Towards a New Media Landscape: Difference between revisions

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[[Category:Peace Projects]]
[[Category:Peace Projects]]
[[Category:Projects with SDD]]
[[Category:Projects with SDD]]
'''Project Description'''
Building on previous HasNa funded media related projects, and taking advantage of the mobilization of the journalists’ communities which happened within the Civil Society Dialogue project, the current “New Media Landscape Now!” aspired to take the results to a higher and hopefully more constructive level.
The aim was to actively engage journalists and media experts from both communities in identifying and diagnosing the media situation, in creating a joint vision map for a future media landscape, and in developing an action plan to transform the media world. The project aspired to enhance the role and effectiveness of the Cypriot media in the reconciliation process by creating a critical mass of journalists and editors within Cyprus’s leading media organizations that understand the ethics and practices of a free and balanced media, and that have acquired new skills to advance the practice of journalism in Cyprus.
The project  addressed the following groups:
1. Civil Society
2. The Community of Journalists
3. Media owners
4. Parliamentarians
5. Government
The project was implemented over a period of eight months, including three project phases starting September 1, 2007 and running through April 2008: (1) the Preparation Phase, during which the project team identified four journalists in each community, who committed to actively participate in the project; (2) Closed Door Media Conference, which brought together 24 journalists from both Cypriot communities to design a vision map and an action plan for a transformed media landscape; and (3) Dissemination Phase, during which the project team in close collaboration with the journalists produced a series of guidelines addressing the above mentioned target groups.
'''Phases'''
(1) Preparation Phase
The project team identified four Greek Cypriot and four Turkish Cypriot journalists, who committed to an active participation throughout the project. The selected journalists agreed to collaborate on diagnosing critical problems of the media worlds in Cyprus and on identifying potential ways to transform the situation. The chosen journalists were the core group for the project and had a large share of the responsibility for its success. The journalists selected took leadership roles in the project, committed to the time requirements, and dedicated their selves to building a “New Media Landscape Now!” and form the core of the entire group of media professionals as well as be the foundation of the project itself.
The main objective was for the core journalists to join together in solidarity to hash out and ultimately agree upon a set of standards for members of the Cyprus media to honor and follow as a professional guideline of good practices. The agreed upon set of standards will then be introduced into the forth coming “Closed Door Media Conference.” A newsletter was produced to announce the project details to the general public, media and government officials.
(2) Media Conference
A conference was organized for 12 Greek Cypriot and 12 Turkish Cypriot journalists representing a wide spectrum of newspapers, Radio and TV stations. The participants came together to discuss freely and design a shared vision of a future media landscape of Cyprus, and to examine the set of standards, drafted during the core journalist conference held previously to give their input to the development of an action plan with steps towards a transformation of the media landscape.
Dr. Aleco Christakis was the international expert who led the Closed Door Media Conference. Dr. Christakis, one of the principal inventors of the "Technology of Democracy" has challenged conventional talk in socio-political systems design, which "has become a minefield" writes Christakis. Under the theory of the "Erroneous Priorities Effect" (EPE) that Christakis developed after extensive research at the Food and Drug Administration, he says, "even with good intentions" we cannot collectively walk the talk "unless we change the paradigm for languaging." Effective priorities for actions that are dependent on recognizing the influence patterns of global interdependencies are defeated by EPE, when priorities are chosen on the basis of aggregating individual stakeholder subjective voting that is largely blind to those interdependencies.
For the selection of stakeholders the project brought together experienced media professionals from both sides of the island to share experiences and work to create a platform where ideas are discussed and an Action Plan devised to build a “New Media Landscape Now!”. The selection process consisted of an invitation letter sent to all media outlets on both sides of the island. Participants were chosen who were well educated and motivated Turkish Cypriot and Greek Cypriot journalists, having years of media experience. They came together with others who work in diverse areas of the media field in Cyprus to share experiences and ideas and generate their vision of a “New Media Landscape Now!” for the island.
(3) Dissemination Phase
During the last phase of the project, the project team together with the bi-communal group of eight journalists developed a set of guidelines, addressing all major stakeholders involved in the media landscape, sharing good practices and potential actions towards a more transparent media world.
'''Goals'''
The goal of the New Media Lanscape Now project was to bring together journalists from both sides of divided Cyprus to produce a strong vision for an ideal media landscape to serve as a magnet to mobilize a chain of transformation.
'''Main Activities'''
1. Identification of four Greek Cypriot and four Turkish Cypriot journalists to engage in a continuing dialogue throughout the life cycle of the project, identifying and diagnosing the main problématique prevailing in the Cypriot media landscape.
2. The chosen journalists will take leadership roles; commit to the time requirements, dedicate their selves to building a New Media Landscape Now!  And form the core of the entire group of media professionals as well as be the foundation of the project itself.
3. Organization of one workshop with the aim of two follow-up workshops that will focus on the development of a road map towards an ideal media landscape in Cyprus.
4. A conference with 24 journalists – 12 from each side of the island. They will work together to finalize a vision of a future media landscape in Cyprus and to develop an action plan with steps towards a feasible transformation of the existing media landscape.
5. A set of guidelines sharing good practices and potential steps towards a new media world, to be disseminated among the main stakeholders related to media on both sides.
'''Links'''
http://cyprusmedia.wetpaint.com/
http://hasna.org/program-areas/media-communications/new-media-landscape-now/
http://cyprusmediascenario-north.wikispaces.com/