"There is very little undestanding of the role that communicartion processes play in the numerous starnds of post-conflict reconstruction, including peacebuilding, governance, and long-term development. This paper addressess this gap by distilling lessons learned from the media and communication str
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ategies of different donors. It takes as its primary case study the Office of Transition Initiatives at the U.S. Agency for International Development, which has long track record of media and communication work in post-conflict environments. In doing so, it seeks to present a new model for understanding and working with communication in post-conflict and fragile environments." (Foreword)
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"While the relationship between war and media is examined in literature, the cases of the positive use of mass communication channels in the reconciliation of post-conflict societies are virtually unknown. The goal of this study is to respond to the gap in literature by examining theoretical evidenc
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e and practical case studies describing media promotion of peace across the world. As a result, a total of 40 media projects in 18 countries are documented and two case studies are examined in detail. Initial lessons from the practical projects in conjunction with historical developments of media in wars suggest that the current practice would benefit from: integration of all available media channels and practices, incorporation of media into other social institutions and processes and regulation of hate media as well as production of peace-oriented media." (Abstract)
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"Die Arbeit untersucht, welche Rolle die Medien für die Demokratisierung des von 24 Jahren Krieg zerstörten Landes spielen können. Vor allem internationale Hilfsorganisationen sind gefordert, die aufkeimende afghanische Presse auf dem Weg zu Demokratie und Freiheit zu begleiten. Nach theoretische
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n Überlegungen zu Demokratie und Medien sowie der politischen Situation Afghanistans richtet sich das Hauptaugenmerk auf die praktische Medienförderung vor Ort. Die Verfasserin bereiste im April 2004 das Camp des Provincial Reconstruction Teams (PRT) der Bundeswehr in Kunduz und besuchte eine Woche lang verschiedene Presseprojekte der Deutschen sowie weitere Medienprojekte internationaler NGOs in Kunduz. Es wird deutlich, dass Medien in Zeiten des gesamtgesellschaftlichen Umbruchs eine wichtige Rolle für den Demokratisierungsprozess eines Landes spielen können. Medienhilfe muss zudem mit konventioneller Entwicklungshilfe kooperieren und sich an die Gegebenheiten des Landes anpassen. Nur so kann eine Presselandschaft entstehen, die zum jeweiligen Volk passt und sich somit auch nach dem Abzug der internationalen Hilfsorganisationen weiterentwickeln und finanzieren kann." (Abstract, aus: Transfer 1/2005, http://www.dgpuk.de/transfer)
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"This book examines the crucial role the media played in the 1994 Rwanda genocide, bringing together local reporters and commentators from Rwanda, Western journalists, and media theorists. Part One (eight articles) describes and analyzes "Hate Media in Rwanda", mainly, but not exclusively, focusing
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on Radio Télévision Libre des Mille Collines (RTLM). Part Two (thirteen articles) presents a critique of international media coverage of the genocide, including not only the United States and Western Europe, but also Kenya and Nigeria. Part three (five articles) covers the deliberations by the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda on the role of the media in the genocide, identifying various missed opportunities. Part Four, "After the Genocide and the Way Forward" (six articles), goes beyond the Rwanda experiences, tackling issues like the use and abuse of media in vulnerable societies. The authors outline how censorship and propaganda can be avoided, argue for a new responsibility in media reporting, and give recommendations for media intervention in the prevention of genocidal violence." (CAMECO Update 1-2008)
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"This assessment describes and contextualises a series of challenges for an environment conducive to freedom of expression brought about by the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) signed in 2005 and the changes to the political framework in Sudan. The aim is to establish a comprehensive overview of
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the media situation in all relevant sectors, as well as developing an overview of support to the sectors and the strategies behind this support from agencies for international cooperation. Although the CPA opened up space for a more democratic setup for media ownership and practice and resulted in a number of changes to the media situation in Sudan, the freedom of expression environment in Sudan still faces important challenges. According to this assessment, the main challenges are:
Need for media reform: There is a dire need for legal reform in the area of freedom of expression and access to information. At the national level, new media laws produced and presented to Parliament show only slight improvement over the existing laws. In Southern Sudan the Legislative Assembly has adopted a more progressive media policy, but the four draft bills which have been prepared have not yet been processed by the assembly.
Need for professional skill building: Professional journalists are scarce, and objective and relevant reporting is a challenge for many Sudanese newspapers. In spite of the large number of media schools in Sudan, the results are discouraging. The academic and professional standards of the graduates are extremely basic and on-the-job training is almost non-existent.
Poor working conditions: Basic working conditions and employment rights in the Sudanese media are poor, especially in the printed media. There is widespread exploitation, not least of young journalists. The poor working conditions have negative consequences for the quality of journalism. In addition, many Sudanese journalists have emigrated to find better job opportunities abroad.
Politicisation of the media sector: The highly politicised environment in Sudan is reflected in the media sector. A significant part of the media in Sudan operates within a set political frame, pursuing political goals and the desire to influence public opinion and decision making." (Executive summary)
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"This report [...] recommends that interveners take the following series of steps as they generate a strategy for media development in post-conflict zones.
Predeployment Phase: Mapping and Strategizing: map out the existing media landscape; identify the postwar condition of the media infrastructure,
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media personnel, and other resources that have survived the conflict; assess the history of state-media relations; analyze the potential market for sustainable media; create a strategy for developing media; coordinate all relevant players in media development; identify spoilers and create a plan to isolate extremist voices while elevating moderate ones; plan to establish a responsible media sector before the first postwar elections are held.
Deployment Phase: Building and Developing: build a foundation for the media sector; establish a mission-owned outlet to monitor and counter hate speech while promoting peace operations; create a representative media commission to establish media standards; create legal underpinnings for media during the transition or help the government to do so; create media outlets and develop personnel; encourage creation of a diverse array of media outlets and ensure media accessibility by different segments of the population; establish effective on-the-job training programs and mechanisms for evaluating trainees and university-based training programs; create local associations of journalists, publishers, and editors to strengthen leadership and connect local media actors to international media networks.
Exit Phase: Transitioning and Sustaining: transition to local control and ensure long-term sustainability; gradually give full control to local media leaders; ensure a robust media market in which private outlets are self-sustaining; create an indigenous mechanism to continue monitoring hate speech." (Summary)
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"Can the media reduce intergroup prejudice and conflict? Despite the high stakes of this question, understanding of the mass media’s role in shaping prejudiced beliefs, norms, and behaviors is very limited. A year-long field experiment in Rwanda tested the impact of a radio soap opera about two Rw
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andan communities in conflict, which featured messages about reducing intergroup prejudice, violence, and trauma. Compared to communities who listened to a control radio soap opera, listeners’ perceptions of social norms and their behaviors changed concerning some of the most critical issues for Rwanda’s post conflict society, namely intermarriage, open dissent, trust, empathy, cooperation and discussion of personal trauma. However, the radio program did little to influence listeners’ personal beliefs. Group discussion was a notable feature of the listening experience. Taken together, the results suggest that radio can communicate social norms and influence behaviors that contribute to intergroup tolerance and reconciliation." (Abstract)
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"In order to work towards a more constructive role for the media in Bolivian society in the present context, this report suggests a strategy which could focus on the following four areas: advocacy for changes in the legal framework; spaces for debate and reflection; strengthening the quality of jour
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nalism; protection for journalists. For each of these areas specific interventions of immediate action are recommended. Such interventions focus on attending to the more pressing needs by seeking ways in which the media are not led to play an adverse role in the growing tension and the deepening of the conflict in Bolivia but rather to fulfill a role that makes it possible to create a bridge among the different political positions and current interests, and between these and Bolivian society." (Executive summary, page 3)
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"Als Partner des staatlichen Rundfunks Radio Television Afghanistan (RTA) leistet der Auslandssender Deutsche Welle (DW) einen wichtigen Beitrag zum Demokratisierungsprozess in Afganistan. Denn freie, unabhängige und verlässliche Medien sind in einer Demokratie unverzichtbar. Sie versorgen die Men
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schen im ganzen Land mit Informationen und tragen so zu aktiver Meinungsbildung bei." (Seite 5)
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"As outlined in the introductory presentation the paths to state failure are various. It is conceivable that corruption, inefficiency and the erosion of state control of the legitimate use of force could lead to the gradual erosion of state capacity. More common, as in the cases of Somalia, Liberia,
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Sierra Leone and DRC, is a situation in which armed conflict leads to the collapse of the incumbent regime and warlordism fills the vacuum that is left behind. In a more extreme case, the complete destruction of the state could be brought about, as has likely happened in Iraq since 2003. In order to rebuild state capacity, it is necessary to provide infrastructure, re-establish law and order, reassert the state’s monopoly on the use of force, make provisions for social services and, through all of these measures, regain political legitimacy. These are all considered to be necessary steps in helping a ‘failed state’ to become re-established in the wake of conflict. The question at the centre of the three themes of debate was where the media should be placed among competing priorities in state and social reconstruction. In order to tease out core issues, IMS created the two categories of ‘Media Purists’ and ‘Media Pragmatists’ to articulate opposing arguments. The background paper for the conference provides a detailed description of both positions. Participants were requested to use these perspectives to identify clashes of opinion and orientate themselves between these positions. Generally speaking, Media Purists would advocate against restrictions prescribed by the state and other bodies, whilst Media Pragmatists would see the need for regulation in order to create the desired media landscape over the longer-term." (Introduction, page 6)
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"This document examines how media policy can be adapted to developing countries affected by crises and war. Based on the outcome of discussions at a workshop, areas the document covers include: the role of the media in fragile states; training journalists; media challenging the state. Recommendation
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s include: customise the media development strategies to context, i.e. undertake a detailed diagnostic analysis of the complex political, economic and social background of the country, as well as of the nature of conflict, and the structures of government and citizens' participation before and after a war, or period of violent conflict; recognise that the development of an open and free media environment, like other liberal projects, requires the presence of a strong state which includes, among other features, a well functioning legal and judicial environment that is able to apply checks and balances; support research that examines the role of media in both state unraveling and state reconstruction, as well as the specific historical evolution of media in fragile states including particular experiences of violent conflict and war, and encourage the development of regional networks of local media researchers." (ELDIS website)
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"This paper looks at the structure and functioning of public information departments in peacekeeping operations, and at the relationship between the departments and the United Nations Department of Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO) and the Department of Information (DPI) at Headquarters in New York. Wh
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ile recognizing that information strategies vary from one mission to another and are dependent on individual mission mandates, the paper addresses the organizational structures that determine mission information strategies and policies general to all missions. The paper takes as a case study the role of the public information department in the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK), with a particular focus on public outreach by UNMIK’s radio and television units. Recognizing that each peace mission is different in scope and mandate, and that Kosovo is characterized by an unusual degree of UN control and authority, the paper contends that lessons may nevertheless be extrapolated from the UNMIK experience that are relevant to UN missions elsewhere in the world and to communication strategies in post-conflict environments in general." (Executive summary)
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