National Media Development Center (NMDC)

About the NMDC

National Media Development Center (NMDC) a non-profit and social media organization has been established with an objective to promote and strengthen provincial media providing media management and journalism skills.

Nation's most broad-based organization having national networking is dedicated to encouraging the local journalism. Established in 2007 with a group of experienced media experts, media managers and journalists of Nepal, NMDC promotes and strengthens local media for the free flow of information vital for the citizen and stable democracy. It works to inspire and educate local journalists through professional trainings and advocacies on media management and journalism trusting that journalists involve in protecting press freedom and pluralism.

NMDC is committed and convinced that independent, strong, credible and sustainable district media is only the tool for the establishment of peace, democracy, rule of law and development. This can only be achieved through the capacity building of provincial media.

Our Vision:

NMDC's vision is to make the provincial media independent, credible, sustainable, professional and impartial. It believes that media the empowering tool that safeguards and nurture democracy and development are needed to be strong as well as impartial.

Our Mission:

NMDC is dedicated and committed to the establishment and promotion of a free media as the foundation of democracy and pluralism. Nepali citizen should be well informed in order to participate in political, social and development activities of the nation as well as to make decisions regarding their personal life and national development. It is the role of journalists to provide this information in an accurate, comprehensive, timely and understandable manner. An independent and financially sustainable and professionally strong media can only provide the services to the people.

It is the mission of the National Media Development Center:

· To promote and strengthen provincial media

· To maintain constant vigilance in protection of the democratic system and rule of law, human rights and guarantees of freedom of speech and of the press.

· To make district media professionally strong

· Strengthen local media through capacity building and financial sustainability schmes

· To stimulate and motivate high standards and ethical behavior in the practice of journalism.

· To encourage and prioritize local journalists to establish media in the district where no media exist or survive.

· To be the pre-eminent national center with the membership of district journalists.

· To acquire pride, dignity, and rights of all citizens including ethnic, Dalit and marginalized people through the promotion of the local media.

Development Objective

Strengthen the capacity of independent provincial media to perform their duty responsibly for the safeguarding of democracy, human rights and social development and media freedom.

Objectives:

1. Media Management

1.1 Equipping local media entrepreneurs with the knowledge and skills of media management and investment planning and marketing.
1.2 Facilitating to develop local technical manpower for operation and maintenance of modern media technology (offset press, DTP, radio transmission equipment), and web designing.

2. Good Journalism

2.1 Provide basic and specialized trainings to the local journalists to make them professional, credible and responsible to the citizen, democracy and development.
2.2 Provide specialized trainings based on the need analysis of the local journalists. NMDC emphasizes specialized journalism skills on core areas to the journalists of all media outlets such as - Basic Journalism, ToT, Health Journalism; theme based reporting trainings - constituent assembly election, media responsibility, development, investigative etc.
2.3 Encourage increasing access to the media to the needy, especially marginalized and poorer sections of people.
2.4 Arranging exposure and exchange programs between and among media people inside and outside the country to share practical experience.

3. Publication

3.1 Publishing analytical journals, books and reports on media-related issues
3.2 Translate important and helpful international media books

4. Research

4.1 Conducting research on different aspects of media issues

5. Dialogue

5.1 Advocating the rights of ethnic people, women, marginalized communities and Dalits
5.2 Organize different need based interaction programs in different rural districts of Nepal to make both journalists and citizen aware on the different issues.

Planned Actions:

1. Media Management Training

1.1 Organize (5) regional level media management trainings to the managers and editors.
1.2 Organize (3) regional level equipment operation, maintenance, and web designing trainings to local technical manpower. (This type of attempt is first for district media.)

2. Good Journalism

2.1 Provide short term (7-day) basic and refresher course journalism training to the journalists and fresh candidates having journalism interest at rural districts.
2.2 Organize (2) Training of Trainers (ToT) to local trainers
2.3 Organize specialized trainings on Health Journalism, election reporting, media responsibility, village journalism, development, good governance and investigative journalism.
2.4 Organize journalism exposure and exchange programs to and from Asia, Asia-pacific, Europe, Canada, Africa and America.
2.5 Develop working partnership relations with Media Universities and Media organization to develop quality and confidence of local journalists.

3. Publication

3.1 Organize provincial and national meeting of media experts, journalists and writers to identify the need of media publication.
3.2 Publication of media books on local media development and newly developed world media theory.

4. Research

4.1 Conduct periodic research and monitoring on the coverage of different local issues e.g. health, social inclusion, peace, local governance and transparency, and local development.
4.2 Publish period research and monitoring report.
4.3 Review media policies and regulations at local level and submit reports to the Nepal Government and policy makers

5. Dialogue

5.1 Organize different media dialogue programs in different rural districts of Nepal on issues like- media freedom, media ethics, democracy, transparency, social inclusion and economic development to make journalists professional and citizen aware on their rights and duties.
5.2 Interact between civil society and local media two pillars of democracy on different local issue
5.3 Liaison with local media, government line agencies, development organizations and donor communities.