Global Forum for Media Development
In the past two decades countless new publications, television, radio channels and Internet sites have provided hundreds of millions of people with their first experience of alternatives to state-run media monopolies. In the next two decades the emergence of independent and public interest media will continue to be crucial in the context of states that remain stalled in their progression to democracies, torn by conflict, or unable to meet the basic needs of their populations.
Strong indigenous media capacity can help meet the needs of audiences facing local and global challenges, a more transparent, information rich world, an increase in democracy and a decrease in the power of governments to repress free speech. They give voice to those yearning for social and economic development, for a more transparent, information rich world, and for an increase in democracy.
To do that they often need to overcome the twin threats of poor market condition s and local political resistance to free expression.
The work of the GFMD includes:
- providing an international forum for the discussion of ideas, information and strategies in the field of media development and to facilitate communication among GFMD members,
- creating a platform for media development practitioners to interact with donors, governments, opinion leaders and the wider public making the case for media development as a primary pillar for advancing social, economic, and democratic development,
- promoting and disseminating research and analysis of the impact of media development on governance, civic participation, poverty alleviation, emergent crises, and markets worldwide,
- establishing common standards and ethics for media development work that encourage cross-sector cooperation,
- advancing best practice methods for media development through shared learning, training and evaluation,
- educating members, policymakers and the general public on the importance of free, independent, pluralistic and viable media to human and economic development.
Members include media assistance groups with international reach, such as, for instance, the BBC World Service Trust or Internews Network; regional organisations, such as Panos South Asia, the Media Institute for Southern Africa, or the Fundacion para del Nuevo Periodismo Iberoamericano (FNPI) in Latin America; and members come from national organisations, such as Media Rights Agenda in Nigeria, the Free Media Movement in Sri Lanka or the Media Forum in Azerbaijan; as well as professional groups in membership of the World Association of Newspapers and the International Federation of Journalists.
As a voluntary membership network, general membership in the GFMD is open to independent, non-profit, non-governmental organisations, whose work focuses significantly on media development. Associate membership is open to individuals (academics, researchers, media consultants, experts), who work on media development issues. Associate membership is also open to institutions and entreprises, who provide financial support to media development organisations or who provide considerable assistance to media development.
The GFMD is run by a global Steering Committee with two representatives selected by each region (Sub-Saharan Africa, Asia, Eurasia, Middle East/North Africa, Latin America) and four representatives selected from organisations with international reach. The GFMD Director reports to the Steering Committee.
The GFMD came into being after the first global conference of media aid organisations in Amman, Jordan in October 2005, in which more than 400 participants attended. The conference agreed to a set of principles that form the basis of the work of the GFMD.
A major aim of the GFMD is to ensure that media assistance organisations from Asia, Africa, Eurasia, the Middle East/North Africa and Latin America are fully involved in the debate on media development strategies, defining objectives and analysing impact of media assistance programmes.
Throughout 2008 the GFMD has organised Regional Forums for Media Development, which were attended by more than 350 participants from over 100 countries. The regional forum meetings identified regional challenges for media development, set up regional networks and defined priorities for discussion at the GFMD 2008 World Conference in Athens.
PUBLICATIONS
Media Matters is an independent publication of Internews Europe on behalf of the Global Forum for Media Development (GFMD) about the central role of the media in effective development.
Published in October 2006 after a year-long collaboration among media-development practitioners and leading social, political and communications scientists, Media Matters presents core messages to the international development community and to policy-makers on the central role of independent media in effective development. It draws together thinking and analysis that covers the breadth and depth of the...
