Latin America is a region facing pressing challenges, such as climate change and social inequality. After five years of training young storytellers at universities in Ecuador and Peru, CNN Academy launched its first-ever Spanish-language simulation program in 2024 in collaboration with the Universidad Iberoamericana de México.
In an unprecedented initiative in Latin America, 95 participants from 8 countries participated in a 5-day Simulation held at Universidad Iberoamericana Campus in Mexico City. During the program, more than 20 non-professional actors and a first-response deployment led by the Mexican Red Cross took part in the recreation of a health crisis scenario in which participants faced the usual challenges of large-scale breaking news coverage. Participants had the opportunity to cover press conferences, conduct interviews, and train reporting techniques in an outdoor location set up for the occasion.
Engaging in real-time newsgathering, participants utilized a custom-built social media tool and attended mock press conferences and interviews. Each team was challenged to craft a comprehensive video report by the end of the week, using content captured on their smartphones and leveraging mobile journalism training provided beforehand.
Participants also attended an intensive agenda of seminars, workshops, and masterclasses on storytelling and responsible use of AI tools. CNN en Español top talent, such as Carmen Aristegui, Gabriela Frías, Mario González, and Rey Rodríguez, led the conversation with students.
CNN Academy’s simulations transcend traditional journalism training, providing a transformative experience that combines real-world challenges, international collaboration, and a commitment to addressing pressing global issues.
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Universidad Iberoamericana is one of the most renowned private universities in Mexico and Latin America; at its impressive Mexico City Campus, located in Santa Fe district, it offers undergraduate, graduate, postgraduate, and life-long learning programs. It has national official accreditation for all its programs and also 14 international accreditations. Its educational model focuses on academic excellence, emotional maturity, and ethical responsibility.
It exceeded my expectations.
It is an outstanding program. Seminars were enriching, and the simulation was full of technical resources to make it as close to reality as possible. Highly recommended.
It is a great program with top-level production. I would highly recommend it for future journalists and for those who already have a long way to go.
