Increasing the capabilities of minority Roma communities to interact effectively with majority media in order to introduce their perspectives and proposals into mainstream reporting and help counter discriminatory reporting on their communities.
The project aimed to improve the coverage of the Roma population – which was plagued by prejudice – by the mainstream media. Tendencies towards segregation of Roma are strong, and prejudice deep-rooted. Most Roma have little or no influence over information that has great potential impact on them. Objectives were to enable minority Roma communities (through their formal and informal leaders and NGOs) to increase their capabilities to interact effectively with majority media in order to introduce their perspectives and proposals into mainstream reporting and help counter discriminatory reporting on their communities.
MDI held, in Budapest, two regional media relations workshops for Roma Community Leaders from South East and Central Europe. MDI produced a ‘Media Relations Training and Resource Guide for Roma Community Organizations’, including specific tools, techniques, and materials to further increase Roma access to the media.
Timeframe: 1999-2001
Region/countries: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, Hungary, Macedonia, Romania, Slovakia
Partner: Center for Independent Journalism (Budapest)
Funding: European Cultural Foundation and Open Society Institute – Budapest
