Media Support

In general, Media Support works with local broadcasters in developing countries to create radio and TV programmes that focus on issues in areas such as health education - particularly HIV/AIDS and reproductive health - the environment, good governance, gender, teacher training, or the improvement of livelihoods (economic development). Media Support's work in these areas is informed by the following principles and practices:

• fostering communication initiatives that are participatory and long-term
• engaging people in dialogue and debate rather than disseminating top-down messages
• empowering local broadcasters to develop and channel their creative energies to promote positive social change
• building partnerships between the in-country media and the social sector on participatory research, evaluation, and appropriate media programming
• crafting viable exit strategies by transferring management and technical skills to local professionals

Specifically, Media Support conducts research in local communities; helps plan and create programmes that aim to be effective and entertaining; and trains broadcasters on how to research the content, make the programmes as interactive as possible, and evaluate their impact. For example, MSS/MSP manages a radio soap in Botswana for the US Centers for Disease Control (CDC), implements projects in Mozambique (for DANIDA [Danish Foreign Development Agency] and CARE), and implements a nationwide project inAfghanistan devising and producing tailor-made radio programming to help train primary school teachers. MSS is also involved in training NGO outreach workers as radio producers in Madagascar. Click here to read more about Media Support's current projects, some of which are managed by Media Support and others of which are supported through specialist consultants passing on skills and building local capacity. One area of focus in these projects is working to forge closer links between the media, government ministries, and development agencies. Another emphasis is on enabling organisations in developing countries and recently emerging democracies to initiate and manage these activities themselves. According to Media Support, "It is important that listeners feel that the programmes are theirs, rather than something imposed by outsiders."

Media Support also works in research, advocacy, and consultancy capacities. Specifically,

• The group conducts research as to how best the media can be used to help in different situations - for instance, in post-conflict countries. Media Support then aims to disseminate lessons learned through various publications (books and CDs, as well as papers, reports, and articles), training for local broadcasters, and courses (including distance learning).
• Although Media Support's emphasis is on programme content, not technology, the organisation also takes on an advocacy role - mobilising greater investment in communications for development.
• Media Support helps organisations worldwide develop their communication programming and strategies, providing advice and sharing project development and management skills. Click here to view examples of recent consultancy work; to cite one, MSS/MSP were retained by DFID as 'in-house' media and communications consultants and have been involved in consultancies from Nepal to China for DFID (UK - Department for International Development) and others.

Media Development.