As a landlocked country with sometimes-inaccessible mountainous terrain, a scattered population and marked urban-rural inequalities, Bhutan would benefit significantly from community media. A UNESCO-commissioned feasibility study conducted in 2013 found a clear consensus among different stakeholders (including government officials) that commmunity radio (CR) would deepen and accelerate development in Bhutan. The report therefore asserted that a CR policy should be created. Other key recommendations included building the capacities of potential CR personnel, piloting three community radio...
Regions: Asia and the Pacific
In a climate of increasing authoritarianism and diminishing space for democratic debate, in which state-controlled media echoes official views and private-owned media self-censors and arouses anti-minority attitudes, Ravaya remains the only unbiased vernacular language newspaper available to the masses. This journalist-owned paper maintains an outstanding record of carrying out high-quality independent journalism, fighting for justice, welcoming peer scrutiny and being responsive to readers.
Ravaya, which currently circulates 25,000 copies per week, requires external support...
Many girls and women in the Commonwealth do not have equal opportunities to exercise rights recognized by law. Media coverage of women is insufficient and very often reinforces gender stereotypes. This project seeks to contribute to the third MDG (i.e. to “promote gender equality and empower women”) by building capacity and creating a network of PSBs and CSOs with a specific emphasis on gender development stories. The project also aims to raise awareness about gender discrimination and gender-based censorship within the media and to address stereotypes.
Ninety-four journalists were killed in Pakistan over the last decade, yet just one of the killers has been arrested, tried and convicted. Many more journalists have received threats, including from the country’s intelligence agencies. Due to this alarming situation, Pakistan was identified as a focus country for the UN’s Plan of Action on the Safety of Journalists and the Issue of Impunity in 2013-2014.
This project therefore aims to increase the safety of Pakistani journalists working in hostile environments. A safety mechanism will be developed, including a rapid...
Pakistan is one of the deadliest countries for local journalists. In addition to facing various dangers when reporting, they are subject to constant digital security threats. Given that most journalists in Pakistan do not know how to protect themselves against cyber criminals, this project will develop a comprehensive manual for tjese journalists detailing Pakistan's existing (and missing) security laws and cyber policies. Based on this manual, digital security training will be offered to 150 journalists in Lahore and Islamabad as well as to journalism and mass communication students at...
The Central Asian Republics have witnessed a deterioration of freedom of expression in recent years and journalists are paying the price with threats to their safety. Few effective trainings concerning safety are available to journalists working in broadcasting organizations in Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan and Tajikistan. This project aims to fulfil the need for training in order to create awareness about international standards regarding the safety of journalists among journalists themselves as well as among key stakeholders and institutions, so as to promote freedom of expression and media...
Since the developing island nation of Palau gained independence, media development has been slow. It has just four radio stations, two newspapers and one state-owned television station. Access is restricted to those in the main population area and, for television, to those who can pay. Furthermore, television programming is subject to government restrictions, with stringent rules governing election coverage.
This project will install and train personnel to operate Palau’s first free-to-air television station. With 90% of the population living within the proposed broadcast...
Many countries in the Asia-Pacific Region present serious concerns in gender imbalances and inequities in employment opportunities, female participation and the portrayal of women and girls. This project designed in line with The Beijing Platform for Action for Equality, Development and Peace, which places specific obligations on the media, both in the way women participate and in how they are portrayed and has objectives that require signatory nations and their citizens to ‘increase the participation and access of women to expression and decision-making in and through the media and new...
CRST FM104 is the only radio station licensed to broadcast from Tafea Province (which includes the 5 most southern islands of Vanuatu) to the people of Tafea Province. It is the only licensed community radio station in the country. The national broadcaster, the VBTC (Radio Vanuatu and Television Blong Vanuatu), commercial FM radio stations, other national media outlets including newspapers are generally not able to be seen or heard in Tafea Province which results in its people being unable to receive updates on events taking place across the Province, as well as nationally and globally....
Although provincial radio stations exist in more than ten provinces in Cambodia, most of their main contents or programs are the relayed programs from the Radio Nationale Kampuchea (RNK) in Phnom Penh. Therefore, most of the programs do not serve the needs of the community people since the information needed by provincial people are different geographically. It is important that community people who are the target listeners of those provincial radios get the most from the local programs. Provincial radio stations generally lack professional capacities of media workers / program producers...
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