Strategies for initiating media reforms developed at the Regional Advocacy Workshop
Event date:
Mon, 2014-03-31 09:00
Organized as part of the SEE Media Observatory project and hosted by partner organization Macedonian Institute for Media from Skopje.
Development of five national advocacy strategies for IPA countries containing activities for stirring reforms related to media freedom, independence, pluralism and media integrity was in the focus of the SEE Media Observatory’ Regional Advocacy Workshop held in Skopje, Macedonia, on March 31- April 1 2014.
The advocacy coordinators coming from partner organizations in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Macedonia and Serbia together with representatives of the CSOs sub-grantees from five IPA countries, gathered to discuss key media problems, but also tools and actions which will be used for raising public awareness and implementing advocacy campaigns for promotion of free, independent, pluralistic and viable media in the region.
Some of the key issues on which the advocacy coordinators from five countries will focus their advocacy campaigns are related to transparency of media ownership and finances, state advertisements as main source of media financing, improvement and implementation of the media legislation etc. The media CSOs will implement projects aimed to initiate reforms in media related laws or to support their implementation, to raise awareness among youth, human rights defenders and public in general on media integrity issues, or to strengthen the capacities of the journalists’ associations.
The advocacy strategies were developed under the guidance and mentorship of the prominent advocacy trainer Timothy Karr, Senior Director of Strategy at Free Press, USA and Brankica Petkovic, the regional coordinator of SEE Media Observatory from Peace Institute, Slovenia.
In his presentations, Timothy Karr presented the Free Press’ "theory of change" which involves mobilizing "outside" activists to influence decision makers on the inside. Free Press movement focuses on issues such as: advancing Internet freedom, stopping media monopolies and consolidation, defending press freedom, protecting personal privacy and promoting public and community media.
The practical work enabled the advocacy coordinators and the CSOs sub-grantees to get opportunity to work together and produce national advocacy strategies that should be implemented in five IPA countries by the end of the year.
