Media Fellowship: Deadline for applications: August 18, 2017

For the first time in Canada, older adults age 65 and over now outnumber children under the age of 15.

New to this year’s Canadian Association on Gerontology’s (CAG) Annual Scientific Meeting is the CAG Media Fellowship that is open to journalists, editors, publishers, electronic media producers, columnists and other editorial communicators who reach general or specialized audiences on a regular basis with new reports or fact-based analysis. The Media Fellow will be invited to write aging related stories and articles focusing on topics delivered at CAG’s upcoming 46th Annual Scientific and Educational Meeting to be held in Winnipeg, Manitoba from October 19–21, 2017. This year’s CAG2017 conference theme is Evidence for Action in an Aging World.

Background information

The Canadian Association on Gerontology (CAG) is Canada’s premier association of those who work, research or have an interest in the field of aging. On a quarterly basis, CAG publishes The Canadian Journal on Aging / La Revue canadienne du vieillissement (CJA), which is a refereed publication of manuscripts on aging with a focus on biology, health sciences, psychology, social sciences, and social policy and practice.

Media Fellow selection

Fellows will be selected from general audience media outlets from Canadian communities. The fellowship requires participating media to deliver a story on aging related issues following the end of the scientific meeting. All articles must be published, broadcast, or posted through distributed or circulated news media entities rather than personal blogs, and will be required to include a note that the article was written/produced in conjunction with the CAG Media Fellowship. Articles written must reach Canadian audiences.

Requirements of Media Fellowship

Fellows are required to submit an application for the fellowship program that is reviewed by a selection committee of experts in aging. The 2017 application deadline is August 18, 2017.

Fellowship applicants are invited to submit story proposals on a wide range of subjects such as caregiving; aging and technology; health and social care use; social engagement and social isolation; elder abuse; lifelong learning; age-friendly communities; falls prevention; work participation and retirement of older workers; healthy aging; the World Health Organization’s Global strategy and action plan; aging in rural communities; dementia; and intergenerational activities.

Media are not obliged to cover CAG sessions at the Annual Scientific Meeting, but aging related topics as a whole. Media are encouraged to interview expert presenters or use articles published in The Canadian Journal on Aging/La Revue canadienne du vieillissement (CJA). In advance of the Scientific Meeting, CAG will post the scheduled program that includes the workshops, symposia, papers, and posters focusing on a variety of aging topic online.

Application Process

Applications must be submitted by August 18, 2017, in a single Microsoft Word or Adobe PDF file consisting of the following components:

1.  A cover letter containing:
   • Applicant’s contact information: name, mailing address, office and mobile phone; email
   • Employer information (Freelancers must specify their length of affiliation with the outlet that will publish or broadcast the story): employer address, phone number; employer’s circulation and audience
2. Two to three paragraphs detailing why you are interested in attending CAG2017 and what you hope to learn from your fellowship.
3. Three to five samples of published or broadcast journalistic work dealing with aging, social issues, health, medicine, or science.
   • Applicants submitting print samples should include the full story text in the application document.
   • Applicants submitting broadcast samples should include hyperlinks to these stories from a news organization’s website or a file sharing site such as dropbox.com in the application document.
4. Submit the file (using a file name format of “LastnameFirstname.doc” or “LastnameFirstname.pdf”) to Rachel.Ines@umanitoba.ca.

Eligibility for media organizations

The following must be provided to meet the eligibility criteria for media organization applicants:

Media outlets

• An editorial title that is verifiable or proof of an editorial assignment to cover the scientific meeting.

Online media

• The Web site publisher must post or update original aging related news at least once a month.
• The content must extend beyond links, forums, personal diaries, opinion, personal analysis, or information about the publishing organization’s activities and programs.

Freelancers

Must provide a letter or email from a publisher, editor, or executive- level producer identifying that you are covering CAG’s scientific meeting.

Freelancers, who do not have an assignment, must provide evidence of journalistic work previously published or produced in an aging related subject area; or license from an editor that an aging related topic will be covered broadly in the near future.

Selected Media Fellow recipient

• Selected journalists will be given instruction on how to register for the Scientific Meeting.

Note: Media Fellows are responsible for their own hotel and transportation costs. The Fellowship will only cover the cost of registration and conference meals (lunches on Friday and Saturday, Thursday night opening reception and breaks) at CAG2017.