Published: 30 November 2010
Region: Worldwide
The Global Forum for Media Development launched a new publication “Media Matters – GFMD 2009-2011” setting out its arguments for making media a central part of development policy and highlighting how the GFMD has created real co-operation within the media development sector.
“Media Matters – GFMD 2009-2011” looks at how free, independent media have a positive impact on economic development and good governance; it raises issues of new technology and what that means for media development and it offers new approaches to evaluating the impact of media assistance work.
The publication includes articles by Mark Nelson of the World Bank Institute, William Orme of the UN Human Development Report, Aidan White, IFJ General Secretary and others.
Interviews with key donors such as the Open Society Institute or the Swedish International Development Agency reflect on how donor policy on media development has changed and what strategies are being developed for the future.
The new GFMD publication describes the work of the organisation at global and regional level. It sets out how a disparate group of competing media assistance groups have come together to form one organisation dedicated to making the case for media development.
“I used to be one of the sceptics”, said GFMD President Joyce Barnathan. “But after working with the GFMD for close to two years, I see how vital the organisation has become for those who believe that independent media play an important role in building civil society”.
The publication is the second GFMD publication and builds on “Media Matters” published in 2006, which included a wide range of articles on media development issues still topical today.
An electronic version is availble on-line on GFMD web-site
