JULY 2009
In-House training with Fajr Al Jadeed TV in Tulkarem
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Limited resources must be shared by a large pool of outlets
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Proving to people that the local media is worth engaging with, in terms of watching, listening, or contributing knowledge to programs |
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CONTACT INFORMATION
Project Director:
Julia Pitner
Zahrat Masayef Bldg., 2nd Floor
Ramallah
Tel: 02- 297-1561
Fax: 02- 297-5729
Email: jpitner@internews.org
Web:
www.internews.org
www.pactworld.org |
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USAID/WEST BANK GAZA CONTACT INFORMATION
Democracy and Governance Office Director:
Christopher LaFargue
clafargue@usaid.gov
Project Manager:
Maher Frijat
malfrijat@usaid.gov
United States Agency For International Development (USAID)
U.S. Embassy
71 Hayarkon Street
Tel Aviv 63903 |
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Program Overview
In order to be truly informed about the issues in one’s world, citizens need access to quality news that is as free as possible from the bias of political ideology. The independent media in Palestine is, therefore, key to engaging people in the concerns that matter most and to giving them an essential voice in democratic reform in their society. USAID supports media outlets in Palestine through a four-year, $6 million program locally known as Aswatona, which means “Our Voices” in Arabic. The project works with non-governmental radio, television and web-based stations at the local level. Aswatona began in September 2006 and is implemented by Private Agencies Collaborating Together (PACT) in cooperation with Internews Network.
The program helps media outlet owners develop better business and organizational management plans allowing innovative means to sustain their stations while maintaining their objectivity. The project also works directly with journalists on specific topics such as covering court cases, maintaining objectivity, reporting on elections, and knowing their rights as journalists. Furthermore, through small production and capacity building grants, the Aswatona team has made real progress towards improving the local independent broadcast media throughout the West Bank and Gaza.
Goals
• Improved citizen awareness of and involvement in community-level democracy and governance issues.
• Increased and improved coverage of local news, including local manifestations of broad themes such as rule of law, good governance, and corruption.
Successes
• Audiences: The local media audiences have grown from18% in 2006 to 53% in 2009 for TV stations and from 46 % in 2006 to 84% in 2009 for local radio stations.
• Revenue: Partner stations have realized an average 10% increase in revenue from advertising between 2007 and 2008.
• Local Productions: When the media program started in 2006, almost no of programs addressed local issues. Today almost 40% of air time is occupied by 45 programs on local issues of interest to public.
• Licensing: All partner stations now meet the requirements in the new draft media law that mandates 40% local production.
• Quality of Programming: According to the recent surveys, 52% of partner station audiences concur on the improvement and expansion of local issues coverage over a one-year period.
• Advocacy: Aswatona has created a platform between governing bodies and their constituents resulting in improved accountability and service delivery.
• Networking: Aswatona has succeeded in forming two networks for TV and radio stations resulting in greater coordination and resource sharing for wider coverage of local issues throughout the West Bank and Gaza.
• Reform: The project has also helped to initiate a new Coalition for Independent Audio-Visual Media to improve media regulation. |
