditions take place every 2 to 3 months, with various transnational teams : 3 x 2 (photograph + writer) of different nationalities.

At first, destinations will be focused on Eastern Europe. Our general concept tends to focus on the youngest generations while being aware of the East-West gap and always anticipating the forthcoming news.

The economical model

Prune — Thu, 22 Nov 2007 19:28:00 +01:00

The economic viability of this 'Babel agency' is based on one drastic principle : selling and reselling again, hre and there, in as many countries we can.

This means that each team of 2 Babel Reporters will sell its articles two times: the first time in the country of the photographer, the second time in the country of the journalist. Doing this, we put in common everyone's personal network.

Once this step done, thanks to the network of cafebabel.com's, the article can be resold to other magazines in Europe.

The innovative system of republication ensures incomes for everyone: the Babel Reporters, the resellers, and cafebabel.com.

Want to know more about the revenue sharing and the nuts and bolts of the Babel Reporter system? Visit this post: Babel Reporter for dummies.

Babel reporter, première!

Prune — Wed, 21 Nov 2007 17:07:00 +01:00

Flexibility and improvisation ! Those are the two key-words for a challenging journalistic experiment, called 'Babel Reporter'.

The idea ? To create a transnational collective of European reporters (writers and photographers) in order to realise a serie of 'different features' in a wide range of countries in Europe. Nothing really new under the sun? Thanks to this specific multicultural approach and the Babelian 'savoir faire' concerning the quality and the originality of the issues treated, our journalists will report about uncovered realities of European cities.

Let's be honest: exotic topics are not really missing in Europe, from the success of 'chalga' music in Bulgaria to the 'club of the Polish losers' in Berlin or the hip-hop gypsies living in Shutka, the biggest Rom's area in Skopje, Macedonia...and these are only a few examples.

Once produced by our group of reporters, the articles + photos + possible multimedia supports (video or recording) will be sold to national newspapers and magazines around the Old Continent, thanks to cafebabel's network of journalists in Europe.

And because this is a one off, cafebabel.com will take in charge 50% of travel expenses of the Babel Reporters.

Welcome aboard!