by Ryan Weber
A new study released December 7 by The Center for International Media Assistance (CIMA) examines trends in US government funding of foreign media development projects from 2007 to 2010. Africa received continued increases over the period, but the highest expenditures were 'South and Central Asia,' mostly concentrated in Afghanistan. Europe, the Caucasus, East Asia, the Middle East and Latin America all experienced gradual reductions in funding after a world-wide spike in media development in 2008.
The report, "U.S. Government Funding for Media Development: A Special Report to the Center for International Media Assistance" (full text) was written by Laura Motta, and commissioned by the National Endowment for Democracy. It considers projects tagged as either "Media Development" or "Freedom of Information" programs, with some examples including local journalist training, improved internet access, and news/communications programs for disabled, or hard to reach populations.
Specifically, the CIMA report looks at funding by two US government agencies - the Department of State and the US Agency for International Development (USAID). From State, these projects are usually carried out by the Democracy, Human Rights and Labor program (DRL), the Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI) or the Bureau or Europe and Euarsian Affairs. The USAID departments include Democracy & Governance (DG) and the Office of Transition Initiatives (OTI), which work in post- and on-going conflict areas.
