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Tasks
Performed
In the first seven years of its existence MSI has devoted much of its time and energy in promoting the alternative media to reach the rural masses. Since 1995 MSI has advocated, tested and implemented what it refers to as community communication in many parts of the country. The concept and strategy of community communication embraces all means of communication including print, radio and audio-visuals. It has already organized training programs to promote and implement this concept at the grass-roots.
1. The Media Strengthening Project deals with three central-level
media organizations, namely the National News Agency, Press Council
Nepal and the Federation of Nepalese Journalists and tries to help
create a congenial atmosphere for free and responsible journalism under
which pro-poor reporting can be possible.
2. The Media and the Conflict report reviews the state of
conflict reporting in the print and electronic media of Nepal and
suggests ways and means to improve the level, extent and quality of
reporting on conflicts. If implemented, the action plans formulated in
the report will have positive bearing on the future of the people who
underwent immense suffering from a state of violent conflict in Nepal.
3. The review of the Media Laws indicates many contradictions in
the letters and spirit of the existing legislations related to the media
and suggests measures to reform them in order to enhance social justice
and equity in favor of the poor.
4. The report on Pro-Poor Media can be described as a compendium
of measures necessary to be undertaken in making the mainstream as well
as the alternative media effective in empowering the poor to fight
against poverty. It contains a comprehensive account of the state of the
media as far as the poor are concerned, makes a need assessment,
identifies the areas for possible intervention and formulates the
necessary action plans.
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MSI has offered professional services to many well-known development agencies like SNV-Nepal, UNICEF, Nepal Press Institute, Rural Development Palpa, Centre for Development Communication and Rural Self-Reliance Development Centre (RSDC) in such areas as training of trainers, publication of wall newspapers, role of information and communication in rural empowerment and designing of publications.
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MSI has extended its assistance to RSDC, SAP Nepal, Worldview Nepal and Nepal Forum of Environmental Journalists in content selection and overall designing of their publications. The main stress has been on effective writing and, skilled and attractive designing.
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MSI played the key role in conceiving, planning and publishing two development magazines, Face-to-Face and Hakahaki. It also helped institutionalise the publications by setting up a new independent agency.
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MSI in 1999 completed a UNICEF-sponsored survey of the print media coverage of issues related to children and women. Similarly, MSI worked with AMIC, Singapore, on a similar study on children in the media by analyzing the coverage of children in newspapers and television in Nepal. These studies are expected to provide vital information for designing a communication strategy in future.
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MSI carried out an impact study of a popular UNICEF -NTV soap opera called Devi which was telecast by Nepal Television every Saturday. The study was expected to ascertain the impact of popular television series in bringing about attitudinal and behavioural changes in such areas as child care, motherhood, literacy and sanitation.
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MSI in 2001 carried out A Survey of Teenagers in Nepal for Life-skill development and HIV/AIDS Prevention under commission from UNICEF. The project will lead to guidelines for production of a series of radio programme beamed specialy to the youth of Nepal.
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MSI has been undertaking regular opinion polls to contribute substantive inputs into healthy public debates on issues of national, regional and international significance. With assistance from London-based Westminster Foundation for Democracy, MSI has already conducted opinion polls on such burning issues as: women's rights to property, women's right to abortion, 5-day week for government offices, role of the opposition in parliament and the importance of primary education. Public polls on such controversial subjects as the status and wishes of the ethnic minorities in Nepal, corruption in public places and the state of the environment are also part of MSI's recent achievements. These polls are expected to go a long way in strengthening democracy and giving voice to the voiceless.
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MSI recently completed an impact study of the Media Development Fund (MDF) instituted
with assistace from the Danida Aid Agency (Danida) to help newspaper
publishers outside Kathmandu to upgrade their publications. The study report
has recommended to the Press Council Nepal (PCN) various ways in
which the resources would be used in future to further improve the newspapers in the districts.
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MSI is presently working on several innovative ideas in refining the concept and functioning of democracy in Nepal in the light of growing public apathy and disenchantment.
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MSI intends to involve itself more actively in issues relating to Peace and Conflict Resolution in the light of growing cases of conflicts in the world at large as well as within the Nepalese society. MSI feels that the mass media must play a more active and extensive role in investigating causes of conflicts and recommending solutions for creating a more peaceful condition in which social and economic development becomes possible.
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MSI has already established itself as a credible organisation in promoting community communications. It is a concept to help local communities to organise, manage and operate their own media. The main objective is to help people to empower themselves so that they can ventilate their feelings and grievances in a democratic manner. It can become an effective instrument for power decentralisation, information dissemination and people's empowerment. Below are some of the areas that have been identified as most vital in all training activities:
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Concept of community communication
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How to organise and run community communication centres
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How to establish and run community audio towers
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How to run news boards and wall newspapers
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How to use traditional communication media
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Participatory video training
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Local and community radio stations
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Cassette magazine production
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