Slovak Television Reporters Attend Seminars by U.S. Investigative Journalist Robert Hooper

June 21, 2008

American television producer and international educator Robert Hooper visited Slovakia from June 13 – June 22 to lead investigative journalism seminars around the country and participate in the 14th International Festival of Television Broadcasters in Kosice. During his visit, which was sponsored by the Embassy, Professor Hooper held seminars at the Slovak Syndicate of Journalists in both Bratislava and Kosice as well as at Mestska Televizia in Ružomberok. In his seminars, Professor Hooper presented short selections from several of his previous works in the field of investigative journalism, including stories on a range of topics such as nuclear waste disposal, killer whale poaching, terrorism in Iraq, and tattoo art in Samoa, spanning nearly three decades of his career. Professor Hooper also led discussions on ethics in journalism and answered a number of questions from seminar participants on issues of current significance in Slovak. In Kosice from June 18 – June 21, Professor Hooper served as the sole American representative on the international jury at the International Festival of Local TV Broadcasters, judging entries in a number of different categories of television programs. He also participated in a panel discussion entitled “Media Freedom under Threat” and led an additional workshop on investigative journalism at the festival.