USAID Cooperative Agreement Award No. 72011518-CA-00001
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INTERNEWS CENTRAL ASIA MEDIA PROGRAM USAID Cooperative Agreement Award No. 72011518-CA-00001 QUARTERLY PROGRESS REPORT OCTOBER 1 – DECEMBER 31, 2019 Dmitri Surnin Dylan Gray Regional Director, Europe & Eurasia Senior Director of Grants and Contracts 1133 15th St. Ste. #350 PO Box 4448 Washington, D.C. 20005 Arcata, CA 95518 tel. +1 (202) 833-5740 tel. +1 (707) 826-2030 [email protected] in [email protected] 1 Table of Contents Executive Summary ................................................................................................................................................ 3 Highlights/Impact ................................................................................................................................................... 3 Background/Context ............................................................................................................................................... 7 Project Activities ................................................................................................................................................... 10 Objective 1: Improve media capacity to provide balanced, informed and unbiased reporting on key policy and public interest issues ..................................................................................................................................... 10 1.1. Increase supply of fact-based, balanced information through local content ............................................... 10 1.1.1. Grants and technical support for quality content production Labs ....................................................... 10 1.1.2. Inclusive Content Labs ............................................................................................................................... 15 1.1.3. Recognizing outstanding journalism ......................................................................................................... 16 1.2. Strengthen professional development of media practitioners across traditional and “new” media platforms ......................................................................................................................................................... 17 1.2.1. Thematic and skills-based training for media practitioners ............................................................... 17 1.2.2. Annual Central Asia Festival “MediaCAMP Fest” ............................................................................. 22 1.3. Strengthen management and financial viability skills of independent media .............................................. 22 1.3.1. Professional development opportunities for media managers and sales teams ................................. 22 1.3.2. Financial Future grants .......................................................................................................................... 23 Objective 2: Increase media and information literacy among youth and adults to become critical consumers and producers of information .......................................................................................................... 23 2.1. Strengthen media literacy skills to improve citizens’ ability to evaluate information, critically and competently ......................................................................................................................................................... 23 2.1.1. Develop online media literacy and analysis resource .......................................................................... 23 2.1.2. Support broad-based media literacy education ................................................................................... 25 2.1.3. Assess levels of media literacy, consumption, and trust ...................................................................... 30 2.2. Increase citizens’ ability to engage with and produce news and information .............................................. 34 2.2.1. Foster development of citizen reporting networks .............................................................................. 34 2.2.2. Build additional avenues for citizen engagement with local media .................................................... 37 Objective 3: Improved legal enabling environment for media ........................................................................ 42 3.1. Support efforts to improve legal and regulatory environment for media ..................................................... 42 3.1.1. Support and improve legal monitoring, analysis, and advocacy ........................................................ 42 3.1.2. Strengthen media industry associations for improved representation and self-regulation.............. 43 3.1.3. Build the capacity of relevant government agencies and legislatures ................................................ 44 3.1.4. Nurturing partnerships and resource sharing ..................................................................................... 45 3.2. Support independent broadcasters to advocate for and ensure their equities in the digital switchover process ......................................................................................................................................................... 46 3.3 Access to public information is increased for all media and journalists ....................................................... 47 Challenges/Lessons Learned ................................................................................................................................ 50 Collaboration with Host Country Governments and Other Donor-Funded Projects (USG and International) ........................................................................................................................................................ 52 Gender Analysis .................................................................................................................................................... 53 List of Attachments ............................................................................................................................................... 55 Annex 3. Press Clippings ................................................................................................................................. 56 Annex 4. Public Communication Materials ................................................................................................... 58 Annex 5. Key media law issues Kazakhstan during the quarter (Activity 3.1.1) ........................................ 62 Annex 6. Links to Asia Plus publications on labor migration under Activity 3.3 ...................................... 64 2 Executive Summary The Central Asia Media Program (MediaCAMP) aims to improve content quality and audience engagement, strengthen media outlet financial sustainability, increase media literacy, and strengthen the enabling environment in Central Asia. The overarching program goal is to develop a more balanced information environment in Central Asia to increase openness among youth and adults for differing ideas, opinions and perspectives and in turn increase their engagement in civic participation. The program will run from October 1, 2018 through September 30, 2023. MediaCAMP’s activities are implemented toward meeting three objectives: • Objective One: Improve media capacity to provide balanced, informed and unbiased reporting on key policy and public interest issues • Objective Two: Increase media and information literacy among youth and adults to become critical consumers and producers of information • Objective Three: Improved legal enabling environment for media Highlights/Impact Regional • On November 28, 2019, MediaCAMP presented its Media Consumption and Media Literacy Survey to a wide range of media specialists at Media Kuryltai, one of the biggest annual media events in Almaty, generating great interest among the professional community. Preliminary analysis reveals that, as expected, TV was the main reported source of news in all three countries; surprisingly, over half of the survey participants reported they did not have access to a smartphone; and social media consumption patterns are diverse across the three countries, with WhatsApp leading in Kazakhstan, Viber in Tajikistan, and Telegram in Uzbekistan. The study results will bring rare data on local audience behavior and their media literacy levels, which will help MediaCAMP’s partners to better understand their audiences’ needs and expectations. • Thirty media outlets in Kazakhstan and Tajikistan expressed interest in building formal cooperative links with local citizen journalists through a MediaCAMP grant program. The 10 selected partners represent a good mix in terms of their geographical representation. Each will build a network of citizen reporters, increasing local civic participation and the flow of local content and news reporting. • For the first time since it’s re-design and re-launch in January 2019, the NewReporter.org website saw audience growth this quarter. The number of unique visitors to the site increased by 20% in October-December 2019, and the number of views grew by 26%. Additionally, New Reporter’s Facebook audience increased by 10%, also the first increase since the re- launch. The website was designed to become a popular media literacy and analysis resource for local media communities, students, and young people with an interest in media. The growing viewership and responses to its content from journalists signals progress towards achieving this goal. 3 Kazakhstan • A total