Information is the currency of democracy.
– Thomas Jefferson

Events

Raising the visibility of international media development and improving its effectiveness are core goals of CIMA.

There are no upcoming events at this time.

Monday, January 30, 2012

Can Media Development Make Aid More Effective?

The events of the Arab Spring highlighted the potential of digital and traditional media to transform political structures. Government officials and citizens across the region and around the world closely watched the role of technology in the protests, while advocates of independent media felt that the events affirmed the power of information and its fundamental role in developing democratic states. Still, global policymakers rarely recognize independent media as a critical component in fostering democracy and development. Moreover, they continue to question the international development community about whether aid to developing nations has worked. 

Tuesday, December 13, 2011

Hungary’s Media Law: One Year Later

Over 50 people attended CIMA's event marking the year anniversary since Hungary’s parliament passed a media law that drew widespread international criticism for undermining freedom of expression and increasing media controls. The government disputed these claims, but the International Partnership Mission to Hungary, which comprised freedom of expression and media development groups, found the regulations to be “broad, uncertain, and inconsistent with European standards of media freedom.” Panelists examined the impact of the law one year after its passage and discussed the outlook for press freedom in Hungary in the wake of deteriorating economic conditions, media convergence, and other challenges.

Tuesday, December 6, 2011

Media in Transition: Coverage of the 2011 Election in Kyrgyzstan and Beyond

Join us for a discussion on the media’s coverage of the recent presidential election in Kyrgyzstan, including prospects for press freedom. In 2010, Roza Otunbayeva’s provisional government came to power after political instability and further tightening of civil liberties by then-President Kurmanbek Bakiyev fueled protests leading to his ouster. Since then, Otunbayeva has slowly opened the space for media. Panelists will examine the challenges to independent media leading up to the October election and the outlook for press freedom in the wake of a decade of political instability and polarization.

Thursday, November 17, 2011

Matching the Market and the Model: The Business of Independent News Media

On November 17, 2011, CIMA's panel discussion explored how the lack of management skills and inexperience in developing effective business models pose a significant risk to the sustainability of independent news media. While media in many countries have shaken off political controls of the past and are operating with unprecedented freedom, media managers and editors in emerging democracies often find they are unable to take full advantage of this new space because they lack basic skills in business management.

Challenges for Independent Media in a Post-Gaddafi Libya

This report is the result of a roundtable discussion hosted by CIMA on October 6, 2011.

The Legal Enabling Environment for Independent Media in Egypt and Tunisia

This report is the result of a roundtable discussion co-hosted by CIMA and Internews Network on September 1, 2011.

The Role of New Media in the 2009 Iranian Elections

This report is the result of a CIMA workshop held on July 7, 2009.