Peace building through bridges of understanding

• Reality is a perception of the world communicated by media. We know something because we are told about it – a lot more often than through our own experience. What media communicate and how they do it, shapes our comprehension of reality.
• In a world of modern communication, media are the means and tools to understand our realities. Professional media dedicate themselves to rise the awareness about the complexity of life. By offering a forum to people and opinions media give facilitate orientation.
• The pluralism of opinion and analysis has to be reflected by a pluralism of media. Especially in situations of conflict or crisis, independent information and professional communication are crucial to address the problems and to help find a constructive way out of them.
• Media can stir up conflicts through inaccurate and agitational reporting. However through responsible and adequate programs and by challenging stake holders with arguments media can contribute to conflict resolution as well.
• medienhilfe supports professional and independent media in this struggle with the aim of contributing to conflict resolution and peace building.

More about the background of medienhilfe…

Professional journalism and independent media production

medienhilfe aims to...

• strengthen freedom and variety of press
• give minorities a voice and identity
• support responsible and critical journalism
• facilitate comprehension and conciliation through crossboarder communication
• contribute to peaceful coexistence of people and nations

medienhilfe facilitates...

• further education for editors and journalists
• chaperonage for challenging productions
• financing of technical equipment and specific programs
• improvement of management and financially solid structures
• extension of crossboarder networking and cooperation

Selected partners

Selectable partners of medienhilfe are media…

• who are not owned or controlled by state or para-state structures, by political parties or individual politicians
• whose editorial policy is independent
• whose coverage complies with the professional and ethical standards of a responsible journalism
• whose coverage and language takes a clear stand against nationalism and chauvinism
• who contribute to political understanding and dialogue, peaceful cohabitation and social tolerance
• who actively promote civil society and democratization processes
• who look for cooperation beyond ethnical, religious and national borders
• Media who give minorities a voice

Partners of medienhilfe may be...

• Privately owned electronic media and productions groups
• Newspapers and journals
• News-agencies
• Media-organisations and journalist associations

More about the medienhilfe - Mission statement…

Broad support and active network

Founded in December 1992 as 'Medienhilfe Ex-Jugoslawien' medienhilfe is registered as a non-profit, tax-exempted organization since 2001. medienhilfe consists of...

• Professional staff members – journalists, scientists, project managers and development aid -workers
• an advisory board (journalists, politicians, cultur, scientists, businessmen)
• more than 2000 members

The following institutions support medienhilfe:

• Swiss Ministry of Foreign Affairs by - Political Division IV (Human Security) and - Swiss Development Cooperation SDC
• the Open Society Institute – Network Media Program (Soros Foundation)
• foreign governmental bodies and foundations such as the German Foreign Ministry AA or the National Endowment for Democracy (US-Congress foundation)
• Swiss cities and communities
• Individual contributions and donations

medienhilfe is a member of...

• the Stability Pact Media Task Force
• the International Media Funds IMF
• KOFF - Center for Peacebuilding
• an international coordination of media-organisations including:
  o IREX ProMedia (USA)
  o Media Development Loan Fund MDLF (Prague)
  o Open Society Institute – Network Media Program (London) as well as the foundations of the Open Society Institute in the corresponding countries
  o Press Now (Holland)
  o Norwegian People’s Aid NPA
  o Swedish Helsinki Committee SHC

and cooperates closely with a number of NGOs and international organizations.

News and Background-Information

medienhilfe informs you:

• through mh-info with news, reports and indications (in german, reaches you by mail)
• by electronic mail on media-news (medianews@medienhilfe.ch)
• on its website with background information and analysis
• in the form of remittence work with specific expertise and consultancy

On demand medienhilfe is pleased to send you

• specific publications on the situation of media in Eastern and Southeastern Europe
• the short documentaries 'Katharsis' and 'Media, War & Peace'. More…

See also our Flyers (as pdf) about medienhilfe in

english german italian