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9 9
COMMUNITIES
“ON AIR”
Independent Editors and Managers
strengthen their managerial skills…
And
journalists learn on Economic and Rural Development Reporting
Support to Independent Media
Donor for Media
Development
 Communities “”
The Media Development Project enters the last half of the year moving into
the field preparatory process for the establishment of three
community radio stations in Cuamba, Marromeu and Homoine.
The decision is made on the basis of a series of preliminary
activities, including a seminar on “Strategies on the
establishment of Community Radios in Mozambique” held in May with
the active involvement of the Media Project and other actors also
involved in this area. A field assessment report on the social,
material and technical conditions in the three sites was furthermore
commissioned by the project, resulting in the recommendation to to
ahead in these sites.
It is both an exciting and delicate experience, where a well-organized social
mobilization process is a prerequisite for the creation of radio
stations that are not just for, but primarily of the
communities, and run by the communities.
As the Project document describes the justification for the community
radio component, “...community media address the specific
development needs of the communities they serve, and thus act as
voice for the community, and often as a link with those in
authority. In so doing, community media organizations strengthening
a community’s identity, culture and history as well as encourage
participation in the democratic process...”
Following the “Strategy Seminar” in May, the Project is now leading
preparations for a one-day seminar in August to establish guidelines
for a national legal framework for community radio.
Starting now from Cuamba (Niassa Province) in July, the social mobilization
process covering the three sites will lead to the election for
Community Radio Installing Committees
in the three selected sites. By October, these initial
activities will culminate with the first course on “How to start a
Community Radio”. The course is expected to take palce in Xai-Xai,
October 18 to 29.
Independent
Editors and Managers strengthen
their managerial skills…
The city of Quelimane received 18 editors and financial managers from
emerging media initiatives in the Central and Northern Provinces of
the country, from June 21 to July the 1st .
The course now called “Starting a publication” provided the
participants basic managerial tools to ensure sustainability of
their initiatives.
Based on explicit needs expressed in the project’s consultations
with independent media, this general management training course
foreseen in the project document was angled print media, hence now
being named “Starting a Publication”.
For two weeks, the dynamic and enthusiastic group of editors or
editors-to-be and managers developed their knowledge on
conceptualizing the mission and vision of their media initiatives,
organizational structures, and production and distribution of their
publications.
This was the first course on this special subject. The second one is
scheduled for August, for the Southern Provinces.
…And
journalists learn on Economic and Rural Development Reporting
Following Chimoio Last May, preparations are now underway for the third
course on the above subject, this time covering the Northern
Provinces of the country.
A group of sixteen midcarer journalists are expected to gather in
Nampula during the last half of July to discuss a variety of issues,
ranging from Mozambique’s rural economy, the feminization of
poverty, regional integration in the SADC states, and the globalization
era.
Support
to Independent Media
Among the core priorities of the Media Project is the concrete, physical
support to strengthen independent media.
The large nation wide study which is to guide the decisions on how
to actually prioritize within this project component, approaches finalization.
Once the recommendations reach the project by late July, a Technical
Advisory Group will assess the realization of these objectives.
It is therefore expected that the implementation of this component
can come well under way during the second half of the year.
Donor
for Media Development
The UNDP Media Working Group requested earlier this year the Project
to prepare an overview of donor priorities, plans and concrete
action in the area of Media Development in Mozambique.
A first draft of the study was presented to the Group in its meeting
June 22 and Project is now expecting comments and updates.
Once finalized, the study will available from the UNDP and the Media
Development Project.
It is foreseen that this information will be available from UNDP’s
web site when ready.
Media
Development Project
c/o UNESCO, P.O.Box 1397 Maputo, Mozambique
Tel. +
258.1. 498752/ 490840 Fax +258.1.498717
E-mail: unesco@mediamoz.com
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