Presentation- Overview of STAR-Ghana Media Workstream

STAR-GHANA LEARNING EVENT

La Palm Royal Beach Hotel Accra

December 2,2014

Overview of STAR-Ghana’s Media Work stream

2010 -2014

Strengthening media-civil society collaboration for greater transparency, accountability and responsiveness at all levels of governance

Context to Media Support Extreme polarisation along partisan political lines reflected in media landscape;

Limited capacity for developmental advocacy

Weak relationship between media organisations and CSO’s

Minimal citizen voices in governance

STAR-Ghana’s strategic engagement with the media was to:

enhance the effectiveness of the media as advocates for greater transparency and accountability in governance;

enable greater citizens’ voices in the governance of public goods and services delivery at every level of governance;

enhance the effectiveness of civil society advocacy actions through greater CS-media partnerships and linkages

Ultimately leading to Strengthening media-civil society collaboration(s) for greater transparency, accountability and responsiveness at all levels of governance

STAR-Ghana’s support package to the media • Grants – totalling $ 3,943,297• Provided capacity building in key areas

Policy Advocacy, Financial Management ,M&E Accompanying support from the PMT• Facilitated linkagesCSOsParliament Among Media GPs

Road travelled so far

Strategic Opportunities - 6 GPs - $ 430,000

Highlights from Election and Strategic Opportunities Projects

Media Call

Objective - Strengthening media-civil society collaboration for greater transparency, accountability and responsiveness at all levels of governance.

Purpose •to provide support for the media to work more effectively with other CSOs to enhance citizen advocacy for greater transparency, responsiveness and accountability in governance at all levels. •to improve media access and voice for all citizens, particularly the poor, the socially marginalized and excluded groups, as well as those living in deprived areas of the country

Media Call

Out of 64 applications, 21 were selected and awarded grants totalling $2 million.7 TV stations;2 ICT-based projects;11 radio-based projects; and 1 wire service, i.e., the Ghana news

Agency

Media GPs Geographical Reach

What have we achieved?Key government actions influenced Consistent coverage/advocacy on development issues by critical mass of media organisations in thematic areas - Health, Oil & Gas, Education, Governance, Access to Justice etc

Increased capacity reflected in the ways of working

Citizen voices on critical national issues now reverberating

collaboration between media and other CSOs

STAR-Ghana’s Reflection Power of media to convey the situation on the ground in real time e.g TV3’s Mission Ghana Project Weak enabling environment which serves as constraints to media effective (RTI Bill, Broadcasting Bill )Given the right support, ,media is willing to engage on issue based advocacy away from the sensationalism

STAR-Ghana’s Reflection –cont’d

Power of the media elicit responses from duty bearers Organisational set up that do not lend itself to CSO and grant management processes from mechanisms such as STAR-Ghana Limited specialization affecting the Media’s engagement on a range of national issues

THANK YOU