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This blog is published by the Communication for Governance & Accountability Program (CommGAP).
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Media Systems

Media Strengthening: Taking Politics Seriously - 2

Submitted by Sina Odugbemi on Thu, 02/26/2009 - 11:15

I promised in the previous post on this topic to offer a way of taking internal political processes seriously as we seek to strengthen media systems around the world. As many of you will know, one major preoccupation of CommGAP's is to seek a deeper understanding of how to tackle some of the people-related or adaptive challenges that often bedevil efforts to improve governance systems in developing countries.  Therefore, the starting point of this perspective is the conviction that if you want to strengthen the media system in Gugu Republic as one of the fundamental institutions of that country, your effort  is like any other attempt to reform governance systems.

Media Strengthening: Taking Politics Seriously

Submitted by Sina Odugbemi on Thu, 02/12/2009 - 09:48

I have noticed over the years that groups working to strengthen media systems around the world concentrate their attention on donors active in international development. This is understandable for two reasons. Donors have money and you go to them if you want an initiative funded. Second, donors - either alone or collectively - have influence in many countries. Once in a long while, they are able to bring about change just by insisting on it and being prepared to fund the process of change.

But there is one big reason why donors alone cannot strengthen media systems, especially in authoritarian political systems. And that is power... the acquisition and retention of power.

Communication for the Demand Side

Submitted by Anne-Katrin Arnold on Thu, 09/04/2008 - 15:16

Photo Credit: Flickr User vphillI've been with CommGAP for four months now, and since the fall semeser starts at University, it's time for me to take a little break and go back to school. Intermissions are handy occasions to reflect, and I'll make use of this occasion with some thoughts about the role of communication in governance, and my experience at CommGAP.

After more than 10 years of communication practice and training, it often startles me how people are not aware of the crucial meaning of communication in our everyday lives, politics, and yes, development. After four months of development work, I feel that this lack of awareness is shortsighted to the extreme. Here are my top 3 reasons: