BBC World Service Trust

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The BBC World Service Trust definies its mission as using "the creative power of media to reduce poverty and promote human rights by inspiring people to build better lives" [1]

The Trust works with the media in Developing Countries all over the world to produce programmes suited to the local audience as well as helping to build media capacity and infrastructure.

Iraq

As part of the Department for International Development's (DFID) Humanitarian and Reconstruction Assistance to Iraq, 2003, the BBC World Service Trust was awarded contratcs worth over £6.5 million to rebuild the country's media infrastructure. An initial £390,000 was given to produce humanitarian programmes for broadcast on the BBC World Service and to assess the state of the Iraqi media. A further £6,140,098 was awarded to establish a broadcasting centre in Basra, to assist in the production of local news, education and entertainment programmes for broadcast on radio and TV, and the provision of equipment and training.[2]

The culmination of this project was the creation of Al Mirbad TV and Radio in the summer of 2005, a local media outlet covering Southern Iraq. All the 150 staff were trained by the BBC World Service Trust and the day to day running of the station is now in the hands of a local management team. A January 2006 survey showed that 42% of respondents tuned in to Al Mirbad radio at least once a week while 13% of viewers watched Al Mirbad TV.[3]

In October 2007, the Trust announced the launch of a project to promote freedom of expression in Iraq. "The project is further developing the country's media regulatory framework; providing support for media professionals, and undertaking research on the state of the country's media".[4] A profesional code of conduct will be created for journalists while the country's regulatory framework for the media will also be developed. The project is being run in conjunction with Albany Associates and IREX Europe with funding coming from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO).".[5]

Directors

Stephen King - Director

Awo Ablo - Director of Business Development

Kirsty Cockburn - Direcdtor of Communications

Anna Da Silva - Regional Director, Africa

Simon Derry - Regional Director, Middle East, Europe and Former Soviet Union

Caroline Howie - Regional Director, Asis

Gerry Power - Director, Research and Knowledge Management


Funding

Africa Educational Trust

British Council

Community Fund

Conciliation Resources

Danish International Development Assistance (Danida)

Department For International Development, UK (DfID)

European Commission

European Union

Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA)

Ford Foundation

Foreign & Commonwealth Office, UK (FCO)

Deutsche Gesellschaft für Technische Zusammenarbeit (GTZ) GmbH

Grupo Zeta

Health Unlimited

International Labour Organisation (ILO)

International Trachoma Initiative (ITI)

Kaiser Foundation

Karl Mayer Foundation

Ministry for Foreign Affairs, Netherlands (NEDA)

Mott Foundation

Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE)

Potanin Charity Foundation

Radio Netherlands Training Centre (RNTC)

Sasakawa Memorial Health Fund

United Nations AIDS

United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF)

United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)

United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR)

United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)

United Nations Development Fund For Women (UNIFEM)

United Nations Mine Action Centre for Afghanistan (UNMACA)

United Nations Operation in Côte d’Ivoire (UNOCI)

USAID US Agency for International Development

World Bank

World Health Organization (WHO)

Zayed Foundation


Notes

  1. BBC World Service Trust About The Trust
  2. DFID Humanitarian and Reconstruction Assistance to Iraq, 2003 [1]
  3. BBC World Service Trust [2]
  4. BBC World Service Trust [3]
  5. BBC World Service Trust [4]