IPDC Bureau finances three Central Asian media projects in 2007

4 April 2007

The Bureau of the International Programme for the Development of Communication (IPDC) decided to finance three Central Asian media training projects at its 51st annual meeting, which took place at UNESCO Headquarters from 27 to 29 March 2007.

Altogether the Bureau approved 74 media development projects in 59 countries. A total of US$ 1,867,000 will be channeled to the projects, which are expected to improve media pluralism and strengthen the capacities of media professionals worldwide.

The projects are wide-ranging: from support in the establishment of 10 pilot community radio stations in the most marginalized regions of India to strengthening freedom of expression and the professional development of journalists in Liberia. Thirty-one of the projects approved concern Africa, 18 focus on Asia and the Pacific, 19 deal with Latin America and the Caribbean, 5 concern the Arab States, while one will be implemented in Armenia.

The three Central Asian projects support:

  • training for small regional newspapers (in Kazakhstan),
  • training of young journalists in political reporting (in Kyrgyzstan),
  • training for Tajik radio and TV journalists in human rights knowledge.

The projects were selected from a total of 110 project proposals examined by the Bureau this year.

The date for submission of new project proposals to the Bureau’s next meeting is 31 July 2007. The project proposals should be submitted to the UNESCO Field Office concerned for screening and finalization in line with the IPDC priorities.

A discussion on "Defining Indicators of Media Development" was held on the last day of the meeting as a follow-up to the IPDC Council’s decision to launch a broad consultation among media experts and professionals on this topic. Mr Andrew Puddephatt, former Executive Director of Article 19, presented a background paper he had prepared on behalf of UNESCO suggesting categories of indicators which could be retained for measuring the level of media development in a given country.

The meeting was attended by IPDC Bureau members, media experts and observers.

Permanent link: http://en.unesco.kz/ipdc-bureau-finances-three-central-asian-media-projects-in-2007