Group I
CSO capacities for engaging and
becoming visible in the media
Building capacities – CSOs
• Capacity building is about realising the importance of
media as a channel to reach the public.
• Define a communications person in the organisation.
• Create tools for communication with the media.
• Communication needs to be at a high level both
internally and externally to ensure the right message is
being sent out.
• Media literacy training - how to effectively handle
media communication tools.
• Communication cannot be the responsibility of one
single person.
• Everyone in the organisation should be aware of the
communication plan and find their individual place in
its implementation.
Building capacities of the media
• Issue-oriented media workshops. Formulate
them as working meetings, information
sharing meetings, media consultations, if you
feel the media won’t respond to ‘training’.
• Engage the media, ask their opinion on certain
issues.
• Help specialize journalists in specific subjects
like ecology, women’s rights etc.
Show benefits of CSO-media
partnerships
• Sharing of best practices and experiences
• Better informing of citizens
• Change of perception of the public, corporate
social responsibility.
• Media that work with CSOs would gain
credibility. It could help them gain the respect
they lack today.
• Helping media take their proper role in the
democratic society.
Relationship building between CSOs
and media
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Building closer professional relationships with media
Helping break down the stereotypes on both sides
Give the media more information, be transparent
Involving media representatives in governance
structures
• Include media experts in the preparation of CSO
strategies.
• CSOs supporting media in their efforts to battle for
freedom of the press, free speech, missing and
murdered journalists and violence against journalists
etc.
CSO internal change - attitude change
• Communication strategy should be connected to
the mission, vision and aims of the organisation.
• Remind CSOs that the main beneficiary of their
work is the public.
• Developing the accountability of the CSOs to their
own constituencies and the public, and not only
to the donors – and the role of the media in
ensuring that accountability.
• Promote good stories to bring about attitude
change.
• Recruit celebrity/VIP champions to promote your
issues. (Keeping in mind the risks involved).
Innovation and social media
• Digital media – citizen journalism and CSO
journalism – creating content directly. They
should be addressed in a specific way and
CSOs should have a section of their strategy
dealing with them.
• There is no clear agreement in the group on
how necessary is it to include social media in
the communication strategy.
Media internal change
• The media have owners, editors and directors,
and a marketplace to which they bend. It is up
to us – the CSOs – to bring change to them.
Clear, simple message
• The message needs to be understandable
both to the media and to the general public.
• Whenever it’s possible, engage
communication experts in creating your
message.
• Recognize the elements of a good message –
content, channels of publishing.
Thank you 