Using media for conflict reduction and peacebuilding is relatively new and experimental work. It draws from the fields of conflict resolution, health communication, international development and entertainment, education and news media. To help this field evolve, there is a need to document best practices and to share lessons learned, especially in the areas of assessment, research and evaluation.
This chapter will draw extensively upon Common Ground's experience of conducting assessments, research and evaluation for peacebuilding media.1 The focus will be primarily on what Ross Howard described in the previous chapter as Phase Five - media activities with the aim of directly influencing a conflict, or 'Intended Outcome Programming'. Phases One to Four also contribute directly to peacebuilding and in an ideal scenario would be employed simultaneously in a coordinated manner. However, for the sake of brevity, we will focus only on Phase Five.
The insights in this chapter are early lessons from an evolving field and are by no means a prescriptive manual on what to do in every conflict situation. Each conflict situation is different and the political, cultural and historical differences must be taken into account. When reading this chapter it is good also to be aware of the fundamental principles that guide Common Ground's work.
Conflict is dynamic
Conflict by its nature instigates change. Organisations such as Common Ground seek innovative ways to harness the power of conflict for positive social change, specifically away from adversarial approaches and toward cooperative solutions. The dynamics often change quickly, and those changes are unlikely to occur in a planned, rational or linear way. Therefore, identifying causation and impact is very challenging and requires that researchers look for unintended consequences as part of their studies.
Conflict operates on many levels of society simultaneously
Given the complexity of conflict and the many levels on which it operates (personal,
familial, political, social, ethnic, economic, etc.), Common Ground attempts,
whenever possible, to expand beyond strategies that target only one sector of
society or one element of conflict.
Assessment for peacebuilding media
Assessment is broadly defined as the information-gathering process that helps organisations to decide whether to initiate a new project. Central to this process is identifying what gaps exist in current peacebuilding efforts and how media can assist in addressing them. Considerations include: assessing the conflict, defining the value added by the organisation, identifying potential partners, and reviewing institutional implications. Once a decision has been made to initiate a new activity, assessments provide essential information for structuring a project that will have maximum impact with the target audiences. While assessment for peacebuilding media activities share a common set of considerations, variances in conflict situations require assessors to be flexible and creative in planning and carrying out an assessment. In addition, it is important to recognize the emotional dynamic of conflict and to take the time that is necessary to listen carefully to individuals' fears, concerns and experiences before beginning a conversation about what the organisation may be able to do to help the situation.2
Getting started
Ideas for media projects often emerge from conversations among local actors
requesting support, governments, donor partners working in a given region, and
staff or other people working in the peacebuilding field. Assessments are then
initiated to look into one of the following situations:
1 The organisation is asked to support a partner organisation in implementing
a new project.
2 The organisation seeks to integrate a project idea into a new context or existing
country programme.
3 The organisation selects a conflict or distressed country situation and explores
how it may assist (may result in establishing a new country programme).
In the first case described above, the most important criteria for engagement is whether there is a trusted relationship and shared vision with the implementing organisation. The latter two cases imply a more significant resource commitment and therefore entail more extensive assessment processes.
Assessment methodologies
Assessments frequently entail deploying a team to the targeted conflict area
to gather information about whether a peacebuilding programme is needed. In
Lifeline Media: Reaching Populations in Crisis, Loretta Hieber discusses the
purpose of needs assessments in humanitarian and peacebuilding programming.
She states that a needs assessment should aim to:
The assessment team should consist of a group of people with varied areas of expertise. This could include local specialists working in conflict prevention, regional experts, media professionals, and researchers.
Preparation is very important. A draft roster of potential meetings, a short description of the purpose of the assessment (translated into local languages), and even a draft outline for the final report can help to maximize the assessors' time while visiting the targeted area. Hieber presents guidelines for conducting interviews and focus groups, how to word questions, and some guidelines for analysing information.4 We have also found it useful to organize workshops with stakeholder groups to present draft assessment findings and to get feed back on other issues and considerations that still need to be explored.
Conflict assessment
In all cases it is important to gain a solid understanding of the conflict.
This includes learning about the history, the culture and recent social changes
(such as a political transition or pending election). It is helpful to map the
major characteristics of the conflict, stakeholders, their needs and interests,
significant external factors, and how all of these factors relate to the media
environment. One of the primary purposes of the conflict assessment is to identify
whether there are appropriate openings for intervention and to identify what
types of activities would be most effective given the current shape of the conflict.
In addition to the framework developed by Ross Howard of IMPACS, the British
Department for International Development (DFID) has developed a framework that
can assist practitioners in identifying the characteristics of the conflict
and appropriate media interventions.5 Indicators and possible interventions
for Pre-Conflict, Overt Conflict and Post-Conflict phases are described. The
experience of Common Ground and other international organisations has revealed
that most conflict situations contain characteristics and dynamics from multiple
stages simultaneously and transitions from one stage to the next happen in a
manner that is difficult to predict.6
For example, the country of Burundi has been experiencing violent inter-communal conflict intermittently since independence in 1962. A peace agreement responding to the most recent crisis was signed in 2000. Since a ceasefire has yet to be established, violent skirmishes continue across the country. Therefore, the current conflict situation in Burundi could be said to consist of both overt conflict and post-conflict characteristics simultaneously.
This is not to say that frameworks which map the stages of a conflict are unhelpful; rather, we wish to highlight the importance of understanding that multiple conflict stages are in play simultaneously, and of being creative in the design of interventions within that changeable context.
Value added
The international development and humanitarian aid community is likely to be
engaged in most distressed conflict situations under consideration. Assessments
should take into account the roles of those organisations, as well as of local
peace building and media actors who could become partners for the project. It
is important to design a project that complements the work of others, fortifies
the capacity of local actors and which brings unique added value to any pre-existing
efforts.
For example, when considering the situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo, there was open communication on the needs and capacities of different media, peacebuilding, and humanitarian organisations. A plan was formed in which various international organisations agreed to fulfil different roles in close collaboration with one another, in consultation with local organisations, and with the host of the Inter-Congolese dialogue and others.
Building relationships
Using the media for conflict transformation requires making a long-term commitment
and creating structures that support the work of local actors. A recent review
of the work of Common Ground identified six guiding principles for the development
and implementation of conflict transformation activities internationally. The
development of trusted relationships was highlighted as a fundamental principle
for supporting long-term societal transformation.7 Even at the earliest stages
of assessment it is important to gauge what possibilities exist for developing
relationships with stakeholders and potential partners.
It is also important to understand whether all of the major stakeholder groups are accessible to the organisation. This is especially important if the initial invitation for engagement came from only one of the stakeholder groups. Making a clear and transparent effort to engage all major parties to the conflict will help to establish the organisation's credibility and reduces the possibility of being accused of bias. Since media can be easily politicised, seeking balance from the very beginning is important
Institutional/management considerations
Even if all of the necessary factors exist on the ground for developing a new
activity, the organisation must be prepared to support the implied growth that
comes from developing a new project. Proper institutional planning helps develop
the credibility of the organisation and makes project implementation easier.
Administrative support
The organisation needs to determine whether adequate administrative and managerial
resources exist to support the new project. In addition, exploring the feasibility
of transferring and managing funds is necessary.
Risk management
Initiating activity in a conflict zone always entails taking risks. In fact,
the fresh perspective of a foreigner can be a helpful catalyst for positive
risk-taking. Nevertheless, those risks must be managed responsibly. While foreigners
can gain assistance from their governments or international media attention,
local partners must live with the consequences, positive or negative, for generations
to come. On the operational side, the organisation needs to consider what types
of risk management and insurance issues are raised when moving resources and
capital investments into a conflict zone.
Security Considerations
Building a rational and transparent evacuation plan is another important element
in building trust and credibility with local actors. It should be based on a
logical set of criteria and should reflect the commitment the organisation has
to working within the conflict. Many international NGOs leave a conflict situation
when there is an escalation of tension, and find it hard to re-engage in the
programmatic work once they decide to return.
Available funding
As mentioned earlier, donor partners are important contributors to an assessment
process. Since donor agencies often share the same interests in assisting countries
in conflict in their efforts towards peace and stability, sharing lessons learned
and regional expertise can help the organisation to improve the proposed project
plan. A relationship with donors based on a sense of partnership can lead to
stronger programmes, improved priorities on the part of the donor agencies,
and longer-term project funding. It is important to initiate an activity only
when it is clear that enough funding is available for the first phase of operations.
In cases where a new organisational presence is being established, we try to
ensure two years of start-up funding. We believe that within one to two years
we will have built a solid foundation, piloted some activities, and established
the organisation's credibility locally, which will help to ensure future funding
if a continuation of the programme is deemed appropriate.
Project planning
Once an organisation has decided to become engaged in a given conflict, assessments
can be used to determine what type of project would be most effective and how
to structure that project.
Defining assumptions
The selection of a particular activity or collection of activities is guided
by assumptions about the nature of the conflict. While those assumptions are
often left unarticulated, they often guide decisions that are made about the
target groups, partners and activities in a given project. It can be helpful
to define some of the guiding assumptions or change theories used in structuring
and implementing a project. This will assist evaluators in designing appropriate
questions and will help the entire organisation understand how assumptions determine
activities. The Communication Initiative (CI) is a partnership of development
organisations seeking to support advances in the effectiveness and scale of
communication interventions for positive international development.8 Based on
a comprehensive website, CI strives to promote strategic thinking in the field
of development communication. Their website, www.comminit.com, includes a resource
centre and discussion forum on change theories and how they impact on project
implementation.
Selecting a target audience
Based upon analysis of the conflict, the key stakeholders and the critical issues
to be addressed, the assessment team should identify the highest priority target
group(s) for maximum impact. Once a target audience is identified, then the
most effective medium to reach that audience can be selected. One benefit of
using media is that it has the potential to reach a national audience as well
as local audiences through local FM stations or community radios.
Media landscape
For any media project, a thorough review of the media landscape is necessary.
This will help ensure relevance, as well as helping determine programme formats.
Media landscape studies normally look into the structure and ownership of different
media outlets, the level of access and patterns of use on the part of the target
audience, and at attitudes towards and at the level of trust of the media.
Technical assessment
It is also important to understand what equipment is needed to be compatible
with local media industries, what production skills exist locally and what training
or services should be imported. This information can be gathered from people
in the local media industries and other organisations involved in the media.
The technical assessment tests the feasibility of implementing the proposed
project.
Cost assessment
Assessments can help determine the real costs of implementing the proposed project.
Trusted people working in the local industry can provide essential information
on real costs of equipment, services and salaries. It is important to speak
to multiple sources about costs and salaries. Without proper cost assessments,
NGOs often run the risk of creating a false economy where people working for
NGOs are paid significantly higher amounts of money than working for local organisations
and companies. This causes difficulties for local organisations, raises the
costs of the project unnecessarily and makes it more difficult to transfer management
of the project back to local actors after the project has been established.
Creating a false economy with inflated salaries also has a negative impact on
motivation and recruitment. It is important that project staff is motivated
to work toward positive social change in their country and are not merely lured
in to work for 'big money.'
On-going assessment
Assessment does not end when a decision has been made to begin to implement
a new project. Rather, assessments should be conducted on an on-going basis
in coordination with other related research and evaluation efforts. From the
perspective of the organisation, it is important to assess whether the project
has been successful, how the programme has been creative in responding to changes
in the conflict situation, and whether the presence of the organisation is still
desired and appropriate. Particularly if the conflict situation has changed
significantly, an assessment of the programme's initial objectives and assumptions
can help recalibrate its focus so that it stays relevant. Intermittent assessments
should involve all staff and major partners to the project. At Common Ground,
this kind of assessment often takes place as part of staff retreats.
Using research and evaluation with intended outcome media
projects
Evaluation is essential to help grow this new field of media for peacebuilding.
However, little literature exists that provides a research and evaluation framework
to apply to the outcomes and processes of conflict resolution media.9 Researchers
have thus far modified social research methods such as surveys, focus groups,
key informant interviews, and case studies for evaluating this work. Organisations
such as Common Ground [and Media Action International] have endeavoured to develop
the evaluation field in parallel with expanding and refining their use of media
for peacebuilding. We hope that the following insights will inspire others to
take a pragmatic and rigorous approach to evaluation so that those methods and
lessons can further contribute to the practice and reflection on peacebuilding
media.
Key considerations
The following key considerations are specifically for evaluation and build upon
the ones listed above:
Incorporate research and evaluation from onset
As with any disciplined field, peacebuilding projects benefit from having on-going
evaluations incorporated into the project, starting with the project design.
Trained evaluators can help programming staff frame their activities to clarify
goals and objectives, to identify possible indicators of success and to design
means of collecting lessons learned throughout the life of the project. Likewise,
results from evaluations can help redirect programme activities to better meet
the needs of target audiences.
Conflict is dynamic
In response to the dynamic nature of conflicts, several best practices have
been identified for conducting research in conflict zones, which will be elaborated
in greater detail below. These include: Conflict assessment should occur on
an on-going basis and should be a part of periodic programme evaluations; Flexibility
in incorporating new research methods is essential; and, Build on the capacity
of local researchers.
Conflict operates on many levels of society simultaneously
Evaluations should take into consideration the broader spectrum of conflict
reduction activities in the targeted country or region in order to better understand
their cumulative effect on the conflict. Abdalla and Torrey highlight the need
to engage the perspectives from different sectors of society in programme evaluation,
mirroring the multi-dimensional nature of the conflict.10 This combined with
the use of several different research methods (for 'triangulation'), can help
to build a more complete picture of the conflict situation and how the project
may have made an impact.
Intended outcome programming
Intended Outcome Programming is media programming specifically designed to contribute
to attitude and behaviour change among a targeted group. It is different from
traditional media in that it has a clear agenda, in this case, to promote peacebuilding.
As is described under Type Five in Ross Howard's Operational Framework for Media
and Peacebuilding, Intended outcome programming uses formats from popular culture
such as community theatre, TV and radio soap operas, and posters.11
In 1999 Common Ground media productions in Macedonia and Liberia became the laboratories for defining Intended outcome programming, determining some of the necessary elements of successful projects, and evaluating its effectiveness. Stemming from a programme evaluation conducted on Common Ground in Liberia, two significant categories of intended outcome programming were thus defined: curriculum-based programming and responsive programming.
Curriculum-based programming
Curriculum-based programming can be used to address elements of a conflict that
are not as dynamic as the conflict itself and are therefore more easily translated
into measurable intended outcomes. For example, in Macedonia a TV programme
contains messages that promote inter-ethnic understanding and discourage the
use of stereotypes. The programme is developed from a curriculum designed in
collaboration with a team of regional and substantive experts. The content is
delivered through a creative vehicle designed for a specific target audience.
This approach has been used extensively in children's television to promote
numeracy and literacy, notably the children's TV programme Sesame Street. It
has also been used in social marketing around the world for the prevention of
HIV/aids.
Responsive programming
In 1999 evaluators found that the staff of Common Ground Liberia had developed
their own approach to analysing and approaching Liberia's conflict. We call
this responsive programming: radio and television programming that is adaptable
to the quickly changing circumstances within a conflict. Responsive programming
employs formative research and other forms of continual monitoring of the conflict
to inform the strategic decisions of producers to focus on a specific dimension
of the conflict or a specific target group.12 Producers often mount media campaigns,
using multiple radio shows and formats to address a single issue. They also
utilize non-media activities, such as direct mediation of parties in conflict
and workshops, to stimulate grass-root solutions to problems identified by the
media producers. In turn, the direct interventions provide material for the
media programmes that then expose a broader audience to possible solutions from
the voices of people in the conflict. This approach provides for rapid response
and great flexibility.
The research and evaluation process
The purpose of any research and evaluation initiative is to investigate whether
a project has achieved its goals. Most initiatives conducted on Common Ground
programming employed both internal and external evaluators and are intended
to provide both summative and formative information about the project. Since
the formation, time frame and content of goals differ for the two forms of programming
described above, the techniques for measuring their impact also differ.
Research used in curriculum-based programming
Most curriculum-based programmes created by Common Ground have thus far taken
the form of a radio or television drama, targeted for children, youth or adults.
These programmes are viewed or listened to by members of the target audience.
Most of these programmes take the edutainment approach to programming, meaning
that the episodes are designed to be both entertaining and educational. Especially
in cases of targeting children, the entertainment value must be high in order
to ensure the prolonged, repeat viewing/listening that is needed for learning.
Therefore evaluation seeks to measure a progression of impact with the target
audience, ranging from people's access to the programme to attitude and behaviour
change as a result of listening/watching. Studies occur intermittently over
the course of a project and try to delve deeper into questions of impact as
the projects develop.
Continuum of impact
Methods
These methods can be employed at different times during the pre- and post-production phases of the project, but the important point is that each time the information gathered is used to inform and develop the entertainment and peacebuilding contents (including style, language, characters and action) of the programme itself.
Formative research
Formative research feeds into the stories and characters, making them more relevant,
understandable, and appealing to members of the target audience.
Several guides to producing media for development and peace building highlight the importance of including members of the target audience in the development of new projects.13 This helps the project to maintain relevance to the target audience, supports local capacity, and builds buy-in for participation. While it may not always be appropriate to employ members of the target audience, formative research can also be used to gather information about the needs and desires of the target audience and to test draft materials. For example, when preparing to produce a radio drama for youth in Crimea, Ukraine, scriptwriters spent time on the streets of Crimean cities and towns to get a first-hand understanding of both the lives of youth today, and also to look for any significant role models who could be emulated in the soap opera. In the end, a new character was created, based on a real-life street poet who was respected by youth from different social and ethnic groups in Crimea.
As character sketches, scripts and pilot episodes are completed, focus groups and one-on-one interviews are used to test the content with members of the target audience. These studies check for appeal and relevance and can also begin to investigate issues of comprehension: can the focus groups identify key elements of characters' identities? Do they understand the plot of the story? Do they understand the purpose of the programme? In the case of a children's TV programme in Macedonia, it has proved useful to conduct studies like this each time a new group of episodes have been completed to test changes made from the previous season.
Measuring reach
Selecting appropriate media, determining the best times and strategies for delivery,
and promoting broadcast are all activities that support access to the programming.
Once broadcast has been launched, viewership/ listenership studies take place.
As with every type of social research, it is important to plan studies that
are feasible and appropriate within the conflict situation. For example, in
Macedonia there are no reliable television ratings data available, yet many
people are trained in social research methods. A research department at the
University of Skopje has conducted much of the research needed on the children's
television programme, and a local Macedonian research firm has conducted a door-to-door
survey with children and their parents to measure viewership.
In contrast, a society devastated by corruption and civil conflict such as Liberia requires more training of survey personnel, and special considerations must be given to getting a reliable sample in an impoverished conflict zone. It was because of such constraints that Common Ground developed the 'CGP Rapid Survey Methodology' to gather information quickly, reliably and inexpensively in conflict zones with devastated infrastructures. 14
Measuring impact
The studies described above can help project implementers understand whether
the programming is popular, how many people view/ listen, and how often and
whether they understand the major themes presented in the programme. The final
category of research on curriculum-based programmes is the most difficult to
conduct, yet is the most important. Ideally impact studies are designed at the
beginning of the project and include gathering base-line data before the broadcast
has been launched.
Clearly defined indicators, which are based on the project's over-all objectives, are important for measuring impact. The indicators reflect the measurable outcomes selected from the curriculum for the first set or season of episodes. It is common for the curriculum to cover a much broader set of goals than can be covered in the first phase of the project.
Researchers devise instruments, which most effectively measure the indicators. In Macedonia, a one-on-one interview instrument was devised to test children's attitudes about members of different ethnic and gender groups in Macedonian society. After the children had viewed the television programmes, the interviews were repeated so that changes in responses could be measured. Including a control group in this kind of study would further help to isolate causation, if time and budget allows.
Nevertheless, it is important to have a solid understanding of external factors that may have also caused negative or positive changes in people's responses. In the spring of 2001 the conflict in Macedonia escalated to a point of violence. Project staff repeated the base-line study that was initially conducted in 1999 in order to understand the impact the conflict had on children's lives. The results of this study had a strong immediate formative value in re-mapping the conflict; presenting valuable information on how new episodes could address the changing situation. As the programme continues to evolve into future seasons, that data will be compared with follow-up studies to measure further changes.
Research and evaluation for responsive programming
On-going formative research in responsive programming The formative research for responsive programming is a dynamic process that closely follows evolving events in a conflict. For example, in 1999, Talking Drum Studio (a project of Common Ground) producers in Liberia discovered an on-going conflict in the south-eastern part of the country. Two ethnic groups which had fought each other during the civil war (which ended in 1996) were still retaining women and children as prisoners, or as slaves.
Talking Drum Studio's staff is composed of people from the various ethnic and political groups representing several of the factions involved in the civil war, including those that were still holding slaves. The staff had extended networks into their respective communities, political organisations and into various ministries in the Liberian government. Based on their understanding of the post-war Liberian environment, the staff knew if they broke the news on the airwaves there could be an outbreak of fighting in the southeast. Instead of airing a programme about the holding of slaves, they chose to do more investigative research into those communities in a way that built trust - staying in the communities for over a week, spending time with people, playing soccer, eating and drinking. Once trust had been established, Talking Drum then engaged both ethnic groups in a long series of dialogues and workshops that utilized the support and resources of several other NGOs and the Liberian government itself.
During the reconciliation process between the two groups, Talking Drum produced radio programmes about the efforts each side were making, using the voices of the participants. These programmes brought positive national attention to the reconciliation process and provided encouragement to the participants - they enjoyed hearing their own voices on the air.
This example highlights two key elements to responsive programming: 1) media and non-media activities can work hand-in-hand for an intended outcome; and, 2) formative research in responsive programming is greatly influenced by the composition of the staff and their ability to gather and analyse information as mediators rather than as journalists gathering the facts. The staff must reflect the various elements in a society in conflict and be able to access information that would otherwise elude anyone outside of those various groups. The staff must maintain close relationships with key informants throughout the society and be able to process that information as a team with an orientation towards finding solutions for the common good.
Based on the staff's response to a situation, the entire conflict can change, for the better or worse. A media project acknowledges its impact in the conflict and becomes an active participant with the agenda of finding a solution. In this particular case, the Talking Drum staff was able to engage both ethnic groups in a series of workshops that eventually resolved the conflict. A secondary impact was that other ethnic groups in the Southeast approached Talking Drum to help them reconcile their differences. The entire process included the Liberian government, which in itself was a key stakeholder.
Responsive programming can also utilize more formal tools of research, such as surveys and focus groups. Ideally, a project would have the capacity to supplement the formative research described above with surveys and focus groups that could be conducted quickly and inexpensively. But, when a conflict is changing quickly, and a country's infrastructure is shattered, such tools are often not practical.
In addition, staff can play an instrumental role in gathering information about their impact. This can take place through conducting case studies on an on-going basis to complement external evaluations.
External conflict sssessment and programme evaluation
To compliment the on-going research done by the staff, a thorough external conflict
assessment and programme evaluation should take place approximately every two
years. Many of the same tools that are used in evaluating curriculum-based intended
outcome programming are used in measuring the impact of responsive programming.
Depending on the infrastructure of the country, local research and marketing
firms can be employed to include questions in omni-bus surveys and to conduct
focus groups. For countries that have been devastated by conflict, such as Burundi,
Liberia and Sierra Leone, the late Dr. Ed Palmer, former senior vice-president
at Children's Television Workshop, and Dr. Amr Abdalla of George Mason University
developed a process that includes the following steps:
1. Interview with staff: to identify specific examples of where they think their
programming has had an impact, and to gain general information about the conflict.
2. Interviews with key informants (people representing a cross-section of society,
including government officials, NGO staff members and other individuals): to
gain more insights into the conflict and their opinions about the media project's
effectiveness, including examples of where they had an impact.
3. Design of survey: to gain baseline data, views on the conflict, media use
information, listenership rates of broadcasting outlets and specific programmes,
content recognition of programmes, and general opinions about the media project.
(Common Ground generally uses the CGP Rapid Survey Methodology in countries
with devastated infrastructures.)
4. Conduct survey: sampling a cross-section of society.
5. Conduct case studies: from the interviews, the evaluators will have identified
specific instances where the media project may have had an impact. The evaluators
will then do more research into those situations, including in-depth interviews.15
The results of this process can provide a range of products that are useful
for the project, including:
1. Quantitative results: Detailed information can be gathered on people's listenership
habits- how many people listen to radios, how many listen to the project's programmes
and how many retain the content of those programmes. For example, in Liberia,
Dr. Palmer and Dr. Abdalla found Talking Drum Studio to have a 90 per cent name
and 75 per cent content recognition rate in and around Monrovia in both 1999
and 2000.
2. Qualitative results: The case studies and people's comments recorded in interviews
provide powerful qualitative information on the project's impact. The case studies
also provide more detail on lessons learned - what was effective and not effective
in the intervention. They also highlight the interplay between media programming
and direct intervention activities, how the media impacts on a conflict and
how that impact can be managed to help find solutions.
3. Conflict mapping: Another product of this evaluation process is an updated
assessment, or mapping, of the conflict. This information supplements the staff's
knowledge of the country and its various communities as described above.
4. Baseline data for curriculum-based programmes: In Sierra Leone, Common Ground
had evaluators gather baseline data on people's knowledge and attitudes around
human rights and HIV/aids. This data collection took place at the same time
as the overall project evaluation. The data is being used by Common Ground and
its partners to design and conduct three-year curriculum-based campaigns around
the key issues identified in the study. At the end of three years, a follow-up
evaluation will be conducted to measure changes in knowledge and attitudes as
compared to the baseline data.
Overall, the findings from such evaluations provide feedback to the staff of
the project so they can realign their programming.
Conclusion
Media is a very powerful tool that directly and indirectly shapes people's perceptions and attitudes, thereby affecting the way they deal with conflict. It is essential that practitioners be responsible in how they use media as a tool in peacebuilding efforts. Given this is an entirely new field, it is imperative that practitioners look for best practices and lessons learned and share their findings openly with one another. The insights offered above point to the significant role that assessment, research and evaluation methodologies can play in developing this new field, and suggest that there is much more work that needs to be done.
This chapter is written by Lisa Shochat, Phil Bob Hellmich and Allen Scheid. Lisa Shochat is media projects manager at Search for Common Ground in Washington. Phil Bob Hellmich is director of Development for Sub-Saharan Africa. Allen Scheid is vice president of Common Ground Productions.
Notes
1 The European Centre for Common Ground (Brussels), and its partner organisation, Search for Common Ground (Washington DC), are independent, non-government organisations dedicated to transforming conflict into co-operative action. Common Ground Productions (based in Washington DC and Brussels) provides support to all Common Ground Media initiatives internationally. The authors of this article are staff from Common Ground and draw many examples from there; however, the work of evaluating media for peacebuilding includes a wide community of organisations, funders and researchers with whom we collaborate actively for developing this field.
2 Susan Collin Marks and John Marks explore this point more fully in, 'What do they want me to do?' from A Handbook of International Peacebuilding: Into the Eye of the Storm. Lederach, J. P., & Jenner, J. M. (eds.). 2002. San Francisco: Jossey- Bass.
3 Hieber, Loretta. Lifeline Media: Reaching Populations in Crisis: A Guide to Developing Media Projects in Conflict Situations. Media Action International. Geneva: 2001. p. 17
4 Hieber, p. 20
5 Howard, Ross. An Operational Framework for Media and Peacebuilding: IMPACS- Institute for Media, Policy and Civil Society. Vancouver, BC: 2002. & DFID. Working with the Media in Conflicts and Other Emergencies. British Department for International Development. London: 2001.
6 Howard, p. 6
7 Levitt, Justin. Search for Common Ground: Best Practices and Lessons Learned. An unpublished report: 2002
8 http://www.comminit.com/mission.html
9 Torrey, Nancy and Amr Abdalla (1999) Research and Evaluation Methodologies for Conflict Resolution Media. Common Ground Productions.
10 Abdalla and Torrey, p. 8
11 Howard, p. 11
12 Torrey, Nancy and Amr Abdalla (1999) Responsive Programming: A Model for Developing Conflict Resolution Media and Other Interventions Based on the Work of Talking Drum Studio Monrovia, Liberia
13 Hieber, 2001; Palmer, Anne. Reaching Youth Worldwide. John Hopkins University Center for Communication Programs. Working Paper 6. April 2002.
14 Palmer, Ed, 1999. Common Ground Production Rapid Survey Methodology. This methodology is available free from Common Ground.
15 Common Ground has guides available on: how to conduct key informant interviews, CGP Rapid Surveys, and case studies. The guides were written by Dr. Abdalla.