MEGATRENDS AND MEDIA

MEDIA AND MARKETING GAMES OF THE OLIGARCHS
In forming partnerships with media based on some mutual projects
three crucial principles need to be respected. The irst principle is equity.
That is not the same as equality as both entities bring different power,
resources and inluence at the table. Yet, it implies an equal right to be at
the table and a validation of those contributions that are not measurable
simply in terms of cash value or public proile.
Transparency, as the second crucial principle of cross-sector partnership,
implies honesty and openness in working relations which are pre
conditions of trust – an important ingredient of successful partnering.
Only with transparent working will a partnership be truly accountable
to its partner donors and other stakeholders.
Finally, there is the issue of mutual beneit to which all partners are
entitled regardless of quantity and quality of their contribution to
partnership. A healthy partnership will work towards achieving speciic
beneits for each of partners over and above the common beneits to all
partners. Only in this way will the partnership ensure the continuing
commitment of partners and therefore be sustainable.
Future partners may agree on other principles too, but these are basic
principles that need to be followed in a partnership that is very much
challenged by various obstacles, be they present because of sector
characteristics, general public, or some other external constraints. In
a case of partnership between, as an example, leading national CSO
involved in preservation of natural environmental and the national
television, for example, all kinds of challenges will appear. General public
might react with prejudices about organisations positioned in various
sectors and question the good intentions of any of the organisations.
Business sector being single minded and competitive and civil society
being combative and territorial, obstacles to mutual partnership may
prevent further collaboration.
Similar to those are obstacles within each sector related to
competitiveness and conlicting priorities, External constraints that
are not under control of any of the partners like local social, political or
economic climate, scale of challenges and speed of change or inability
to access external resources, can also pose obstacles to partnerships of
media and CSOs.
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