Cimera

Projects / Caucasus Media Institute

Rationale
The development of the mass media in post-Soviet Caucasus greatly needs an overhaul of its journalistic traditions and approach to journalistic education together with a more profound background of general knowledge and literature, related to journalism and its wider political aspects. Universities continue to teach based on Soviet-era material, while newspapers, radio and TV stations do not have the resources to give in-house training. To perform their work in a satisfactory manner, journalists need resources such as reference books, data-bases, access to experts and appropriate training.

Caucasus Media Institute, Phase 2
January 2002 to September 2004

Objectives
Through the activities of the Caucasus media Institute, the project aims to define and transmit professional skills and a body of professional standards to journalists and media organisations in the South Caucasus. The project will pass basic skills to novice journalists, state of the art training in new technologies for mid-career reporters, and carry out research activities to support the role of the media, and the content and scope of its reporting.

Expected results

	A group of novice journalists yearly receiving basic professional skills;
	Mid-career reporters upgrading their technical skills and knowledge of contemporary events in workshop series;
	Research projects analysing the situation of the Caucasus, and observing its development;
	A resource centre with a public library, archive and database of resource personnel developed.

Pilot Project of the Caucasus Media Institute
January – December 2001

Objectives
The project goal was to identify the needs of the media in post-soviet Caucasus to perform in a professional manner. Through a series of studies and participatory workshops, assess the precise needs of journalists in the region in order to increase their professional capacity. Three objectives were proposed:

	identify the fields where journalists need further training;
	define the available resources and competences that could satisfy journalist's needs and find answers to the needs that could not be fulfilled on a local level;
	from the results of the two last steps, develop programme activities of the future media institute.

Activities & Results

	Tsaghkatsor workshop (Armenia, march 2001): based on a survey (questionnaire to chief editors of the three South-Caucasus countries) on young journalists which was presented and debated upon, training needs were identified.
	Workshop in Georgia (May 2001): journalists and academic gathered to explore the media needs in social sciences, to get a better understanding of research trends and available publications on contemporary social and political studies of South Caucasus, as well as to identify optimal ways of disseminating research results and fostering cooperation between researchers and journalists.
	Workshop in Armenia (2001): detailed activity plan of the Caucasus Media institute and its structure and organisation, as well as a CMI project proposal were prepared.

Following the workshops, several activities were implemented:

	Continuous work on expanding the information archive and the contacts database;
	Preparation of future workshops when the institute's infrastructure is set up;
	Preparation of a brochure and website material of the institute;
	Preparation of the library of the institute;
	Negotiations with publishing houses for the distribution of the CMI products to the entire Caucasus region;
	contacts with potential partners on the fields of research and training and planning of common future activities.