CAMRI’s Susan Abbott and Winston Mano re-elected at IAMCR

Susan Abbott and Winston Mano were respectively re-elected co-Chair and co-Vice Chair of Media Sector Development (MSD) at the International Association for Media and Communication Research (IAMCR). This year, fifteen of IAMCR’s sections and working groups (S&WGs) had elections for their leadership teams (Chairs and Vice Chairs). Abbott and Mano were re-elected for new 4 year terms. In their welcoming letter, IAMCR’s President, Nico Carpentier and Vice President, Andrea Medrado, pointed out that “The work that the S&WGs chairs and vice-chairs do for IAMCR is really key to keep our association thriving and we truly appreciate it”. Also re-elected as co-Chair was Nick Benequista, a Senior Director with the Centre for International Media Assistance (CIMA). the other co-vice chair is Jairo Lugo-Ocando, currently a Dean and Professor at the University of Sharjah in the UAE.

The Media Sector Development debates key and emerging issues facing the media sector’s development. It considers efforts of various actors around the globe in shaping the laws and institutions that determine how media systems change and develop. It also deals with policy advocacy, training and capacity building for journalists, the formation of professional associations, the reform of public service media, among others. Key to its work is bringing together “theory”and “practice” in media sector development, with explicit focus on building a bridge between concepts and action, drawing from interdisciplinary perspectives and co-created knowledge to inform and support advocacy strategies, approaches to international cooperation, policy reforms, and other interventions by local, national, and international actors. The working group provides an opportunity to harness the IAMCR network for academic-practitioner collaborations that will help support and inspire evidence, research, and data that can be leveraged to support media development. The Media Sector Development Working Group aims to promote a bottom-up approach to media development that recognizes and supports the agency of citizens and civil society to shape broadcast, print, and digital media at multiple levels. See the list of all current members of the Media Sector Development Working Group.

Photo by Arnaud Jaegers on Unsplash