1

Framework for the Sustainable NGOs Media Strategies:

The Synergy of NGO –Media Collaboration

With the emergence of exploding forms of media and ever greater variety of

internationally vocal non governmental organizations including multinational

corporations, the field of public diplomacy and international communication is infinitely

more complex. The fluid equation of public and private forces on the world of

international communication and public diplomacy is the crosscutting issue in the

multimodal media world. There is a need to highlight the principles and practice of global

communication and public diplomacy today focusing on the interaction of government,

media and NGOs and Interplay of non governmental forces on governmental actions.

Focusing on the context, this paper tries to forward a thematic framework for exploring

and practicing efficient NGOs media strategies to sustain NGO-Media collaboration in

today’s Multimodal Media world. The framework has dealt with the critical perspectives

on development communication and journalism by putting forward the ways out for

institutionalization of development media, and the technical aspects to operationalize the

effective monitoring and evaluation process through benchmarking the standards and

quality of development news and reports.

2

1. NGOs Media Strategies in focus:

An organization needs to constantly communicate to its environment how it is performing

in relation to the reason for its existence.1 An NGO which can produce a media strategy

with clearly identifiable, predetermined and actual outcomes can sustain for longer.

Promoting good governance and development requires improvement of media capacity

for reporting on socioeconomic and development issues such as public health and

education (Hudock, 2003; and Ojo, 2005 as in Biswas).2 United Nations General

Assembly, Special Session on HIV/AIDS,3 has suggested for the development of media

strategy by networking with local journalists, local NGO network and Local media for

meaningful involvement of NGOs and Civil society. Given the media's important role in

shaping public opinion and awareness, advocates of any development program must rely

on the media to disseminate their messages (Rubin, 2000 as in Biswas).4 It appears

obvious and urgent that media and NGOs have to find out new way of collaboration that

could lead to better general understanding and awareness on North-South relations.5

3

Examples (Successful NGO-Media collaboration) ……

• Some of the NGOs –such as Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) in Belgium or Action

Contre la Faim (ACF) in France- have developed a strong and sustained relationship

with national and international media, who now refer to them in order to get

information or to confirm data from third sources.

• The partnership between the public Czech Television and the NGO People In Need

Foundation (PNIF) is one of the best illustrations of the impact of a public media

involvement in Development Education.

• AlertNet, from Reuters Foundation, whose mission is to raise the profile of many of

the world’s “forgotten” emergencies, is a very good example of the use of ICT with

media.

Source: European conference on Awareness-Raising and Development Education for North-South

solidarity, 1/8 [Working paper group C], Media and Communication. Strategies, Brussels, 18-19-20 May

2005

4

2. Significant Features of NGOs Media Strategies in International Communication:

Regarding the growing trend of public diplomacy practice (the participation of non-state

actors in the process of communicating and relationship building among citizens of

different nations with implication for government foreign policies) Zhang and Swartz

studied the media strategies of a U.S.-based NGO, the Washington Profile.6 According to

their work, the perceived effectiveness of this NGO in international news service is much

higher than government sponsored news programs such as Voice of America (VOA). The

factors that impact this effectiveness include foreign censorship, NGO leaders’ vision,

audience access to the Internet, and funding restraints.

Non-governmental actors have become increasingly effective in advancing their agendas

and disseminating their messages across the field of international affairs. For example, in

1996, more than 1000 NGOs as leading actors, joined by like-minded nations,

successfully reached a global treaty to ban anti-personnel landmines. In 2002, the NGOs

and like-minded nations successfully made the International Criminal Court Treaty into

force (Davenport, 2002 as in Zhang and Swartz)7.

5

Strength and Effectiveness of Emerging NGOs Media Strategies

Compared to government-sponsored media strategies, NGO media strategies appear to be

stronger with many advantages.

• Relying on the latest communication technology such as websites and email

publishing, they could reach world publics at very low cost, with fewer staff, and

less bureaucracy.

• The latest communication technology guarantees that such communication can be

targeted to the smallest segment of audiences: individuals; and the same

technology could ensure interactions between the organization and its audience.

• They are independent from the government and could be perceived more neutral

and thus more credible.

NGOs Media strategies have significant impact affecting the public diplomacy efforts of

governments. Taylor (2000a as in Tyler, 2009)8 has argued that NGO public relations

practitioners and media representatives have the potential to build a special relationship

that can serve civil society objectives in transitional nations. In a study of the public

relations efforts by Bosnian NGOs, Taylor concluded “the media relations function has

an important role in the development of civil society in Bosnia”.

6

Weaknesses: Loss of originality and credibility of Information

In some cases, it is argued that think tanks and NGOs are always self-appointed and often

single issue oriented about the agenda-setting and the role of think tanks and NGO’s on

government perceptions and policies. If aid agencies act as reporters they must consider

whether they are acting as journalists or as advocates. When they act as journalists this

often becomes blurred. NGOs are partial, occasionally illegal, and passionate about their

cause9, if they continue to mimic the requirements of mainstream, institutionalized news,

then arguably they will fail in the role of advocacy, become no different than elite sources

of information, and lose the position of public credibility that many are now enjoying.

3. Impacts of Emerging NGOs Media Strategies:

Potential Impacts to Traditional Journalism:

Civil society actors such as NGOs and advocacy networks are becoming increasingly

significant players as the traditional news media model is threatened by shrinking

audiences, the availability of free content online, and the declining fortunes of

mainstream media.10 Emerging NGOs media strategies have a significant impact on the

traditional news makers: news media outlets, journalists, and editors. In this regard

emerging NGOs media strategies are to be judged as the progressive challenges to the

traditional journalism.

Impact on International Relations:

Regarding the impact of the media and communication, working paper of conference on

Awareness-Raising and Development Education for North-South solidarity,11 identified

the dual role of media. On the one hand, media can definitely help make North-South

7

relations more interesting to the general public; on the other hand, they tend to convey a

biased image of the South, leading to a negative overall perception of developing

countries by people from the North. Based on this argument, emerging NGOs media

strategies are also the subject of the potential impact to the international relationships.

Regarding these critical issues, the working paper of European conference, raises some

questions;

Can media independence be guaranteed when co-operating with NGOs and donors in the

coverage of North-South relations? Can the different types of media (written press, radio

and TV) play a different role in raising awareness on North-South issues and

Development Education?12

Relying on these facts emerging NGOs media strategies should be in line to create a

positive impact in international relationships.

4. Ethical and Practical Issues

“Ethics … should be built into every program,”13 Ethical issues also pose a major

problem. The overuse and abuse of undercover cameras, misrepresentation, and payment

of money for information all are nettlesome issues that must be dealt with. Such ethical

and professional shortcomings affect not only investigative reporting but all of the news

media and need to be part of basic journalism education.

Trust, transparency, and credibility are the keys for NGOs media strategies to produce

successful collaboration with mass media and building up better international

relationships.

8

5. Success Story: NGO media strategy of ‘NGO Working Group on Women Peace

and Security, Resolution 1325’, from 2001-200614

Initiation Phase:

The ‘NGO Working Group on Women and International Peace and Security’ was formed

to encourage the open session and resolution of the UN Security Council on Women,

Peace and Security. The group has since expanded to include: Amnesty International,

International Alert, the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom, The

Hague Appeal for Peace, the Women's Caucus for Gender Justice, the International

Women's Tribune Center and the Women's Commission for Refugee Women and

Children. These non-governmental organizations have worked with UN departments and

sympathetic member states, another example of the productive synergy of the democratic

diplomacy at work.15

Initiatives: A panel discussion organized by International Women’s Tribune Centre

(IWTC) during the 46th session of the Commission on the Status of Women on March 7,

2001 in New York, entitled "Women's Media strategies for Peace" was IWTC’s first step

toward designing a multi-phased, multi-media communications strategy for the

promotion of Resolution 1325.16

Implementation Phase17

Examples:

- “Taking 1325 to the Village,” an initiative of the Association of War

Affected Women (Sri Lanka), and integration of 1325 into a

9

“Community Women’s Peace building Manual,” developed by the West

Africa Network for Peace building’s West Africa Peace building

Institute.

- Other Outreach Tools

• Radio: The West Africa Network for Peace building (WANEP) produces a “Voices of

Women” Radio Program, with stations in Gambia, Guinea Bissau, Liberia and Senegal.

• Website: The Women’s Security Council in Germany has created a website devoted to

1325. The website features the Women’s Security Council 1325 postcard campaign, their

“Plan of Action for Accelerating Implementation of SCR* 1325,” and provides an online

discussion forum on 1325. http://un1325.de/fsr.htm

• Magazine: FemLINK† pacific has produced “fem’TALK 1325: a women and peace

community magazine project”, supported by UNIFEM‡ Pacific.

Communication and advocacy18

-Such as translation campaigns to make SCR 1325 available to local communities

Collaboration with Department of Public Information (DPI)

-Production of brochure Women, Peace and Security: At a Glance (Oct 2003).

Online Resources for Advocacy and Education on SCR 1325

- The E-Newsletter:

www.peacewomen.org/news/1325News/1325ENewsindex.html

* Security Council Resolution (SCR) † FemLINK seeks to provide alternative and additional viewpoints to mainstream media coverage, particularly on

issues related to the culture of peace and other issues that are of concern to Fiji women.

‡ United Nations Development Fund for Women

10

- 1325 PowerPoint Presentations & Handouts: at PeaceWomen.org

website

‘The last five years have seen a marked increase in the level of awareness among policy-

makers and personnel in governmental and non-governmental agencies working on peace

and security regarding the need to address gender in discussing conflict resolution, peace-

building and reconstruction.’ 19

These initiatives successfully influenced the UN policies through the recommendations

for United Nations member states and United Nations entities from women’s civil society

organization.

6. Ways forward:

In the present context of rapidly changing communication environment, including local-

global, interactive and transnational flows and networks, NGOs are growing up with new

communications opportunities. The emergence of humanitarian resources such as

Reuters' AlertNet and the United Nations' ReliefWeb and other web-based services are

collating and disseminating accessible, up-to-date information and background on

forgotten humanitarian crises around the world.20 Zhang and Swartz articulated an NGO

media diplomacy mode, which include values (i.e., independence from government,

journalistic objectivity and balance, and reader education) and perceived effectiveness

(i.e., reaching audiences, affecting elite groups, and return of investment), which further

leads the NGOs media strategies towards sustainability.21 In this regard, reviewing the

critical perspectives on development journalism, institutionalizing development media,

reforming existing institutions, monitoring and evaluation of the standards and quality of

11

development news and reports, benchmarking various aspects of standards and quality

are found to be useful to discuss here.

Step 1:

Reviewing the Critical Perspectives on Development Journalism

The insights from ‘communication for development’ perspective focus on the ability of

communication or advocacy from individual or networked groups/communities for their

self-development and empowerment from local to global level. The basic assumption is

that there are no countries or communities that function completely autonomously, and

that are completely self-sufficient, nor are there any nations whose development is

exclusively determined by external factors. Every society and community is dependent in

one way or another, both in form and in degree.22 According to Ogan (in Wimmer and

Wolf)23, the discussion of development communication represents the starting point for

development journalism. In this respect the communication on the development

discourses and debates, progress of development programmes and projects, etc. are

demanding an operational model of development journalism.

Kunczik (in Wimmer & Wolf)24 represents development journalism as an intellectual

enterprise in which the journalist should form a kind of free intelligence and should

critically examine the aims of national development and the applicable instruments in a

rational discourse and solve them by reasonable criteria free of social constraints.

“Development news should examine critically, evaluate and interpret the relevance of dev

elopment plans, projects, policies, problems, and issues. It should indicate the disparities

between plans and actual accomplishments, and include comparisons with how developm

ent is progressing in other countries and regions. It also should provide contextual and ba

12

ckground information about the development process, discuss the impact of plans, project

s, policies, problems, and issues on people, and speculate about the future of development

. And development news should refer to the needs of people, which may vary from countr

y to country or from region to region, but generally include primary needs, such as food,

housing, employment; secondary needs such as transportation, energy sources and electri

city; and tertiary needs such as cultural diversity, recognition and dignity.”- Shah in Wimmer

& Wolf)25

The development journalism model is characterized by three mechanisms for

‘modernizing’ the ‘traditional society’: psycho-sociological, institutional and

technological. Freire (in Wimmer & Wolf)26 critically argues that in the traditional

pedagogical systems, the receivers were supposed to be uncritical and passive, ingesting

the world view of the elites and then perceiving their problems and needs in terms of the

elite-dominated rationality. He called for a new dialogical pedagogy in which the receiver

would be liberated from his/her mental inertia, penetrate the ideological mist. In this

respect development journalism has to be guided with the rigorous research and findings

of the communications on multi-paradigmatic dynamics of development discourses and

practices.

Step 2:

Institutionalization of Development Media

-NGOs as institutions for change, development and advocacy

Development journalism courses overseas are steeped in theory and bear little

resemblance to what is taught in modern journalism departments or practiced by

professionals in the field. Developing a modern journalism curriculum that includes

13

development elements with Model Curricula for Journalism Education is the basic

requirement which can create efficient journalism training centers in development NGOs.

This is the theme of institutionalization of journalism education at NGOs and their

training centers through courses on

development communication’ or ‘communication for national development’.

These education subjects should be categorized as subjects on development journalism.

For example; Subject matters should cover the facets of development e.g.

Attending to the needs of the rural population or emphasizing participative communicati

on. ‘Rural sociology’, ‘Manifestations of Rural poverty’

‘women in society’, ‘rural information dissemination’, ‘and

participatory communication’ etc. are some aspects falling upon development

journalism.

Furthermore, we have to define more precisely the influence of trainings on journalistic

everyday life. The mere teaching of certain contents such as the elements of development

journalism does not necessarily mean that the journalists act accordingly.

-Collaboration of Development Programs (by NGOs) and Development

Communication (by Development Media) - (The transformative synthesis)

NGOs growing with the voices of people’s development also have to provide citizens

with information that will allow them to participate fully in their societies; fostering their

development, curiosity and education; tapping the best of a nation’s cultural resources in

literature, art, drama, science, history, etc. and expressing national and regional cultural

diversity and integrity.

14

In that sense the NGOs should step forward to train and recruit development journalists

for the development communication to and from the public. NGOs before stepping to this

transformative development should consider the following points regarding the ethics of

development communication;

The information collected and disseminated should have Universal accessibility

(geographically); universal appeal (general tastes and interests); particular

attention to minorities; contribution to a sense of national identity and

community; distance from vested interests; direct funding and universality of

payment; competition in good programming rather than for numbers; and

guidelines that liberate rather than restrict programme makers.

Development journalism should be ethically encouraged to focus on rural (remotest)

areas and view ‘development’ holistically. It should be ‘appealing’ to all, inclusive to all

unheard voices, Should reflect cultural identity and community perspectives, guided with

‘free will’.

Development communication what values ‘quality’ content, by infusing, grassroots

voices as well, should also consider the independent & democratic participation focused

on five practical suggestions for implementing a development journalism agenda within

the context of Public Sector Broadcasting as a notion to respect the right to information.

The strategic steps for NGOs include: treating audiences as citizens; cultivating the art of

public listening; promoting a deliberative/dialogical culture among citizens; supporting

citizens’ framing of the development agenda; and cultivating engaged and engaging

development journalism for the welfare of general public.

15

Based on these strategic steps NGOs can conduct training programmes on development

journalisms as a part of the research and development (R & D) projects of the

organization.

Step 3:

Monitoring and Evaluation

Ultimately the quality and standards of the communication researchers, reports and

findings matter. It is a subject of monitoring and evaluation of the researchers and reports

throughout the processes, the collection (information, News or data) , analysis,

discussion, and publication stages. These are the similar practices to be adopted by NGOs

during the trainings classes and field works for the trainee.

• Content analysis can be useful for coverage of specific development topics such

as governance issues, rural poverty, urban crime etc. It can be brought out with

certain analytical framework for content analysis based on the widely accepted

perspectives on development and social changes.

• Triangulation of the information and reports (with other relevant sources) through

independent media researchers and media observatories.

The presence of development programs and nonprofit centers with high standards can

help establish a benchmark against which to measure the rest of the news media. Outside

audits—preferably done by experienced development editors—are one tool that could

help ensure that reporting programs are operating at a professional level.

• Assessment of the environment based on the common queries like;

“Is there a market for this work?” “Are media owners, and public fronts supportive?”

16

“Are people getting benefit from such information?” “Is this approach capable to

smoothen the process of information dissemination to and from the public?” etc.

• Public appraisals on the development reporting and public audit of the

development media firms

Benchmarking Standards and Quality

Even among some well-regarded development reporters in developed and democratized

countries, stories are often produced with few sources and little clearance to explain to

readers and viewers where information is coming from. Development journalism is one

of the significant modes of development communication; in this regard it should consider

the multipradigmatic changes in development philosophies, theories and practices.

Establishing high standards is critical in terms of clarity, accuracy, fairness, reader-

friendliness, newsworthiness. Development news should encourage the dissemination of

information regarding the key domains of development debates and discourses

worldwide. In this view, it should be the interpretation of the development phenomena in

terms of news and reports. To establish the system the integration of ethics training into

development programs of NGOs could help, as well. Another tool used to good effect is

the provision of rewarding the responsible efforts.

17

7. Recommendations

Provide multiple supports to development communication researches and development

journalism programs

Despite its critical role in fostering the public accountability on diplomacy in

development dialogues, battling crime and corruption, and raising standards in the

general understandings on the multipradigmatic dynamics of emerging development

discourses; development journalism receives little from international development aid

and comprises a significant gap in media development funding. A substantial increase in

funding of this vital area could have a significant impact. It would be better if a part of

funding within the development programs of NGOs is defined to be the specific fund for

development communication.

Integrate development journalism into broader media reform as Peoples Sector

Broadcasting

Development reporting programs have a greater chance of success when integrated into

broader initiatives that include legal reform and freedom of information to peoples from

every sphere of the society.

Institutionalize development reporting centers

Central to any strategy should be support to the world’s nonprofit development reporting

and training centers. The centers have proved themselves dynamic agents of change and

form an increasingly vital link in world communication.

Besides this significant initiatives like global networking through support for

development training and reporting conferences, coordination with development

journalism groups, etc. can build up strong agendas and practices thereafter in

18

development communication. The quality of the news and reports should maintain the

standards and its applicability. The ultimate communication should be interpreted as the

findings from the researches in development communication not as the collection of

information on advocacy of certain development debates or issues of certain group of

peoples.

Conclusive Remarks:

In the multimodal Media world; civil society, NGOs and the mass media have to come

together with the public appraisal for shaping the governmental policies and building

stronger international relationships. To sustain the organizational development, NGOs

need to develop effective media strategies and train journalists on reporting

developmental issues. NGOs and media organizations can organize such training

together. NGOs should maintain relationships with news media, not only to seek

coverage of their projects but also to update reporters on different issues and research

findings. The time ahead is to create an environment for the successful collaboration of

the NGOs, Media and Civil Society. The emerging environment can create the situation

of ‘right to genuine information’ for the peoples around the globe.

19

Endnotes:

1Frank Julie, Media strategies for NGO sustainability, The NGO Network Alliance Project - an online community for

Zimbabwean activists, kumbatan.net, August 05, 2007.

2 Masudul K. Biswas, “Developmental Issues in News Media: NGO-Media Interaction in Bangladesh,” The International Journal of Not-for-Profit Law, Vol.9, No.3(2007): 77-95 3 United Nations General Assembly, Special Session on HIV/AIDS (UNGASS, A Guide for Meaningful Involvement of

NGOs and Civil Society, prepared by the international council of AIDS service organization(ICASO), February 26,

2001

4 Masudul K. Biswas, “Developmental Issues in News Media: NGO-Media Interaction in Bangladesh,” The International Journal of Not-for-Profit Law, Vol.9, No.3(2007): 77-95

5 Belgium Development Corporation , European conference on Awareness-Raising and Development Education for

North-South solidarity, 1/8 [Working paper group C], Media and Communication Strategies, Brussels, 18-19-20 May

2005

6 Juyan Zhang and Brecken Chinn Swartz, “Toward a model of NGO media diplomacy in the Internet age: Case study of Washington Profile,” Public Relations Review 35(2009):47–55 7 ibid 8 Maureen Taylor, “Protocol journalism as a framework for understanding public relations–media relationships in Kosovo,” Public Relations Review, 35 (2009): 23–30

9 Natalie Fenton, Has the Internet changed how NGOs work with established media? Not enough (Series of discussion

at Nieman Journalism Lab, A project of the Nieman Foundation at Harvard University) Nov. 23, 2009 Available at:

http://www.niemanlab.org/2009/11/natalie-fenton-has-the-internet-changed-how-ngos-work-with-established-media-

not-enough/

10 Nieman Journalism Lab, NGOs and the News: Exploring a Changing Communication Landscape, , A project of the

Nieman Foundation at Harvard University, Available at: http://www.niemanlab.org/ngo/

11 Belgium Development Corporation , European conference on Awareness-Raising and Development Education for

North-South solidarity, 1/8 [Working paper group C], Media and Communication Strategies, Brussels, 18-19-20 May

2005

20

12 ibid 13 David E. Kaplan, Global Investigative Journalism: Strategies for Support, A Report to the Center for International

Media Assistance, December 5, 2007

( For detail please see- National Endowment for Democracy, Center for International Media Assistance, Media

Assistance: Challenges and Opportunities for the Professional Development of Journalists, , July 25, 2007)

14 NGO Working Group on Women Peace and Security, Resolution 1325, available at-

http://www.womenpeacesecurity.org/publications/

15 ibid (One Year on Report at: http://womenpeacesecurity.org/media/pdf-NGOWG-OneYearOnReport.pdf ) 16 ibid (Two Year on Report at : http://womenpeacesecurity.org/media/pdf-NGOWG-TwoYearsOnReport.pdf) 17 ibid ( Four Year on Report at http://womenpeacesecurity.org/media/pdf-NGOWG-FourYearsOnReport.pdf)

18 ibid ( Five Year on Report at http://womenpeacesecurity.org/media/pdf-fiveyearson.pdf)

19 ibid 20 Simon Cottle and David Nolan, How the Media's Codes and Rules Influence the Way NGOs Work, Nieman

Journalism Lab November 16, 2009

available at: http://www.globalpolicy.org/ngos/advocacy-methods-for-ngos/networking/48459-how-the-medias-codes-

and-rules-influence-the-way-ngos-work.html

21 Juyan Zhang and Brecken Chinn Swartz, “Toward a model of NGO media diplomacy in the Internet age: Case study of Washington Profile,” Public Relations Review 35(2009):47–55 22 Jan Servaes, “Communication policies, good governance and development journalism,” communicato, Vol. 35, No. 1 (2009):50 - 80 23 Jeffrey Wimmer and Susanne Wolf, “Development journalism out of date?,An analysis of its significance in journalism education at African universities”, Munchener Beitragezur Kommunikation swissenschaft, Nr. 3(2005) 24 ibid 25 ibid 26 ibid