MDI supports VEDGAP

The Media Development Initiative (MDI) of the Media Council of PNG (MCPNG) has supported Transparency International PNG’s (TI PNG) Voter Education Democratic Governance Awareness Project (VEDGAP) with assistance funding of K50,000.

TI PNG last week mobilised the US$130,000 United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) funded VEDGAP to be piloted in the five highlands provinces.

The project, which comes under TI PNG’s Electoral Reform and Awareness Program (ERAP) will educate voters on the Limited Preferential Voting (LPV) system and the electoral process, increase awareness about democracy and participation amongst citizens, and enhance the participation of women in elections.

The main method used to deliver these messages will be live drama by drama troupes like RaunRaun Theatre at public places in the district and council areas.

The funding from UNDP covers items such as transport, payment of drama troups, while the MDI funding helps cover media costs, mostly radio and print, jingles, and cartoons in newspapers, to ensure that the messages delivered via live drama are reinforced after the troupes have left.

TI PNG Chairman, Mike Manning, thanked MDI for their assistance.

"It is essential that the people of PNG understand the electoral process, and elect good leaders into both the National Parliament and their Local Level Governments. We thank MDI for helping us provide information to PNG voters on how to choose good leaders," Mr Manning said.

The goal of the MDI is to support an open and democratic media that gives voice to all PNG citizens, provides nationwide access to information and culture, and delivers development content for the benefit of the people.

The purpose is to increase the provision of quality media services that contribute to PNG’s stability and activities, through flexible and contestable funding mechanism, in specified target areas, that address problems of media access, content and voice.

The focus areas for the activities include; Improved program content: To make high quality program content available to media networks and community groups at minimal cost; Rural networks: To build a rural network of civil society, media and government agencies that can collaborate to improve the access of rural people to media services; Media research and analysis: To provide practical, accurate and useful means of assessing media operations and performance and to public policy development for PNG; and Learning and development: To increase the knowledge, skills and understanding of media personnel in government, civil society and the media industry.