Helping the media is good for development [Archives:2002/17/Focus]

MOHAMMED H. AL-QADHI
[email protected]
In this digital era, mass media are playing a serious role in communities and addressing their issues. The media is also bringing people all over the globe closer.
The recent events in the Palestinian territories have made it clear how media and mainly electronic media have influenced people all over the world to protest and condemn the Israeli offensive and incursions. I will not go further in discussing this issue.
The point is that by helping the media, particularly the independent media which can truly voice the voiceless people, one is helping development. It is the independent media that can help the development process through informing the masses, enabling them to take right decisions related to their life.
This of course, enhances the dynamic participation of the public in the political, social, and economic aspects of societies and naturally this helps promote the drive for democratization in the life of the people.
To drive the point home, donor countries in Yemen have been considerably involved in various activities. But no formidable or tangible activities have been conducted in the field of media. From a professional point of view, media in Yemen are facing a lot of difficulties. Journalists are in the need of training courses in investigative reporting. They need to acquire skills of reporting in various genres of journalism. This will increase the quality of the press and its ability to address serious issues effectively and professionally.
In Yemen, for example, only very few journalists can deal with the computer and the Internet. To keep in touch with the ongoing world events, journalists have to be qualified in these areas.
I believe donor countries should give a special attention to this important issues and think of programs to assist Yemeni media and increase the professionalism of the journalists. Such programs should not be restricted to state- run media.
The Dutch government has recently started to think of programs to train journalists and I hope other donors will follow suit.

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