Despite the lack of federal government in Somalia for the past 20 years, there is a vibrant media landscape throughout the country. Security and lack of infrastructure has made it nearly impossible to gauge the exact number of broadcasters, radio stations, newspapers and websites that operate within Somalia and beyond its borders to diaspora populations, but estimates put numbers of media outlets in Mogadishu at 12 radio stations, 15 newspapers, several television stations and many individually-owned online news blogs. In spite of the encouraging figures, however, many media outlets are linked to particular clans or political interests and are not reliable, accurate or trustworthy sources of information.
 
At this transitional point in Somalia’s history, non-divisive, impartial media is necessary to ensure the political process is presented to the Somali people fairly and factually. There is currently not a recognized written code of conduct for print journalists in Somalia, and the time is ripe to take advantage of improved security in Mogadishu to begin to establish one.
 
This project will involve the holding of a seminar to deliberate and discuss a code of ethics that can be adopted across all areas of Somalia over time, in order to address the problem of different sources following different journalistic practices based on local loyalties. While many print journalists in Mogadishu are aware of international standards of reporting, those in rural areas operate on a system based on local governance and tribe loyalty. By bringing together print journalists (who also publish online) from Mogadishu and the rural regions of Baidoa, Jubba (Kismayo) and throughout South-Central Somalia (including Lower Shabelle), the two-day seminar would aim to produce a draft code of ethics through consultation and deliberation. Once the code is approved and confirmed by all participants at the seminar, there will be a dissemination campaign where the seminar participants will bring the draft code back to their respective regions to continue deliberation at the community level. Their input will then result in the final code of ethics for Somali journalists to adhere to international standards of good reporting, while being sensitive to the cultural context of Somalia.

The two-day seminar based at the Mogadishu Media House (MMH) with the support of the National Union for Somali Journalists (Mogadishu) (NUSOJ). This will help enhance the capacity of organizations founded and run by Somalis amidst conflict and instability. By bringing together both journalists from Mogadishu and other regions who will then disseminate the code of ethics throughout rural areas of Somalia, the project will help to address the lack of professional capacities of media workers and capabilities of media associations.