Internews Pakistan
Internews Pakistan is training radio journalists and station managers in the standards and practices of professional journalism and assisting journalism curriculum development. It is also lobbying for media law and policy development all aimed at fostering a vigorous and diverse mass media as an essential cornerstone of a progressive society. Internews Network is implementing a media assistance program in Pakistan, supporting the fledgling non-government radio stations and other media-representative bodies with technical, editorial and management training.
Goals:
- Internews recognizes the efforts of the Government of Pakistan in opening up the broadcast media sector in particular and looks to strengthening this endeavor.
- Internews will engage key non-government media being built and strengthened so they may fulfill their new role as alternative voices in a country that is experiencing an open and plural media in the broadcast sector for the first time in its history.
- The overall goal of the Internews program is to ensure skilled, independent and financially viable media outlets exist, particularly in the broadcast sector, and are able to provide citizens of Pakistan with quality information and education programs.
- Internews assists the Pakistani broadcast media to serve as a principal conduit for dialogue, as the people increasingly seek to communicate with their local, provincial and national leaderships
- On its own and in collaboration with selected partners in Pakistan, Internews seeks to strengthen the technical competence of targeted media institutions to ensure their long-term sustainability through its program.
- The Pakistani broadcast sector, especially the private sector radio stations that have been issued licenses to operate, face the challenge of standardizing skills and strengthening their capacities to function effectively in the improving broadcast media environment.
Challenges:
Key challenges to a successful broadcast media in Pakistan include:
- A lack of technical know-how and equipment maintenance skills
- Establishing and maintaining economic viability
- Exercising their rights and responsibilities as decreed in the constitution and law
- Practicing accurate and balanced analytical reporting
- Reporting on the parliament to promote good governance
- Building capacities to report events and processes at the local level.
Activities:
Internews is implementing a number of activities that will meet these urgent needs and is assisting the building of a viable independent media as Pakistan progresses in opening up its broadcast sector.
Internews activities that seek to address these challenges in Pakistan include:
- Technical support and hands-on training for journalists and radio stations.
- In-house mentoring for radio stations by international experts.
- Seminars and support for community radio.
- Legal resource assistance to the stakeholders, including the broadcast sector regulator, in improving the broadcast media environment.
- Technical and legal assistance to stakeholders in media policy development.
Through these undertakings, Internews will be playing an important role in helping improve the regulatory environment and the media broadcast sector in Pakistan.
Internews is an international organization that operates in about 40 countries to promote open media worldwide.
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