Shaw is first Vincy in prestigious communication fellowship in US

Journalist Ari Shaw has become the first Vincentian to be accepted into the International Center for Journalists’ (ICFJ) Professional Fellows Program in the United States.

Shaw, who has 10 years of media experience, was competitively selected from among professionals from 25 countries throughout Latin America and the Caribbean, as well as the United States.

The Latin American and Caribbean fellows will have the opportunity to work directly with U.S. media organisations, develop entrepreneurship projects, and improve their skills in areas such as investigative journalism, fact-checking, and podcasting, as well as non-journalism-specific skills, such as building a sustainable business model.

Shaw’s programme began on Wednesday and runs through Feb. 19.

The programme promotes professional exchanges that strengthen mutual understanding and cooperation between the United States and partner regions.

The US Embassy in Barbados said the programme brings together journalists, technologists, and media entrepreneurs from Latin America and the Caribbean to engage directly with U.S. media organisations.

They will also undertake hands-on professional placements, develop entrepreneurship initiatives, and enhance skills in areas including fact-checking, podcasting, and sustainable media business models, the embassy explains.

“I’m both honoured and grateful to be the first Vincentian to be accepted into this programme,” Shaw, a former radio announcer and host at WE FM, told iWitness News.

“I see it as a chance to sharpen my skills while I rub shoulders with other international members of the journalistic community and to network and collaborate,” the Taiwan-trained media professional said.

“I also look forward to contributing meaningfully to the media landscape in SVG and the region,” said Shaw, a former reporter at Searchlight newspaper, who also had a stint as news editor at IKTV & BOOM FM, and hosts his “Off The Record” podcast.

He is currently the communications officer for the Government of St. Vincent and the Grenadines’ Volcanic Eruption Emergency Project and Beryl Emergency Resilient Recovery Project.

The US Embassy said Shaw’s participation in the programme is expected to further enhance his professional expertise and contribute to the continued advancement of high-quality, innovative broadcasting and media practices in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.