"The Tunisian media is still a venue for manipulation, intimidation, and bias. Media outlets are becoming the main stage for the fierce political and ideological battle between the country’s opposing camps: conservative Islamists and secular elitists. Ennahda, the Islamist winner of the first free
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elections in the history of this deeply secular country, gradually awakened to the ongoing influence of the national media and turned to old regime tactics. The Islamist party and its supporters are raising their voices against what they view as the “leftist lobbies” that are turning the media into a weapon against government policies. The true liberalization of the media sector will be impossible without the training that instills professional standards in the industry and helps members of the Tunisian media overcome entrenched habits. Guaranteeing journalists a degree of job security must also be a priority. As long as working conditions remain a concern and journalists are unable to secure decent contracts with reasonable stability and salaries, the quality of content will not be a priority." (Summary, page 1)
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"The study “Tunisia: from revolutions to institutions” stresses how technology-oriented small and medium-sized companies (SMEs) can generate economic expansion and job growth, including in the economically-isolated interior provinces. Tunisian ICT companies are likely to find an attractive marke
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t in Northern Africa and parts of Europe, thanks to Arabic and French language skills and lower labor costs. Entrepreneurs, however, expressed frustration with the cost of doing business and government control of critical markets, which was installed by the previous regime. They also recognized the need for a more market-responsive higher education system that produces graduates with more up-to-date and practical knowledge. Central to the Tunisian revolution of 2011, ICTs remain critically important to helping address the root causes that led to the uprising in the first place, according to the report. New technologies and applications are necessary to creating a vibrant economy that produces sustainable jobs for the country’s young population and helping to constitute an open and transparent society." (www.infodev.org, March 20, 2012)
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"The present study is a review of the mission of public service broadcasting in eight countries of the Middle East and North Africa. It examines the books of specifications and the legal frameworks that regulate public broadcasting as well as it looks into the means made available to implement it. F
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urthermore it analyses segments of the programmes to assess the extent to which national television channels actually deliver a mission of public service. The present book represents the synthesis of research work conducted by NGOs and associate experts to the Institut PANOS Paris and to the Observatoire méditerranéen de la communication in all of Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Syria, the Occupied Palestinian Territories and Tunisia. The outcome of this research varies greatly from country to country, whereas in some cases the failure to deliver a mission of public service is obvious, there are also examples of programming that indicate attempts to make some headway towards the ideals of public service broadcasting." (Publisher description)
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"Kenya has been the scene of sweeping technological innovations, but these have often benefited solely affluent urban and foreign markets. Poorly developed infrastructure and program design have delayed benefits for the broader Kenyan public. In addition, Kenya’s innovations have proven difficult
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to transplant and to scale. M-Pesa, for example, has had trouble gaining traction in other African markets. Print and broadcast news organizations still dominate the Kenyan market and continue to grow in both audience and revenue. Most are expanding into online platforms, but these have tended to enhance and duplicate news delivery for urban elite audiences rather than reaching new, underserved audiences. Kenyans have made significant advances in freedom of expression, but news organizations on all platforms still struggle with major limitations in their enabling environment, especially crippling libel laws. The vast majority of Kenyans live in rural areas, where “last-mile” issues of electrification, infrastructure, and connectivity still constitute major challenges to their consumption of news media. Western media development programs are often slow to address these problems." (Major observations, page 7)
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"This learning resource kit aims to provide an answer to the current gender gap in news content and lack of existing self-regulatory mechanisms to confront gender bias. It is organised in two books that may be read independently of each other. Book 1 discusses conceptual issues pertaining to gender,
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media and professional ethics, while Book 2 presents gender-ethical reporting guidelines on several thematic areas [...] Book 1 also contains case studies of experiences in the adoption and implementation of gender-focussed media codes in 2 countries – Canada and Tanzania. A third case study profiles the experience of the Inter-Press Service in a groundbreaking initiative to cover stories on gender equality and women’s empowerment related to the third Millennium Development Goal (MDG3). All case studies distill lessons learnt through the processes. Book 1 will appeal to media decision makers as well as to civil society actors interested in gender media policy adoption or improvement." (Preamble, page 3)
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"The current report presents the highlights of five country assessments that were undertaken to identify the communication and information needs of indigenous peoples. The starting point for this regional initiative was that access to information and communication avenues have an empowering element,
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and play a significant role in strengthening democratic governance, making it more inclusive, responsive and accountable [...] The assessments focused on a systematic analysis of major development issues faced by indigenous peoples, including in terms of representation in state agencies. They considered media and communication landscapes–encompassing freedom of expression and information, the safety of journalists, and community media, particularly radio–and how different factors facilitate or hinder information and communication for indigenous peoples, including the potential of new modes of digital communication and information and communication technology (ICT)." (Executive summary, page 1)
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"Key recommendations: Explore ways of integrating EU diplomatic power alongside its development programmes in order to support freedom of expression and independent media and communicaitons; Enhance coordination between the different operational arms of the EU; Utilise EU’s convening power to brin
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g together member states to co-ordinate the application of media development programmes; Base the EU’s approach to media development on principles of freedom of expression as a foundation human right; Use political economy analysis - of both online and offl ine media - when considering what to fund. This will involve identifying those who are allies for and obstacles to change, as well as the incentives for change; Any media programme should take into consideration digital freedoms and the interrelationship between mobile phones and the internet and offl ine media; There should be more focus on increasing digital skills, capacities and awareness; Fostering an enabling environment is important if media and to thrive as businesses and be financially viable; There is potential to collaborate with European companies to create new CSR strategies, funding mechanisms, soft loans and guarantee instruments; Rethink criteria for measuring impact and outcomes so that they are specific to the media development and communications field." (Page 25)
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"In this report, Marie-Soleil Frère surveys the news landscapes of DRC, Burundi, and Rwanda. Marshaling an impressive range of data, she examines patterns of production and consumption, the often grim realities of law and regulation, the embryonic state of media policy, the role of donors, and the
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positive impact of online platforms. Most media outlets now have an online presence. SMS has become a basic tool for reporters. Interactivity gives voice to increasing numbers of listeners. The ease of digital archiving makes it possible to create a collective media “memory” for the first time. Chinese businesses are winning tenders for infrastructure projects. Above all, the unstoppable flow of digitized information enables ever more people to learn about current events and available services. “The average news consumer in Central Africa will soon leap to new opportunities,” Frère predicts, “without having to pass through the intermediate stages of a personal computer and a fixed telephone line.” The report ends with a set of practical recommendations relating to infrastructure, strategies to reduce access costs for journalists and the public, education and professionalization, donor activity, governance, regulation, and media management." (Page 2)
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"The Plan of Action aims to creating of a free and safe environment for journalists and media workers, both in conflict and non-conflict situations, with a view to strengthening peace, democracy and development worldwide. Its measures include, among other undertakings, the establishment of a coordin
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ated inter-agency mechanism to handle issues related to the safety of journalists as well as assisting countries to develop legislation and mechanisms favourable to freedom of expression and information, and supporting their efforts to implement existing international rules and principles. To further reinforce prevention, the Plan recommends working in cooperation with governments, media houses, professional associations and NGOS to conduct awareness raising campaigns on a wide range of issues such as existing international instruments and conventions, the growing dangers posed by emerging threats to media professionals, including non-state actors, as well as various existing practical guides on the safety of journalists." (UNESCO website)
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"This article addresses a major gap in the transitional justice literature by exploring the role of the media in transitional justice processes. We offer a framework for analyzing the information environment in which media intervention and transitional justice occurs. We suggest an approach that can
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offer a more nuanced understanding of information flows and the ways in which key actors use communication to compete for loyalty in the political marketplace. Several tools for conceptualizing the approaches toward media during transitional justice processes are offered, including the use of law, force, subsidy, and negotiation. Examples of how these tools have been used both effectively and ineffectively by international actors in the former Yugoslavia illuminate our arguments." (Abstract)
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"The new priorities include: 1. Expanding the access in developing countries to digital platforms. 2. Devising and promoting uses for new platforms (especially mobile) for functions that occupy a new, poorly defined space between traditional journalism and other modes of information. 3. Contesting o
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nline censorship and filtering from governments (most, but not all, of which are authoritarian regimes). 4. Safeguarding Internet security for citizens of other countries, especially for activists and human rights advocates. 5. Stemming a growing tide of threats to global Internet security–affecting U.S. as well as international entities–from a broad array of international forces, both private and state-sponsored. These urgent concerns have shifted the areas of operations for the State Department, USAID, and the Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG), and have created new rivalries among them. They have also ushered a new cohort of NGOs into the media development arena, and appointed a new cast of characters to design and implement projects that would have been technologically impossible only a few years ago." (Abstract)
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"Die Entwicklungen in Nordafrika und auf der Arabien halten uns eindrücklich vor Augen, dass Meinungs- und Pressefreiheit Motor für gesellschaftliche Umbruchsituationen sind und wesentlich zur politischen Teilhabe beitragen können. Vor dem Hintergrund der weltweiten Verbreitung neuer Informations
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- und Kommunikationstechnologien und dem zeitgleich stattfindenden Konzentrationsprozess der "klassischen" Medien sieht sich die Medien-Entwicklungszusammenarbeit (MEZ) einer zunehmend komplexeren Herausforderung gegenüber. Hierfür müssen wirksame und angepasste Formen der Zusammenarbeit gefunden werden." (Zusammenfassung)
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"Die vorliegende Studie erläutert grundlegend die aktuelle Ausgangssituation im religiösen Buchmarkt und zeigt weiterhin Trends und Entwicklungen auf, die für den Handel mit religiösen Büchern und Medien wesentlich sein können. Anhand dieser Betrachtungen konzipieren wir sechs verschiedene Mod
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elle, wie die Verbreitung religiöser Literatur künftig weiterhin gelingen kann. Dabei werden drei wesentliche Stoßrichtungen eingeschlagen: 1. eine Fokussierung auf veränderte und erweiterte Zielgruppen; 2. der religiöse Buchhandel im Verbund; 3. eine Stärkung der Warengruppe Religion/Lebenshilfe/Sinnsuche im christlichen Verständnis im allgemeinen Sortimentsbuchhandel. Alle sechs Modelle sind in unterschiedlichen Situationen und an verschiedenen Standorten gut einzusetzen. Wesentliche Unterschiede gibt es dabei im Kapitaleinsatz durch übergeordnete Stellen. So sollten Modelle wie die „religiöse Familienbuchhandlung“ und der „Verbund mit anderen Branchen im Concept Store“ ohne finanzielle Unterstützung von außen betriebswirtschaftlich erfolgreich agieren können. Die Konzepte „Vernetztes Modell der Bistumsbuchhandlung“, das „Franchise-Modell“, das „Förderpaket für Gründer“ und evtl. auch das Shop-in-shop-Konzept (je nach Zielgruppenausrichtung) jedoch wären in unterschiedlicher Höhe auf finanzielle Unterstützung durch einzelne Diözesen oder den VDD angewiesen." (Zusammenfassung, Seite 50)
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"In 2008, a BBC World Service Trust policy briefing argued that people affected by earthquakes, floods or other emergencies often lacked the information they needed to survive and that this only added to their stress and anxiety. Left in the Dark: the unmet need for information in humanitarian emerg
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encies maintained that humanitarian agencies were increasingly effective and coordinated in getting food, water, shelter and medical help to people affected by disasters, but were neglecting the need to get often life-saving information to them. Much has changed since 2008. Thanks to the efforts of several humanitarian and media support Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs), the report helped to galvanise momentum across the humanitarian sector to prioritise communication with the populations it serves. While many humanitarian agencies continue to see communication as something that is done to raise money or boost the profile of their disaster relief efforts, the sector is, increasingly, seeing the need for a clear strategic focus that responds to the information and communication needs of those affected by disaster. There is also a growing recognition of the benefi ts of such communication to improve programming and the overall emergency response." (Introduction)
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"This paper, originally produced in longer format for the World Bank Group, is meant to be a primer on crowdsourcing as an informational resource for development, crisis response, and post-conflict recovery. Inherent in the theoretical approach is that broader, unencumbered participation in governan
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ce is an objectively positive and democratic aim, and that governments’ accountability can be increased and poor performance corrected through openness and empowerment of citizens. Whether used for tracking flows of aid, reporting on poor government performance, or helping to organize grassroots movements, crowdsourcing has potential to change the reality of civic participation in many developing countries. The objective of this paper is to outline the theoretical justifications, key features, and governance structures of crowdsourcing systems, and to examine several cases in which crowdsourcing has been applied to complex issues in the developing world." (Abstract)
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