Call For Applications – Ethiopia

Protecting Independent Media for Effective Development

BBC Media Action (BBC MA) and Media Development Investment Fund (MDIF) are inviting applications from public interest media organisations in Ethiopia that are committed to providing credible, independent news, information and debate to apply for capacity building support that will run from January 2021 to June 2023. Media of different sizes and levels of development are strongly encouraged to apply.

Capacity building support will be provided as a part of Protecting Independent Media for Effective Development (PRIMED), an initiative funded by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) which aims to increase the sustainability of media in Ethiopia and strengthen the ability of media organisations to provide the public with accurate, balanced information that enables them to make informed decisions.

Support provided will focus on the following areas:

  • Increasing audience understanding, audience engagement and development through research
  • Revenue development and income generation
  • Digital development
  • Technical, editorial and production skills
  • Organisational management

Across all areas of focus, support will be provided through a range of training, mentoring and capacity building and be based on an extensive needs analysis and partnership plan developed between the staff and management of media partners, MDIF and BBC MA.

MDIF will help media to optimise revenues and improve their resilience to economic challenges. It will match specific business development requirements of each of its media partners with the knowledge and skills of a senior media executive who will act as their coach. The capacity building supports will be facilitated through a combination of short-term training and bespoke long-term mentoring delivered by media professionals with extensive experience in the field of focus.

BBC MA’s approach will seek to improve the quality and standards of its local partners’ content, particularly through audience engagement, editorial, production and management capacity strengthening, drawing on expertise from the wider BBC.

In addition, participating media partners will have access to MDIF and BBC MA’s in-house expertise as well as regional specialists who will provide short-term consulting interventions in areas of identified needs. Small technical assistance grants and technical equipment support will also be available for participating media as well as access to trainings, workshops and other knowledge-sharing events.

Eligibility

All media applying for PRIMED capacity building support to be provided in Ethiopia by BBC MA and MDIF must meet the following eligibility criteria:

  • Media companies as well as not-for-profit organisations committed to providing credible, independent news, information or public interest debate;
  • Independent from the government or any other political or economic interest group;
  • Supportive of democratic practices and institutions, political pluralism, transparency, human rights, dignity and equal rights for all, regardless of race, ethnicity, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, religion and other subjects of discrimination;
  • Legally registered, except in extraordinary circumstances;
  • Media organisations willing to dedicate time and effort to program activities, developing their capacity in identified areas of support and demonstrating commitment to achieving goals.

Applicants who meet the above stated criteria can go to the application below and apply before November 29, 2020. Media of different sizes and levels of development are strongly encouraged to apply.

Further information about BBC MA and MDIF can be found www.bbc.co.uk/mediaaction and www.mdif.org 

Contact information

MDIF: Behailu.Shiferaw@mdif.org
BBC MA: mihret.aschalew@et.bbcmediaaction.org

Application

PRIMED

Online application form for Ethiopian media organisations interested in participating in PRIMED BBCMA/MDIF capacity building

Please be informed that all the information you provide below is kept in the strictest confidence and that it will be used only for PRIMED programme.

The questions are designed to be relevant for the largest number of applicants and may not all be applicable to all media. If the question is not applicable to your company because of your size and/or level of development, please indicate not applicable/0 for the respective question..

GENERAL INFORMATION

1a. Has this media organisation operated under a different name before? *
2. Type of Organisation (Choose one only) *

4. Organisation’s online presence

6. Total number of

AUDIENCE

7. How would you define your media's primary audience? (Choose one only) *
(The Diaspora can consume information from both types of media)
8. Please indicate all of the platforms that you use to reach your audience? (Choose all that apply) *

9. Please rate these media platform in order of importance in reaching your audience (1 = most important, 6 = least important)

10. During the past 12 months, what was your media's combined (if you use multiple outlets) average monthly audience? (Choose one only) *

FINANCIAL INFORMATION

14. Please indicate your media organisation's annual revenue for the fiscal year 08 July 2019 to 07 July 2020. (Choose only one of the following) *

15. Please rank the following revenue types based on their relative importance to your organisation's income.

15a. Grants *
15b. Individual Donations *
15c. Subscriptions/Sales *
15d. Advertising *
15e. Syndication *
15f. Social media including YouTube *
15g. Sponsored programming *
15h. Other *

EDITORIAL

22. What kinds/areas of capacity building do you think will help you achieve the goals listed in your response to question 20? Select as many as you wish. *

26. How can we contact you? Please provide your email address and phone number below: