edition-dw-akademie-in-the-service-of-the-public-functions-and-transformation-of-media-in-developing-countries-pdf

Part II Mongolia: Achievements Through Public Service Capacity BuildingPress Institute of MongoliaEstablished in 1995 under the Free Press project and financedby a grant from the Danish Agency for International Development(DANIDA), the Press Institute (PI) is a non-governmentalnon-profit organization. It supports the development ofan independent and pluralistic media sector in Mongolia byimproving the qualifications and skills of Mongolian mediaworkers, analyzing the development of Mongolian media,and explaining to the public the role and importance of freemedia. 33 PI has implemented more than 50 research projectsand organized around 700 training and information eventsfor media professionals. 34 The NGO plays an important rolein journalism training in Mongolia: It offers short- and longtermtraining including a 6-month Journalism Diplomacourse, and a 4-year Bachelor program developed jointly withthe Danish School of Journalism, as well as a digital photojournalismcourse developed with funds from UNESCO. PI isthe only journalism school that has a practical focus. Apartfrom its academic and its practical training programs, themethods applied by the Press Institute are: roundtable discussions,events on key issues in the media, constant monitoringof the overall media landscape, and research studies on specifictopics. Since 2006, PI has extensively supported MNB’stransformation by, for example, organizing the National CivilSociety Forum 2006 for the nomination of NC members, aswell as in-house training for MNB radio and TV newsroomjournalists and numerous studies.Globe InternationalThe second organization, Globe International (GI), 35 wasfounded in 1999 as a non-profit NGO. It focuses on freedom ofexpression, freedom of information and media independenceand has developed a special expertise in legal aspects, i.e., thelegal framework for journalists. 36 GI has been funded primarilyby international donors, UNESCO and the Soros Foundationbeing the leading contributors. 37 In cooperation with the NGOArticle 19, GI has conducted research on the Mongolian medialegislation. In 2010, in association with the organizationIFEX, GI established an online self-reporting system wherejournalists can report violations and harassments. The NGOreports all information to national and international networkssuch as IFEX, IFJ, Freedom House, Reporters Without Borders,Internews, Article 19, and GFMD as well as to embassies andNGOs. Moreover, GI conducts training workshops for lawyersin the field of media law.SIDA – Swedish International Development CooperationAgencySIDA played a very important role right from the beginning ofMNB’s transformation process. From 2006 on, together withRadio Sweden, the organization focussed on MNB radio aimingat the following four focal points: (1) increasing managementcapacity within MNB radio, (2) increasing news and current affairscapacity at MNB radio, (3) developing a third radio chan-nel focussing on the youth, and (4) initiating a public serviceapproach on the coverage of elections. 38 During the five yearsof collaboration, around 50 different training activities werecarried out, among them top-level seminars and workshops,classroom lecturing and workshops for journalists and techniciansas well as on-the-job training directly in the otherwiseon-going production. Further, the collaboration included settingup practical routines and/or technical installations, practicalhands-on consultation concerning for instance electioncoverage, current affairs programming or a new salary system.Moreover, a number of study trips to Sweden were organizedfor gathering and sharing experiences of practical journalistic,technical, and managerial issues. 39 A total of about 700 participantsfrom different levels at MNB radio were involved inSIDA’s activities.Today, MNB radio is said to have a higher quality and to bemore professional than MNB television. Several intervieweespointed out that SIDA’s work led to significant improvementsregarding the quality of MNB radio and the professionalism ofits journalists – both in terms of practical skills and knowledgeand with regard to the understanding of the role and functionof public service media. 40 Furthermore, they stressed that itwas very helpful and efficient that SIDA did not only organizeworkshops but actually accompanied journalists during their14Ibid.15The others are published bi-weekly,bi-monthly or only a few timesper year.16Ibid., 40ff.17Press Institute 2013, 3.18Ibid., 40.19Ibid., 5. The average weekly broadcastinghours for local TV is80 hours, and 104 hours for radio.20Press Institute 2013, 64.21Ibid., 68.22MNB 2014.23Ziyasheva 2007, 13.24According to the Press Institute(2013), out of the 166 TV channels152 are privately owned, 8 areowned by state organizationsand 6 by NGOs/public. Regardingradio, 54 stations are privatelyowned, 19 are owned by NGOs/public, 2 by state organizations,two by “others” and 7 arecommunity stations. Further,65% of all newspapers areprivately owned, 26% by NGO/public, 6% by state organizationsand 3% by “others” (ibid.).25MNB 2014. The whole organizationalchart provided by MNBcan be consulted in the Appendix.26CRC 2014.27Ibid., MNB2 was establishedwith the support of UNESCO.28Press Institute 2013, 45.29MNB 2014. The translatedprogram schedules providedby MNB of both MNB’s mainchannel and MNB2 can beconsulted in the Appendix.30Ibid.31Press Institute 2013, 71.32Ziyasheva 2007, 40.33Press Institute 2014.34Ibid.35Naranjargal Hashhuu, Directorof Globe International.36GI 2007.37Ziyasheva 2007, 42.38Tuvshintugs & Helgesson 2010, 3.39A table comprising all mainactivities carried out by SIDAis attached in the Appendix.40Batzorig Tuvshintugs,Munkhmandakh Myagmarand Oyuntungalag Tsend,in interviews.Edition DW Akademie In the Service of the Public 99