Media Diversity Institute
{{Short description|Non-government organization}}
The Media Diversity Institute (MDI) is a London-based non-governmental organisation{{cite web|title=Media Diversity Institute|url=http://www.annalindhfoundation.org/members/media-diversity-institute|website=Anna Lindh Foundation}} working with the media to improve reporting on ethnicity, religion, gender, sexuality and other diversity issues.{{cite web|title=Media Diversity Institute|url=http://ethicaljournalismnetwork.org/supporters/media-diversity-institute|website=Ethical Journalism Network}}
The mission of MDI is to promote "responsible journalism as a means to improve inter-community relations, increase tolerance and encourage dialogue among individuals and groups coming from different backgrounds."{{cite web|title=Media Diversity Institute|url=https://gfmd.info/en/site/members/886/Media-Diversity-Institute.htm|website=Global Forum for Media Development}}
MDI has worked with organisations such as Internews,{{cite book|url=http://ec.europa.eu/social/main.jsp?langId=en&catId=89&newsId=512|title=Media4Diversity: Taking the Pulse of Diversity in the Media|date=March 2009|publisher=European Commission|isbn=978-92-79-12419-8|location=Belgium}} the International Federation of Journalists, Article 19,{{cite book |last1=Rupar |first1=Verica |title=Getting the Facts Right: Reporting Ethnicity & Religion |date=2012 |publisher=MDI & International Federation of Journalists |location=Belgium |author-link=Verica Rupar}} and the European Federation of Journalists. MDI is also a member of the Ethical Journalism Network.{{cite web|title=Reporting on Migration and Refugees Training Workshop for EU Journalists|url=http://ethicaljournalismnetwork.org/reporting-migration-refugees-training-workshop-eu-journalists|website=Ethical Journalism Network}}
Background
MDI was founded in 1997 by journalist Milica Pesic, who was working at the time for NYU Center for War, Peace and the News Media.{{cite web|title=World Press Freedom Day 2017|url=https://en.unesco.org/world-press-freedom-day-2017/milica-pesic|website=UNESCO}} MDI works on an international scale, but has a European focus.{{Cite book|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=buXzDQAAQBAJ&pg=PA3|title=Media and Cultural Policy in the European Union|last=Kretzschmar|first=Sonja|publisher=Rodopi|year=2007|isbn=9789401204156|editor-last=Sarikakis|editor-first=Katharine|location=Amsterdam|pages=215|chapter=Diverse Journalists in a Diverse Europe?}}
MDI works to engage, educate and train the actors in society who have influence over media coverage of diversity. This includes media decision makers (owners, editors, managers), journalists, academics, students, Civil Society Organisations and governmental organisations.{{Cite news|url=https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-106391301.html|title=European Media Institute Publishes Manuals on Media and Diversity|date=7 August 2003|work=Info-Prod Research|access-date=5 October 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171027030123/https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-106391301.html|archive-date=2017-10-27|url-status=dead}} They also organise conferences on these topics.{{Cite news|url=https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-87676017.html|title=Diversity Reporting Program Planned for South Caucasus|date=23 June 2002|work=Info-Prod Research|access-date=5 October 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171027030054/https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-87676017.html|archive-date=2017-10-27|url-status=dead}}
Projects
MDI's first large scale media diversity project, The Reporting Diversity Network (RDN), was launched at a conference in November 1998 with keynote speakers Michael Ignatieff and Jean-Paul Marthoz.{{cite book|last1=Tuller|first1=David|title=Reporting Diversity Manuel|date=2002|publisher=Media Diversity Institute & European Union|location=London|page=14|url=http://www.cestim.it/argomenti/08media/2002-Reporting-Diversity-Manual-Balkan-EN.pdf}} RDN's work focused on Central and Eastern Europe as well as the newly independent former Soviet states.{{cite journal|last1=Pesic|first1=Milica|title=The Media's Markers of Race and Ethnicity in the Balkans|journal=Rhodes Journalism Review|date=August 2001|volume=2001|issue=20|pages=24–25|url=http://journals.co.za/content/rujr/2001/20/EJC144721;jsessionid=UgRbGlGP3pWXxTOUvp_u967d.sabinetlive}} They have also been involved in addressing the deaths of Romani journalists and editors.{{Cite journal|last=Gross|first=Peter|date=29 November 2006|title=A Prolegomena to the Study of the Romani Media in Eastern Europe|url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/249720670|journal=European Journal of Communication|volume=21|issue=4|pages=485|doi=10.1177/0267323106070012|s2cid=144580676}}
Other projects that MDI have been involved in include Dune Voices,{{cite web|title=About Dune Voices|url=http://www.dune-voices.info/public/index.php/en/about-us/about-dune-voices|website=Dune Voices}} Get the Trolls Out,{{cite web|title=How to Counter Hate Speech on Twitter|url=http://www.stoppinghate.getthetrollsout.org/|website=Stopping Hate}} and Media Against Hate.{{cite web|title=About Media Against Hate|url=http://europeanjournalists.org/mediaagainsthate/|website=Media Against Hate}}
In other media
The collaboration between MDI and Twitter in developing a guide on countering hate speech was referred to in an article in the Financial Times, October 17, 2016.{{cite news|last1=Madhumita Murgia|first1=Hannah Kuchler|title=Social Media: Challenging the Jihadi Narrative|url=https://www.ft.com/content/3b03edde-8992-11e6-8aa5-f79f5696c731|agency=Financial Times|date=October 17, 2016}}
A video broadcast produced by MDI's Dune Voices project was published on the BBC website on 30 December 2016.{{cite web|title=In Mali: Artwork from Motorcycle Parts|url=http://www.bbc.com/arabic/media-38470942?SThisFB|website=BBC Arabic|publisher=Dune Sounds}}
MDI contributed to the Journal for Applied Journalism and Media Studies in 2017. MDI's founder Milica Pesic presented concrete and detailed examples of how MDI has worked to promote inclusive journalism and diversity in the media in many different countries and regions.
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.media-diversity.org/en/ Media Diversity Institute Official Website]
Category:1997 establishments in the United Kingdom
Category:Communications and media organisations based in the United Kingdom
Category:Communications and media organisations based in England