The Drum Beat 142 - IMPACS Operational Framework for Media and Peacebuilding

The Institute for Media, Policy and Civil Society (IMPACS) was a not-for-profit charitable organisation committed to the expansion and protection of democracy and the strengthening of civil society. IMPACS had 3 main programmes:

• The Training and Publications Department - to assist in developing more effective outreach skills and communication materials
• The Strengthening Civil Society Programme - to evaluate the laws that apply to appropriate advocacy activities by Canadian charities
• The Media and Peacebuilding Programme - to foster the development of free, critical and effective media worldwide, and to enhance the media's role in the process of democratic development, good governance, and public sector accountability and transparency

IMPACS ceased operations March 21 2007.

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An Operational Framework For Media and Peacebuilding

INTRODUCTION

[The framework] identifies opportunities to strengthen the media as an element of conflict reduction and peacebuilding... A project that launches without examining the media environment... is more liable to fail. Similarly, any effort to resolve or prevent deadly conflict that ignores the media as an opportunity in itself is incomplete. This document offers a guide or framework for understanding how media-related interventions can be used in a variety of conflict conditions. The framework can support planning, implementing or evaluating media initiatives to avoid risk and misapplication of resources."

CONTEXT

"This framework is based upon a review of published sources, discussions with practitioners in media and in peacebuilding, and interviews with, and contributions from, those working directly in the field..."

Media... refers to the several mediums or channels used in an organised fashion to communicate to groups of people. Newspapers, radio and television are well-known examples. The Internet and World Wide Web are more recent additions. However, for the purposes of peacebuilding, media encompasses more than just the news and information business so typical of those channels. Entertainment programmes from music to soap operas are part of the media. So are other channels including street theatre, posters, traditional story-telling, and even comic books, to name only some..."

KEY CONSIDERATIONS

"The engagement of the people most affected, which in a media initiative includes both media practitioners and audiences, must be established. Their input, often overlooked or minimized, is crucial...

The progress and outcome of media initiatives will likely require great adaptability, and an acceptance of incremental rates of change. It may be difficult to apply conventional measurements of an initiative’s success as it directly relates to reducing and preventing violent conflict."

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PULSE OPINION POLL

Do you agree or disagree?

The term 'Third World' is offensive and should not be used.

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LESSONS LEARNED [pps 20-21]

FOR DONORS

• Avoid temptation to parachute in a project of their design, rather than funding the process of working with indigenously owned and operated media sources on a sustainable basis.
• In emerging democracies, basic journalism skills and diversity of outlets may improve long before they are fully independent. Recognize that local media operators may labour under prolonged local constraints and pressures to remain advocates for one interest.
• Recognize that equipment and skills development are jeopardized in the absence of initial underwriting of basic requirements such as rent, electricity and staff wages.
• Prolonged, intractable conflict environments require sustained, well-resourced media intervention.
• Donor funding should be linked to responsible editorial content. Demand gender non-discriminatory hiring at all levels.
• Specific evaluations by conventional analysis can be difficult for media projects. Attitudinal change may be the best indicator, which is reflected by qualitative indicators that require extended measurement periods.
• Direct projects to emphasize diversity, and to work with various media outlets, to ensure the project is not perceived as too linked to an individual media outlet that reflects powerful authorities’ interests.

FOR IMPLEMENTERS

• Anticipated results should be defined with the local people involved in a specific project. They are the partners who must continue the work after the original intervenors are gone. To do so, they must believe in the project.
• It is essential to remain flexible. Trainers must have or adapt to the skills experience of the target group so they can pass on the appropriate skills.
• Except during hot conflict, international advisors should not assume direct management of media outlets...
• Be prepared for prolonged periods of developing good relations with a local partner...
• On-site training is much superior to unrelated training environments.
• The willingness of media managers to absorb and implement the benefits of training of their workers is essential. This absorption of media benefits should be verified through monitoring of the media following the training.
• Project coordination needs to include an exit strategy, preferably built on the self-sustainability of the project.
• Message development should be carefully done: satire can be dangerous.
• Interventions should not focus on needs, but rather focus on identifying, mobilizing, and strengthening community or local assets.

GENERAL LESSONS

• The faster that journalism codes of conduct and the state’s mechanisms of media regulation and protection are in place, the sooner all interests can experience the rights and obligations of the media...
• Media projects should be accompanied by a monitoring system, to identify problems, refine goals and ensure compliance with any media codes of conduct. Monitoring results, particularly of elections and election coverage, should be publicly available.
• NGOs should, if appropriate, be able to show involvement in similar work in their home country, to avoid charges of hypocrisy or condescension.
• The willingness of other NGOs to cooperate is a significant advantage. Coordination and information-sharing and appropriate distribution of services and equipment, is essential.
• Language is an essential element. Team members should speak the languages used by the conflicting members of society.
• There needs to be a sense of ownership of programming by the audience itself, in [media-based interventions] and [intended outcome programming]...
• It is crucial to make one’s project as transparent and accessible as possible to avoid accusations of partisanship.
• Reliance on peacekeeping forces or other organisations such as the United Nations should be made on a case-by-case basis. There needs to be sufficient space to maintain independence at all times.
• Even in post-conflict environments, the media will not be perceived as a neutral interest by all major interests...
• Relations with local authorities need to be carefully monitored: maintain a respectful if distant relationship in environments of hostile authorities. It is better to withdraw from a country and set up operations nearby than to bow to unfair or unprincipled demands of local authorities.
• Poorly paid media workers, vulnerable to bribes and biased reporting, are a major deterrent to free media. Adequate remuneration and respect for independent journalism are essential to any project’s sustainability.
• In certain situations, it is not possible to intervene, even if desired. Different types of conflict require different responses...

QUESTIONS TO ASK [pps 22-24]
 

1. What is the current situation: conflict, pre- or post-conflict?
2. What are the policies of the international community?
3. What is the content of the media?
4. What is the role of the national media in this particular situation?
5. Is the media able to access information from both government and outside (including international) sources?
6. What type of support exists for a media initiative?
7. Among national project supporters, which ones would be the most likely to share a strong interest in conflict resolution?
8. What type of media is the most widely used in the region/country?
9. What are possible effects of initiating a media intervention?
10. What is the level of technical infrastructure in place to support broadcast and print media?
11. What is the history of media interventions? Who has led these? Have they been successful?
12. What was the impetus for this initiative? Is it sustainable?

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