http://85.17.92.7/~gfmd/index.php en director@mediagfmd.org Copyright 2010 2010-07-07T12:43:08+00:00 http://gfmd.info/index.php/site/gfmd_collects_tools_for_media_development/ http://gfmd.info/index.php/site/gfmd_collects_tools_for_media_development/#When:12:43:08Z The GFMD is collecting different manuals and tools for media development. This month the GFMD is introducing the UNESCO guide, “Media Management Manual, A Handbook for Television and Radio Practitioners in Countries-in-Transition.” The guide, written by former BBC producer, John Prescott Thomas, is intended to provide management tools and general media development information to Public Service Broadcasting organizations in countries-in-transition but can be used in any context by media organizations lacking these entities. The guide also includes a number of appendices, ranging from outline formats for program proposals and job-descriptions to a guide to the financial aspects of a business plan. You can download the guide here: Media_Management_Manual GFMD Central 2010-07-07T12:43:08+00:00 http://gfmd.info/index.php/site/independent_media_in_russia_needs_support_from_civil_society_says_gfmd/ http://gfmd.info/index.php/site/independent_media_in_russia_needs_support_from_civil_society_says_gfmd/#When:16:17:54Z The GFMD proposed a new approach to media development in Russia focusing on forging links and cooperation between journalists, media organisations and civil society groups. GFMD Director Bettina Peters launched the idea of more cooperative programmes at the conference: Lessons of Glasnost: Media in the Post-Soviet Arena that took place in Moscow on June 16-17 and celebrated the 20th anniversary of Russia’s first free press law adopted in 1990. “Not many of the great media initiatives that were launched in the 1990s have survived, “ said Bettina Peters. “In spite of a good press law and lots of media development support, independent journalism in Russia is under pressure. We need better engagement with civil society. If people do not think that they need free media, reliable and independent information, they will not defend journalism.” The GFMD Eurasia Regional Forum for Media Development, scheduled to take place in Kiev in September will develop new programme ideas to bring media and civil society closer together. OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Dunja Mijatovic recalled that Russia has to protect free expression and media freedom under its OSCE obligations. “ We congratulate Russia on the 20th anniversary of the press law,” she said. “But good laws are not enough, they must be respected in practice.” GFMD Central 2010-06-18T16:17:54+00:00 http://gfmd.info/index.php/site/gfmd_tests_media_landscape_toolkit_in_ghana/ http://gfmd.info/index.php/site/gfmd_tests_media_landscape_toolkit_in_ghana/#When:10:48:49Z The GFMD toolkit for assessing media landscapes builds on existing indices, notably the Media Sustainability Index.  But instead of using panellists to give their assessment and comparing one country to another the GFMD toolkit uses as much quantitative data as possible, identifies data gaps and aims to create a baseline assessing the media landscape, which can be used to create targeted media development programmes. The draft toolkit was prepared by the GFMD in partnership with IREX and on June 5-10, GFMD Director Bettina Peters travelled to Ghana to test the toolkit in cooperation with GFMD Member the Media Foundation for West Africa. Initial results of the testing show some real gaps in the information available on the Ghanaian media landscape. There is no data on the media advertising market, there are few reliable figures on circulation or audience reach of media outlets and no local audience survey has been carried out. “Our testing has identified some key areas where support for research is needed,” said Bettina Peters. “The donor community should consider investing into local market research that is publicly available. This would provide media development practitioners and donors with reliable information on which to base programmes.” The testing of the toolkit is supported by the Center for International Media Assistance in Washington. The full report will be published in July. GFMD Central 2010-06-14T10:48:49+00:00 http://gfmd.info/index.php/site/future_of_journalism_conference_debates_effects_on_media_development/ http://gfmd.info/index.php/site/future_of_journalism_conference_debates_effects_on_media_development/#When:09:00:45Z Conclusions of a panel moderated by the GFMD at an international conference on the future of journalism highlighted the need for more engagement with civil society by media and more support for media development. “More support for media development is one way to ensure quality journalism worldwide”, said GFMD Director Bettina Peters. “Many GFMD members are already carrying out activities engaging with civil society, such as media literacy programmes, media law reform or campaigns on access to information.” “More media outlets does not necessarily mean more quality”, said GFMD member Sevanti Ninan of thehoot.org in India. “We are now the second largest newspaper market in the world with some 100 million circulation daily but our media landscape is characterised by corruption. The Press Council of India published a study this year, which showed that newspapers have so called rate cards where they offer positive coverage of politicians or companies for a price and for slightly more money they will write negative pieces about the competition. Media development programmes addressing this problem are sorely needed in India.” GFMD Central 2010-05-28T09:00:45+00:00 http://gfmd.info/index.php/site/gfmd_asia_promotes_cooperation_in_media_development/ http://gfmd.info/index.php/site/gfmd_asia_promotes_cooperation_in_media_development/#When:08:32:39Z Participants attending the 2nd GFMD Asia Regional Forum for Media Development in Jakarta, Indonesia on April 15-16, 2010 discussed a wide range of issues and challenges facing media development in the region, including media self-regulation, the problem of self-censorship, what contribution internet-based media and blogging can make to increasing the information space in Asia, monitoring and evaluation of media development programmes, fundraising and sustainability strategies for media NGOs, the GFMD media development map and the GFMD Code of Practice for Media Assistance Organisations. The GFMD, which represents media development groups, is a collaborative process and works with other groups active in the field, for instance journalists’ unions, press freedom groups, media owners, independent self-regulatory bodies, media research and training institutions. The main area of work of the GFMD is making the case for media development with policy makers and donors. Follow-up actions of the Asia Regional Forum for Media Development will aim to make the case more effectively in the Asia-Pacific region. Discussing ideas for follow-up for the GFMD participants agreed that: • The GFMD should link up media development groups and other relevant partners in the region to give information and advice on establishing independent media or press councils. • The GFMD should aim to prepare an on-line publication that show-cases examples of where assistance to internet media has proven successful in promoting pluralism and a wide range of sources of information in the region. The publication should be distributed widely including to donors and policy makers. GFMD Central 2010-05-17T08:32:39+00:00 http://gfmd.info/index.php/site/conclusion_of_the_asia_forum_for_media_development_2010/ http://gfmd.info/index.php/site/conclusion_of_the_asia_forum_for_media_development_2010/#When:22:34:05Z find HERE the conclusion of the Asia Forum for media development GFMD Central 2010-05-14T22:34:05+00:00 http://gfmd.info/index.php/site/gfmd_asia_forum_more_pluralism_thanks_to_news_blogs/ http://gfmd.info/index.php/site/gfmd_asia_forum_more_pluralism_thanks_to_news_blogs/#When:14:48:25Z Conference documents can be downloaded HERE . “Even though many sites are blocked in China, there are countless examples of local news blogs that target corruption and promote public debate,” said Ying Chan, GFMD Steering Committee member from Hong Kong. Internet penetration in China has reached almost 30% and continues to grow. Even though social networking sites such as twitter are blocked, there are Chinese internet providers that offer similar interactive services. GFMD Central 2010-04-15T14:48:25+00:00 http://gfmd.info/index.php/site/gfmd_members_and_democracy_activists_propose_joint_campaign_for_rule_of_law/ http://gfmd.info/index.php/site/gfmd_members_and_democracy_activists_propose_joint_campaign_for_rule_of_law/#When:10:27:32Z Media freedom in Asia was the focus of discussion at the Asia regional meeting during the World Movement for Democracy conference in Jakarta on April 12. The 40 participants representing media development organisations and a wide range of civil society groups proposed a joint campaign to promote the rule of law in Asia. “The rule of law concerns us all,” said Melinda de Jesus of the Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility in the Philippines. “32 journalists were murdered in one attack in the Philippines last November, but also community activists are being killed if they dare to speak out. And no one is being brought to justice. We need to work together to fight corruption in the police and in the courts.” “The GFMD is committed to this campaign”, said GFMD director Bettina Peters. “We will propose it to our Asia Regional Forum for Media Development that will take place in Jakarta on April 15 and 16.” Owais Aslam Ali of the Pakistan Press Foundation said he would take the idea to a conference on fighting impunity that will be held in New York at the end of April. The GFMD is holding its Asia Regional Forum for Media Development immediately after the World Movement for Democracy on April 15 and 16 in Jakarta. Information on that meeting can be found at: http://www.gfmd.info/index.php/regions/. More information on the World Movement for Democracy can be found at http://www.wmd.org/assemblies/sixth-assembly/. GFMD Central 2010-04-12T10:27:32+00:00 http://gfmd.info/index.php/site/media_freedom_takes_centre_stage_at_world_movement_for_democracy/ http://gfmd.info/index.php/site/media_freedom_takes_centre_stage_at_world_movement_for_democracy/#When:10:02:52Z Democracy activists speaking at the opening of the 6th World Movement for Democracy in Jakarta, Indonesia on April 11 highlighted the key role free and independent media play in building democratic societies. In welcoming the 650 participants from 101 countries, Kim Campbell, former Prime Minister of Canada and Chair of the World Movement’s Steering Committee mentioned free media and freedom of expression as prerequisites to democracy. Bambang Harymurti, editor in chief of Tempo Magazine in Indonesia highlighted the role independent journalists and media NGOs played in bringing democracy to his country. “Our democratic experiment is on-going,” he said. “And it is clear that we have to safeguard media independence in order for democratic structures and transparency to become entrenched in our society.” GFMD Central 2010-04-12T10:02:52+00:00 http://gfmd.info/index.php/site/the_african_union_needs_to_do_more_to_support_media_freedom/ http://gfmd.info/index.php/site/the_african_union_needs_to_do_more_to_support_media_freedom/#When:12:36:13Z Members of the African Forum for Media Development and delegates at the 2nd Congress of the Federation of African Journalists in Harare, Zimbabwe on March 27-28 supported African Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Expression, Pansy Tlakula in her call on the African Union to provide more support for her work. “The African Charter for Human and People’s Rights makes important provisions for protecting media freedom and independent journalism”, said Pansy Tlakula. “But AU member states do not respect these rights”. “We make reports on attacks on journalists and press freedom violations”, she said. “But what happens to these reports? The AU does not seem to take any action against member states that do not respect media freedom.” She called on participants to work in support of her office and to raise awareness among citizens about the rights set out in the African Charter. GFMD Central 2010-03-28T12:36:13+00:00