In this section...
- Overview
- Core Concepts
- Working with the Media
- Media Development
- UNDP Web Presence
- So You Want to Produce a Publication…
- Special Events
- Public Service Announcements
- Advocating for UNDP
- Social Media
- Public Inquiries
- How to Conduct a Campaign
- Showcasing Partnerships
- Writing for UNDP
- Translations
- Graphic Design and Applying the UNDP Logo
- Photography
- Video and Documentaries
- Procurement for Communications
- Tools
- Best Practices
- Templates/Photos
- Français/Español
Reaching the Outside World
Media Development
In 2005, UNDP launched an independent
web-based national news agency serving Iraq,
Aswat al-Iraq -- Voices of Iraq, developed with financial support from the Government of Spain
and professional training from the Reuters Foundation.
UNDP strongly supports the development of independent news media as an integral part of its democratic governance mandate. Globally, regionally and nationally, UNDP contributes to the training of national journalists and to the strengthening of legal and institutional frameworks which allow independent journalism to flourish. Working with partners in the UN system and the international journalism community, UNDP hopes to do still more to encourage the growth of vibrant, self-sustaining, professional news media organizations and institutions on both the national and local level in developing nations.
UNDP recently launched a Media Development Wiki as part of the UNDP Wiki project as a resource for all staff to access UN documents, instructive surveys of UNDP media programmes, examples of country-level pilot projects, links to key implementing partners, memos and mini-essays on media development. Some important documents within the Wiki are the IPDC Media Development Indicators, which are the UN system's formally endorsed and adopted detailed set of best practice guidelines for independent media development at the country level, the Democratic Governance Group's Guidance Note on Media Development and the 2007 UNDP Media Development Survey, which examines UNDP's media development activities around the world. All staff have editing privileges to contribute to the Wiki, which is managed by UNDP's Bureau for Development Policy.
As discussed in the Wiki, in recent years, there has been a steadily increasing demand for media development support from UNDP. Donors and media organizations have matched this
with a growing willingness to provide funds and other resources. UNDP’s
role as the leader of UN governance efforts makes us a natural partner for these activities. Institutions already
working with UNDP in media development include the
BBC World Service Trust, the
Reuters Foundation, the
Open
Society Institute, the
International Center for Journalists,
Article 19, and the
Media Institute of Southern Africa, to name just a few.
UNDP’s work on media development already includes:
- Building independent news agencies, media training institutions and community radio networks in post-conflict countries;
- Holding press seminars and workshops and organizing media trips to increase understanding of human development issues and to enhance the professional skills of national journalists;
- Collaborating with UNESCO and other UN partners to develop policy guidance on media development for UN funds, programmes, agencies, and country programmes;
- Partnerships with media organizations to provide qualified professionals for training programmes; and
- Seeking out private foundations to finance professional development opportunities for national journalists.
In 2007, the UNDP Regional Centre in Bangkok organized, in partnership with Siam Cement Group and PricewaterhouseCoopers, three training workshops in Thailand, Cambodia, and Indonesia for journalists across Asia on balanced reporting as a tool for public accountability. The photo above of the Cambodia workshop, from 16-17 May 2007, focused on Asia's key governance challenges, with particular emphasis on anti-corruption.
Photo: Pramaporn Mongkolthavorn/UNDP
UNDP supports a wide variety of media support projects and is committed to expanding its work in the field. Examples of recent UNDP initiatives include the successful launch of an independent online national news agency in Iraq, Aswat al-Iraq -- Voices of Iraq, which was developed with financial support from the Government of Spain, and professional training from the Reuters Foundation for national journalists in Africa's emerging democracies, which included a series of training programmes on elections procedures and coverage.
In 2007, two private sector companies, Siam Cement Group and PriceWaterhouseCoopers, partnered with the UNDP Regional Centre in Bangkok to organize three media and accountability training workshops in Thailand (22-23 February), Cambodia (16-17 May), and Indonesia (6-7 June) for journalists across Asia on balanced reporting and media as a tool for public accountability. In Ghana, UNDP support for the Ghana Journalists Association has helped it develop a strategic plan and establish an office. In 2008, UNDP undertook media development activities in Bhutan, Somalia, and Yemen, just to name a few countries. Please also see the Reaching the Outside World, Best Practices page for more examples of successful media development practices at UNDP.
