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Media

LESSON

Lesson Learned: Empowering people through citizens’ journalism in Albania

The project objectives and activities were relevant given the difficulties of youth and civil society organizations in Albania to access the media, voice their opinion or raise social issues. Although the Albanian media is free, mainstream media requires payment for airtime that NGOs cannot afford, and it has shown a general lack of interest in covering social issues as part of the news. Organizations were extremely interested in obtaining access to media, especially if it was free of charge and could reach a national audience as was intended with the university radio in Tirana. Participating youth were interested in citizen journalism and reporting on social issues.
Project Partner
Institute for Democracy, Media and Cultural Exchange
Project Description
Empowering people through citizens’ journalism in Albania sought to strengthen the outreach of CSOs representing socially vulnerable groups to the community through citizen journalism by 1) equipping CSOs with public communication skills, 2) establishing a community radio station and a web portal at Tirana University, and 3) training students to report on socially relevant topics. The project was unable to establish the on-air radio but continued some training components at the University of Tirana. Activities were also extended to the University of Elbasan which had an existing campus radio station and a dean interested in community radio and citizen journalism. The project created an internet portal called “YouRadio” that it based in the IRIOM project office where it could record and upload its programming. It also branched out to broadcast each programme on a national FM radio station run by Ora, through paid airtime at a regular time each week. Towards the end of the project, it also found the private Marlin Barleti University in Tirana interested in establishing a campus radio station and provided the project equipment to its communications department.
Evaluation Date
October 2011
Theme
Country
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Empowering people through citizens’ journalism in Albania

The University of Elbasan thought association with the project helped increase the value of their communications programme as it provided activities for students that they could not afford on the school’s budget. This gave their school an edge over other universities which they said already attracted students from all over Albania in addition to students from the region (such as Kosovo and Montenegro). The Marlin Barleti University hopes that being the recipient of the project radio equipment and YouRadio portal will do the same for it. Both universities spoke of incorporating aspects of the project’s training manual and on community radio into their communications curriculum. If this is done, then the principles expressed in the training will be replicated in classes to come.
Project Partner
Institute for Democracy, Media and Cultural Exchange
Project Description
Empowering people through citizens’ journalism in Albania sought to strengthen the outreach of CSOs representing socially vulnerable groups to the community through citizen journalism by 1) equipping CSOs with public communication skills, 2) establishing a community radio station and a web portal at Tirana University, and 3) training students to report on socially relevant topics. The project was unable to establish the on-air radio but continued some training components at the University of Tirana. Activities were also extended to the University of Elbasan which had an existing campus radio station and a dean interested in community radio and citizen journalism. The project created an internet portal called “YouRadio” that it based in the IRIOM project office where it could record and upload its programming. It also branched out to broadcast each programme on a national FM radio station run by Ora, through paid airtime at a regular time each week. Towards the end of the project, it also found the private Marlin Barleti University in Tirana interested in establishing a campus radio station and provided the project equipment to its communications department.
Evaluation Date
October 2011
Theme
Country
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Empowering people through citizens’ journalism in Albania

Although risks were accurately identified, there was no alternative strategy developed as a fall back, specifically regarding the continued participation of the University of Tirana as an implementing partner and the ability to obtain a broadcast license for a campus station. As these were the basis for the project, the implementation plan needed to be reworked and new partners found well after the project had started. But the campus radio at Elbasan was not used as the hub for the project and project efforts were then split between Tirana and Elbasan and the YouRadio web portal equipment placed in the IRIOM office.
Project Partner
Institute for Democracy, Media and Cultural Exchange
Project Description
Empowering people through citizens’ journalism in Albania sought to strengthen the outreach of CSOs representing socially vulnerable groups to the community through citizen journalism by 1) equipping CSOs with public communication skills, 2) establishing a community radio station and a web portal at Tirana University, and 3) training students to report on socially relevant topics. The project was unable to establish the on-air radio but continued some training components at the University of Tirana. Activities were also extended to the University of Elbasan which had an existing campus radio station and a dean interested in community radio and citizen journalism. The project created an internet portal called “YouRadio” that it based in the IRIOM project office where it could record and upload its programming. It also branched out to broadcast each programme on a national FM radio station run by Ora, through paid airtime at a regular time each week. Towards the end of the project, it also found the private Marlin Barleti University in Tirana interested in establishing a campus radio station and provided the project equipment to its communications department.
Evaluation Date
October 2011
Theme
Country
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Empowering people through citizens’ journalism in Albania

The project did not develop synergies with other efforts in the sector, which included another UNDEF-funded media project and a youth radio funded by other donors in Albania. It had training programmes on investigatory journalism and professional standards, and produced broadcasts on issues of community and national importance with which this project could have linked to exchange programming and training opportunities. There was also Radio Aktive, an independent radio funded by the National Endowment for Democracy and the Open Society Foundation run by the NGO Mjaff. It was intended to provide citizens a voice and raise awareness on civic and social issues. It aired daily reports from youth, including journalism students from the University of Tirana who served as reporters. It also created an online radio portal “Radiostation.”16 UNICEF also funded “Speak Out” (TROC) which supported younger students in Albania to produce a weekly show broadcast on the national public TV station. It trained youth in reporting and supplied technical equipment to 11 bureaus across Albania. They produced 150 reports giving the youth perspective on a broad range of issues.
Project Partner
Institute for Democracy, Media and Cultural Exchange
Project Description
Empowering people through citizens’ journalism in Albania sought to strengthen the outreach of CSOs representing socially vulnerable groups to the community through citizen journalism by 1) equipping CSOs with public communication skills, 2) establishing a community radio station and a web portal at Tirana University, and 3) training students to report on socially relevant topics. The project was unable to establish the on-air radio but continued some training components at the University of Tirana. Activities were also extended to the University of Elbasan which had an existing campus radio station and a dean interested in community radio and citizen journalism. The project created an internet portal called “YouRadio” that it based in the IRIOM project office where it could record and upload its programming. It also branched out to broadcast each programme on a national FM radio station run by Ora, through paid airtime at a regular time each week. Towards the end of the project, it also found the private Marlin Barleti University in Tirana interested in establishing a campus radio station and provided the project equipment to its communications department.
Evaluation Date
October 2011
Theme
Country
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Empowering people through citizens’ journalism in Albania

Outside of a few main service contracts, most of the supervision, reporting and contracting was informal. This resulted in the project not having readily available information on its activities, outputs, contracting or expenditures, and its financial and programmatic reports were not submitted to UNDEF in a timely manner. This delayed release of the second tranche of project funding, pushing back activities and requiring a time extension to complete the project in Albania.
Project Partner
Institute for Democracy, Media and Cultural Exchange
Project Description
Empowering people through citizens’ journalism in Albania sought to strengthen the outreach of CSOs representing socially vulnerable groups to the community through citizen journalism by 1) equipping CSOs with public communication skills, 2) establishing a community radio station and a web portal at Tirana University, and 3) training students to report on socially relevant topics. The project was unable to establish the on-air radio but continued some training components at the University of Tirana. Activities were also extended to the University of Elbasan which had an existing campus radio station and a dean interested in community radio and citizen journalism. The project created an internet portal called “YouRadio” that it based in the IRIOM project office where it could record and upload its programming. It also branched out to broadcast each programme on a national FM radio station run by Ora, through paid airtime at a regular time each week. Towards the end of the project, it also found the private Marlin Barleti University in Tirana interested in establishing a campus radio station and provided the project equipment to its communications department.
Evaluation Date
October 2011
Theme
Country
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Empowering people through citizens’ journalism in Albania

Outside of a few main service contracts, most of the supervision, reporting and contracting was informal. This resulted in the project not having readily available information on its activities, outputs, contracting or expenditures, and its financial and programmatic reports were not submitted to UNDEF in a timely manner. This delayed release of the second tranche of project funding, pushing back activities and requiring a time extension to complete the project in Albania.
Project Partner
Institute for Democracy, Media and Cultural Exchange
Project Description
Empowering people through citizens’ journalism in Albania sought to strengthen the outreach of CSOs representing socially vulnerable groups to the community through citizen journalism by 1) equipping CSOs with public communication skills, 2) establishing a community radio station and a web portal at Tirana University, and 3) training students to report on socially relevant topics. The project was unable to establish the on-air radio but continued some training components at the University of Tirana. Activities were also extended to the University of Elbasan which had an existing campus radio station and a dean interested in community radio and citizen journalism. The project created an internet portal called “YouRadio” that it based in the IRIOM project office where it could record and upload its programming. It also branched out to broadcast each programme on a national FM radio station run by Ora, through paid airtime at a regular time each week. Towards the end of the project, it also found the private Marlin Barleti University in Tirana interested in establishing a campus radio station and provided the project equipment to its communications department.
Evaluation Date
October 2011
Theme
Country
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Empowering people through citizens’ journalism in Albania

The project was unable to establish the on-air radio but continued some training components at the University of Tirana, Albania. For similar projects in the future, the evaluators recommend that the formal agreements with the universities and for licensing be done before the project is submitted for funding.
Project Partner
Institute for Democracy, Media and Cultural Exchange
Project Description
Empowering people through citizens’ journalism in Albania sought to strengthen the outreach of CSOs representing socially vulnerable groups to the community through citizen journalism by 1) equipping CSOs with public communication skills, 2) establishing a community radio station and a web portal at Tirana University, and 3) training students to report on socially relevant topics. The project was unable to establish the on-air radio but continued some training components at the University of Tirana. Activities were also extended to the University of Elbasan which had an existing campus radio station and a dean interested in community radio and citizen journalism. The project created an internet portal called “YouRadio” that it based in the IRIOM project office where it could record and upload its programming. It also branched out to broadcast each programme on a national FM radio station run by Ora, through paid airtime at a regular time each week. Towards the end of the project, it also found the private Marlin Barleti University in Tirana interested in establishing a campus radio station and provided the project equipment to its communications department.
Evaluation Date
October 2011
Theme
Country
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Empowering people through citizens’ journalism in Albania

Some CSOs also felt their opportunities to benefit from the skills training beyond the participation of their student volunteers was limited which affected relevance for their organization. The training reached the student volunteers, but not in most cases to the organization, and any benefits accrued in terms of strengthening was with the individual students rather than the CSO.
Project Partner
Institute for Democracy, Media and Cultural Exchange
Project Description
Empowering people through citizens’ journalism in Albania sought to strengthen the outreach of CSOs representing socially vulnerable groups to the community through citizen journalism by 1) equipping CSOs with public communication skills, 2) establishing a community radio station and a web portal at Tirana University, and 3) training students to report on socially relevant topics. The project was unable to establish the on-air radio but continued some training components at the University of Tirana. Activities were also extended to the University of Elbasan which had an existing campus radio station and a dean interested in community radio and citizen journalism. The project created an internet portal called “YouRadio” that it based in the IRIOM project office where it could record and upload its programming. It also branched out to broadcast each programme on a national FM radio station run by Ora, through paid airtime at a regular time each week. Towards the end of the project, it also found the private Marlin Barleti University in Tirana interested in establishing a campus radio station and provided the project equipment to its communications department.
Evaluation Date
October 2011
Theme
Country
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Strengthening Somali Media Capacity for Democracy and Human Rights

The implementation of the project sent an important positive signal of the international community’s support for freedom of expression and good governance in Somalia. Although sustainability is always a challenge in troubled contexts such as Somalia, the project has laid valuable groundwork for future action in support of media freedom.
Project Partner
National Union of Somali Journalists
Project Description
The project aimed strengthened the capacity of the Somali media to implement principles and practices of democracy and respect for human rights by providing professional training to Somali journalists across the country, focusing on ethics and good journalistic practices, and holding workshops on good governance and human rights. The use of training sessions and workshops was appropriate to address the issue of journalists’ skills development. Creation of a media centre was also useful in helping journalists to do their work. However, the project's planned activities were not sufficient to address all its objectives. The number of participating journalists was on target, as was the ratio of women participants (30%). This is a very significant achievement, considering the prevalence of armed violence and high levels of political instability in many parts of Somalia during the project period. Significantly, the project benefited about half of Somalia’s journalists. On the other hand, the failure to address other stakeholders - government, editors, and publishers - reduced the likelihood of positive changes. However, the very fact that the project took place has to be seen as an achievement in its own right.
Evaluation Date
October 2011
Theme
Country
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Strengthening Somali Media Capacity for Democracy and Human Rights

The project took due account of the requirements for gender balance in terms of participation. However, the contents of the training sessions did not sufficiently emphasize the gender aspects of human rights and governance, which are particularly important in a conflict context such as Somalia’s.

Project Partner
National Union of Somali Journalists
Project Description
The project aimed strengthened the capacity of the Somali media to implement principles and practices of democracy and respect for human rights by providing professional training to Somali journalists across the country, focusing on ethics and good journalistic practices, and holding workshops on good governance and human rights. The use of training sessions and workshops was appropriate to address the issue of journalists’ skills development. Creation of a media centre was also useful in helping journalists to do their work. However, the project's planned activities were not sufficient to address all its objectives. The number of participating journalists was on target, as was the ratio of women participants (30%). This is a very significant achievement, considering the prevalence of armed violence and high levels of political instability in many parts of Somalia during the project period. Significantly, the project benefited about half of Somalia’s journalists. On the other hand, the failure to address other stakeholders - government, editors, and publishers - reduced the likelihood of positive changes. However, the very fact that the project took place has to be seen as an achievement in its own right.
Evaluation Date
October 2011
Theme
Country