I s s u e  11   -   M A R C H,  2 0 0 0
 

A Memo of Understanding with three Community Radio
International Women's day
Communication Centers
Community Radio Phase II
Technical Support to Radio Mozambique
Journalism Media Study
Financial Autonomy to Media Project

 A “MEMO OF UNDERSTANDING” WITH THREE COMMUNITY RADIO
  For three civic organizations working closely with the UNESCO Media Project for almost a year now, with a variety of preparatory activities for the establishment of community radio stations, the 17th of February represented a memorable day: a “Memorandum of Understanding” was signed between them and UNESCO, in Maputo.
  Culminating a long and thoroughly designed preparation process started early 1999, for the pilot phase of this component, the memo foresees that before the end of April, the two sides will sign activities contracts, for the Media Project to start releasing funds for the various activities concerning the establishment of the three stations.
  Until then, the Community Radios Associations in Cuamba(Niassa) amd Homoine(Inhambane) are expected to conclude their legal registration process and preparation of action plans, with budgets and training activities calendar.
  The signing of the memo came in line with the Media Project’s stractegy for the implementation of this sensitive component, based on two core principles: ensuring sustainability and a strong and deep-rooted feeling of local ownership, through long preparatory periods, with discussions and training activities invloving the concerned communities and their elected leadership.
  The coordinators of the three community radio associations-Mrs. Esperanca Sebastiao Silva from Cuamba, Mr. Sergio Silva from Chimoio and Mr.Pedro Francisco from Homoine– signed the memo with the UNESCO Representative in Maputo, Mr. Hubert Charles, at the end of a two-week training course on the creation and management of a community radio.
  During the course, also attended by participants from other community/local radio stations or projects, supported by other, different funding partners, including the ICS, the Austrian North-South Institute for Cooperation and the catholic church, the managers and coordinators were exposed to, and discussed a long range of subjects, focusing on:
· Community radio concepts and organizations structures
· Community involvement in programming and production of programmes
· Staff and volunteers training policy
· The legal framework in Mozambique
· Facing the sustainability challenges
Time was also provided for the participants to be exposed to, and discuss technological options for radio, with an expert explaining the advantages and disadvantages between the familiar, “old fashioned” analogue system, and for some groups, “alienating” digital one.
“Extremely important, although also tough, and we are now going back home to continue the discussion with our communities”, the participants said at the final evaluation.

International Women's day
UNESCO is launching an initiative whereby news media around the world will be encouraged to assign a woman to serve as editor‑in‑chief on 8 March 2000 to raise awareness on Women's importance in journalism and elsewhere.
  The UNESCO Representative in Maputo, Mr. Hubert Charles, met with women journalists and news directors on 23rd February with the aim to discuss the implementation in Mozambique.
It was agreed that the media present in the meeting should appoint women journalists as editors‑in‑chief on the 8h March, and publish articles about women and/or from women's point of view.
  UNESCO will provide background materials for news production for that day.
 
Communication Centres
The three groups of Communication Centres (CC) established in Beira, Chimoio and Tete are finalising the formulation of the Business Plan requested by the Media Project in order to enter into a contract by the end of this month.
  The groups have already formed associations and are well advanced in the process of their legal registration.
  The CTA of the Media Pro ect, Birgitte Jallov, will carry out a Mission to the CCs to ensure finalisation of the Business Plan and hopefully sign the contracts for additional support.

Community Radio Phase II
The Media Project has received 18 proposals for the establishment of Community Radio stations in Mozambique.
The applications reflect the urgent need for communications channels in order to strengthen local information and democracy.
  The Independent Selection Board has already been set up, and will meet early March to review the proposals received.
  It is really interesting to find out that the communities are willing to have their own means for production and dissemination of information, and this is indeed an indicator of the need felt to strengthen democracy and good governance.

Technical Support to Radio Mozambique
The Immediate Objective 10 establishes that the Media Development Project also provides technical support to Radio Mozambique, with the aim of enabling a greater coverage of its transmission services.
  To fulfill this, the Project Management Team had designed Terms of Reference to recruit a broadcast specialist to carry out a study to assess Radio Mozambique's present technical need to ensure larger and better reception of their programmes and to present recommendations to UNESCO.
  The consultant has been identified, and will also advise UNESCO on the appropriate equipment, bearing in mind the locally existing maintenance capacity and possible training needs for the use and maintenance of this equipment.
  The last phase with be the Paris‑based launching of international tenders according to UNESCO rules, followed by the acquisition, installation and testing of the equipment.

 Journalism Media Study
The Immediate Objective 6 and 7 of the Media Project refers to a feasibility study of journalism and training institutions in Mozambique.
  The aim is to meet the training needs and requirements of independent and pluralistic media in the country.
  The Media Project is in the process of indenturing an independent consultant to carry out a field research in order to identify the real needs and propose actions to be taken.
A national policy and strategy seminar is foreseen to take place in July, based on the study.

Financial Autonomy to Media Project
From our own world: to assist effective project implementation, UNESCO has decided to grant financial autonomy to the Media Project to ensure prompt payments in relation to a growing number of Project activities.
  To complement this, Ms. Arantza lbarra from the UNESCO headquarters ran a one‑week course for the Project's administrative personnel on UNESCO's administrative procedures, during the last week of February.

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