"The international mission, as U.S. and Western representatives saw it, was to reconstruct a viable multi-ethnic media, as well as to prevent further conflict. NATO was seeking to build, under the Dayton Accords, a plural society out of pieces that seemed fractured beyond repair. The OHR believed th
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at a pluralistic, peaceful media was an indispensable part of the rebuilding process. The Office proclaimed its desire to "use the opportunity to remove one of the most serious obstacles bedeviling our efforts to re-establish civil society in Bosnia" - the fact that the media was ethnically based.358 NATO and OHR actions must be judged after a reasonable period of time elapses to see if a more democratic Bosnia-Herzegovina, supported by the pluralism that comes from a free and independent press, emerges. Still, one of the great dangers of information intervention is that it provides apparent democratic justification for any nation to use its police power to close down media outlets. Each time the international community intervenes to shut down a media outlet that it does not like, the line between information intervention and censorship becomes blurred. The real test is not only whether an information intervention transforms a society but also whether the intervention comports with the spirit of democratic change. Ends can justify means, but it is helpful if the means themselves are compatible with those ends." (Conclusion, page 111-112)
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"Covers experiences of political parties and elections support, media assistance, support to women's and environment advocacy groups and reduction of ethnic conflict in Eastern Europe." (commbox)
"In 1996, the German Development Service (DED) adopted a new strategy paper with the aim of promoting more active information and education work. The author Erhard Brunn was the first DED development worker to take up this new task in Uganda in 1997. He was in charge of preparing German development
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workers in Uganda for information and education work in Germany after their return, of supporting partner organisations in their information activities and of promoting the visibility of the DED in Uganda. In the course of his work, Erhard Brunn also placed emphasis on opening up the German media for Ugandan journalists. This included internships for Ugandan journalists with German newspapers, opportunities to publish translated and edited articles in Germany, a seminar in Kampala to brief Ugandan journalists on the conditions of the German media market and the participation of Ugandan journalists at a conference of independent African media in April in Hamburg. After the initial problems of winning the trust of his Ugandan colleagues, Brunn met with "surprising acceptance", which he attributes to his personal commitment and his efforts to manifest respect for the partners and for Uganda as a whole. The DED is planning to continue its information and education work in Uganda and to implement similar programmes in Brazil, Ecuador and South Africa." (Abstract)
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"The main purpose of this guide is to highlight some of the benefits, challenges and options when considering funding of media and communication interventions. This publication is not designed to be a ‘how to’ guide for designing and implementing such programmes. Rather, it aims to guide DFID st
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aff, responding to conflicts and other emergencies, on: when to support media initiatives; what types of assistance to provide to media organisations; how to appraise and monitor media based interventions. Thematically, most attention is given to the role of media in conflict situations as this is where most experience has been gained to date. However, sections on natural and man-made disasters are also included. Furthermore, the main focus is on electronic media, such as local, national and international radio and TV broadcasting. This focus has been adopted because the bulk of media initiatives undertaken in areas of conflict fall within these categories." (Introduction, page 6-7)
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"This is an important and brave book. It is important because it is fresh, analytical and identifies the grave shortcomings in the handling of information and the media by the UN in conflicts and emergencies. It is brave because it is written by an insider who knows the deficiencies and wants organi
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sations like the UN to learn the lessons. Peacekeeping and Public Information neatly treads a fine line. It is restrained when perhaps direct accusations could be levelled. But that restraint is its value, because Ingrid Lehmann is identifying shortcomings, not apportioning blame. The failings of procedures - and the need to rebuild them - matter more than the failures of personalities, which undoubtedly there have been in UN Operations. Not just the UN can learn from this book. Also humanitarian organisations, the media, the military, diplomats - and most significantly the corporate world." (Nik Gowing, News Anchor and Analyst on Information in Conflict and Emergencies)
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"The overall aim of the assessment was to gauge the impact of projects supported under the Critical Situations Fund (CSF) in Haiti. The following questions provided a framework for the assessors: How does the project promote popular communication, and contribute to the strengthening of civil society
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through the encouragement of democratic processes and practices in the community and by addressing the issues that give rise to conflicts in the community? Have the original aims and objectives of the projects been met? What difficulties and problems were encountered in the process of implementing the project? With the benefit of hindsight, what aspects of the project would be changed and what would remain? Projects Assessed: CRAD network of Community Radio Stations, Radio Sel (Gonaives), Radio Flambeau (Gross Morne), Radio Inite (St Michel de l'Attalaye), Radio Lakay, Corail Henri (part of the SAKS Radio Network), Haitian Information Bureau (Port-au-Prince), Libète, Newspaper (Port-au-Prince)." (Page 19)
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"As such, support for media is an important prong of U.S. democracy and governance assistance. USAID’s objective of the increased development of a politically active civil society provides a strategic rationale for mediarelated activities. In addition, a desired result of an enhanced free flow of
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information broadly states the Agency's target for media activities. [...] The strategic approach presented in this paper offers guidance to USAID missions, rather than any blueprint, for making choices about which media activities might be most appropriate in a given context. In addition to suggesting a goal to guide USAID media programs, the approach provides examples of successful media assistance activities and discusses factors influencing their success." (Introduction, page 1-2)
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"Local Media Support‘ (LMS) presents a study of current status with regard to support of local media as part of humanitarian or developmental assistance programmes. Based on this, a proposed framework for the assessment of projects and programmes in this field is developed. The report is divided i
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nto four chapters: Chapter 1 clarifies key concepts and how the report understands the nature and role of media in society [...] Chapter 2 outlines and discusses the actors and activities now associated with international LMS [...] Chapter 3 provides a framework for structuring or categorising LMS activities. Three partially cornplementary categories are suggested [...] Based on the three objective-based categories proposed in Chapter 3, Chapter 4 develops a detailed framework for the assessment and evaluation of LMS activities." (Summary, page 7-8)
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"The 6th meeting of the African Media Partners Network, which followed on from the meetings held in Paris (1995), Brussels (1996), Bellagio, Copenhagen (1997) and Johannesburg (1998), was organised by the network's technical secretariat in collaboration with the Dutch non-profit association CAF/SCO.
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The Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs hosted the meeting in Amsterdam, from 6 to 9 Decem-ber 1999. Gertie Hesseling, Director of the Centre for African Studies and representing CAF/SCO, chaired the opening session. Apart from the various presentations of activities by new members and by Dutch partners, the meeting focussed on three main working themes: issues of professional organisation and structure; law and ethics; the use of new information and communication technologies (NICT), training and pro-duction. Work took place in plenary sessions following a programme designed to allow flexibility and debate. The object of the present report is to provide a faithful (but not exhaustive) record of thepresentations and the debates to which the meeting gave rise. The programme and the list of delegates are provided in annex." (Page 1)
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