Background:

National Media Development Center (NMDC) established in February 2007 to help build the capacities of the provincial media in Nepal and other developing countries is providing different types of THEME based journalism trainings to rural district based journalists. The capacity of the independent provincial media has to be strengthened in order to safeguard democracy, and bring social change in the society.

NMDC is fully dedicated for the institutionalization and promotion of free media as the foundation of democracy and pluralism. We trust that an independent and financially sustainable and professionally strong media can create a well-informed citizenry.

Specific Objective

The specific objective of NMDC is to provide support for the establishment of an independent, financially sustainable and professionally strong provincial media in Nepal and developing Countries

Mission:

National Media Development Center has identified its mission as:

-   To promote and strengthen the district media;

-   To maintain constant vigilance in protecting the democratic system, rule of law, human rights and the guaranty of freedom of speech and the press;

-   To strengthen the local media through capacity building and financial sustainability schemes;

-   To stimulate and motivate high standards and ethical behavior in the practice of journalism;

-   To encourage local journalists to establish media in the district where no media exist or are unable to survive;

Five main working areas:

-        Media Management Training,

-        Journalism Training, (Development Journalism, Public Health Journalism, Civic and Citizen Journalism, Remotest district focused based, Intermediate and Advanced Journalism trainings)

-        Media Exposure Training,

-        Media Publication and Research, and

-        Media Dialogue Workshop

Contributing substantially to develop Public Health Journalism in Nepal:

NMDC is the pioneer in providing Public Health Journalism Training focused on RH. Training opened the eyes of the journalists to identify different public health issues that were unnoticed before. Quality, verified information and coverage in local and national media increased and response to the news from health institutions started. The journalists who were not publishing health news started to publish and broadcast twice in a week. Women listening the news broadcasted from FM radio went to the nearby health centers and hospitals for treatment.  Since December 2007 to December 2011, it provided training to 327 mid career journalists including 148 women participating from 55 districts. Health Journalism Feature Bulletin Publication, Health News impact analysis, Fellowship Award on Health Journalism to trainee Journalists are our regular activities in Health Journalism.

Rural Media Empowerment Project:

 NMDC differs from others, as we reach on the spot and provide skills and monitor the impact if it brought any changes to the journalists and the society. We have proved it and changes are measurable. Rural media empowerment is the nerve of NMDC, for this it has provided Rural Focused Basic/Intermediate/Advanced Journalism Trainings to 559 including 273 female journalists in 22 remote districts including Humla, Mugu, Bajhang, Bajura, Dailekh, Baitadi, Rasuwa etc. It provided Civic Journalism training to 257 journalists including 67 women from 32 districts. It has also provided theme based writing boot camp, and safety training to the journalists.

Till March 2012, it has provided trainings to 1246 journalists, 713 male and 533 female participating journalists from 68 districts.

NMDC is working with the U.S Embassy to Nepal, Australian Embassy to Nepal, OSI, NFHP- II/USAID, FES Nepal, Department of Information, Ipas Nepal/Family Health Program and other organizations.