COMMUNITY

RADIO
MONITORING
Framwork

Syed Tamjid ur Rahman, ChangeMaker

April, 2010

Prepared for
Bangladesh NGOs Network for
Radio and Communication
www.bnnrc.net

Supported by
Article19
Introduction: ________________________________________________________________ 9
What is CR? Formal definition in CR policy __________________________ Error! Bookmark not defined.
Definition – Community Radio: _____________________________________________ Error! Bookmark not defined.
Conceptions of Community in the Community Radio ________________________________________ 10
Models of Community Radio ____________________________________________________________ 11
Different between CR and other media __________________________________________ 12
Difference between Community Radio and other Radios: ____________________________________ 13
Basis of Comparison: ______________________________________________________ Error! Bookmark not defined.
Different Radios __________________________________________________________ Error! Bookmark not defined.
Role of Community Radio _______________________________________________________________ 12
Rational: _____________________________________________Error! Bookmark not defined.
Purpose for A Monitoring Handbook ______________________________________________________ 14
Applications of M&E ___________________________________________________________________ 30
Internal and External Applications ___________________________________________________________________30
Knowledge Capital ________________________________________________________________________________30
Transparency and Accountability ____________________________________________________________________30
Objective of the CR Monitoring Hand Book ________________________________________________ 14
Methodology __________________________________________________ Error! Bookmark not defined.
monitoring of Community Radio________________________________________________ 17
CR Monitoring Framework (CRMF) _______________________________________________________ 18
The Design of the Community Radio Monitoring System _____________________________________ 19
Main Stakeholders in Monitoring _________________________________________________________ 20
Demand Side ____________________________________________________________________________________20
Supply Side: _____________________________________________________________________________________26
The five-step approach to monitoring and evaluation _______________________________________ 20
Steps of Monitoring ____________________________________________________________________ 19
Conclusion _________________________________________________________________ 30
Understanding Readiness __________________________________________________ Error! Bookmark not defined.
Three Main Parts of the Readiness __________________________________________________________________31
1. Incentives and Demands for Designing and Building M&E System ____________________________________31
2. Roles and Responsibilities and Existing Structures for Assessing _____________________________________31
3. Capacity Building Requirements for the System ___________________________________________________32
Recommendation ___________________________________________________________ 33
Sample Code of Conduct ______________________________________________________ 33
Content Analysis : content analysis is a summarizing, quantitative analysis of
messages that relies on the scientific method (including
attention to objectivity, inter-subjectivity, a priori design,
reliability, validity, generalizability, replicability, and
hypothesis testing) and is not limited as to the types of
variables that may be measured or the context in which the
messages are created or presented
Balance sheet : A summary of a station's assets and liabilities
Commercial : Paid advertising announcement; spot
Copywriter : One who writes commercial or promotional copy
Cost Per Thousand : Estimate of how much it costs an advertiser to reach 1,000
(CPM or Cost Per Mil) listeners
Demographics Audience statistical data pertaining to age, sex, race, income,
and so forth
Ethnic Programming for minority group audiences
FM Frequency Method of signal transmission using 88-108 MHz band
Modulation
Frequency Number of cycles-per-second of a sine wave
Licensee Individual or company holding license issued by the
Government for broadcast purposes
Live copy Material read over air; not prerecorded
Persons using radio Measurement of the number of persons listening to stations
(PUR) in a market
Market Area served by a broadcast facility; ADI
PSA Public Service Announcement; noncommercial message
Psychographics Research term dealing with listener personality, such as
attitude, behavior, values, opinions, and beliefs
Rate card Statement of advertising fees and terms
Rating Measurement of the total available audience
Reach Measurement of how many different members of an
audience will be exposed to a message
Remote Broadcast originating away from station control room
Signal Sound transmission; RF.
Signature Theme; aural logo, jingle, ID.
Sponsor Advertiser; client, account, underwriter
Spots Commercials; paid announcements
Station log Document containing specific operating information
Stringer Field or on-scene reporter; freelance reporter
Talk Conversation and interview radio format
Total Survey Area Geographic area in radio survey
(TSA)

Media monitoring and analysis service– A firm that aggregates information

gathered by traditional and social media content providers, using its software
to compile and analyze that information – sometimes further refined by human
analysts. The resulting media intelligence is packaged according to client
specifications and delivered to those clients in a timely fashion, i.e., as close to
real-time as possible. Organizations use this media intelligence to determine
what is being said – positive or negative – about the organization itself, its
brand, or an issue that can affect it. Among other things, media monitoring and
analysis can help organizations track publicity campaigns, discover the nature
and extent of various social trends, and obtain insight on how media and other
opinion leaders are responding to their products and messages.

Prominence refers to the attention a story on an organization, brand, issue,

message, etc. gets in the media. It can be measured by a number of factors that
measure the quantity and quality of media coverage, including type of media,
extent (of coverage), share of voice, story size or length, placement, media
circulation or audience share, media relevance (to the organization's audience),
story treatment, use of visuals, type of coverage, etc.

Media type – the type of media – daily newspaper, blog, television station,
community newspaper, business publication, etc. – covering the story.

Scope – the geographical area the media reach, including national, provincial,
regional, and specifically defined and selected areas.
Share of voice – the organization's share of media attention in the total
coverage of a product, issue, industry, cause, etc. This information can
contribute to competitive intelligence studies.

Story size/length – the space the story occupies in print media (half a page, 400
lines, a tiny mention, etc.), the time (10 seconds, one minute, etc.) devoted to
it in broadcast media, and the space/time it earns in new media.

Placement – where the story was placed in the media. In print, it could range
from the front page to page 52 or in the sports or world news section. In
broadcast, placement is where the story was aired in the newscast (lead story,
story number five, etc.) In new media, it could refer to the space it occupies on
a blog, the number of mentions on Twitter, etc.

Circulation/share – the total number of copies of a publication delivered to

print audiences (media circulation). Audience share is the percentage of
listeners or viewers within a defined market of listeners/viewers who are tuned
in to a broadcast outlet. For more information, see print circulation as well as
listenership/viewership below.

Media relevance – the criteria that determine the relevance of a specific

medium to the organization's target audience. This can be assessed by how
closely the composition of the media audience – demographics and/or
psychographics – matches that of the organization's audience.

Story treatment – how a story is treated in the media. It could be a cover story,
a running story earning coverage day after day, a one-shot mention, or a story
earning multiple mentions in one issue, one broadcast or one Twitter day. (See
related articles)

Use of visuals – information on the content and placement of such visuals as

photographs

Type of coverage – the context in which an item is presented in the media

(news, opinion/commentary, community service, etc) It can be further
identified as an editorial, news story, blog post, news brief, bumper, letter to
the editor, comment to a blog post, etc.

Tone or sentiment measures how a person, group, organization, or issue is

portrayed in the media. Tone is normally categorized as positive, neutral or
negative, with various degrees of negative and positive tones. (Toning can be
enhanced when a human analyst – able to recognize sarcasm, irony, and
various human quirks – serves as a filter.)

Message fidelity delivers information on how well the message conveyed by

the media matched the message or messages the organization wanted to
communicate.

Content and nature of quotes – an amalgamation of what was said/printed in

the media, who was quoted in the story, including the quotes themselves as
well as the source – media, organizational spokesperson, and/or third party.

Impact is determined by measuring how prominence is amplified by tone

and/or message fidelity. For example, a positive front page story – with an
accompanying large flattering photo and multiple spokesperson and third-party
quotes delivering the desired messages – in a daily newspaper reaching an
audience that matches that of the organization could be judged to have a high
impact. While impact evaluation processes for social media are ever-evolving,
one such measurement revolves around engagement.

Engagement – a measurement of the nature and extent of audience

engagement through two-way conversations, the sharing of information, and
other interactions such as subscribership. Included in this measurement are
such considerations as reach and tone delivered by blog posts and comments,
link backs, tweets, and re-tweets.

Audiences and measurement

Demographics refers to the social and economic characteristics of a group of
households or individuals. Commonly used demographics include age, gender,
mother tongue, employment, and household income. Psychographics describe
audiences through personality traits, interests, lifestyles, attitudes, etc.

Reach refers to the number of audience members who potentially receive a

message. Most reach measures use circulation/audience share figures.

Frequency measures the number of times (within a specific period) an audience

potentially receives a message.

Impressions tally the total number of times the potential audience (including
duplications) was exposed to a message within a specific period. This is
calculated by multiplying the number of people who potentially received it
(reach) by the number of times (frequency) they potentially were exposed to it.
The use of the word "potential" is key as this type of measurement deals only
with those who might have heard something – not with those who actually
heard it, understood it, or acted upon it.

Portable People Meters (PPMs) are pager-sized, rechargeable monitoring pods

worn by respondents. When an audio code embedded in radio station signals is
detected, the unit captures the time of viewing. Tuning information is
downloaded nightly to a central audience collection point.

Listenership – data on listeners (radio) including the size of the cumulative

audience, the number of listeners as a quarter-hour average, the average hours
tuned by listeners, and the audience share in a particular market. This
information is available by specific demographic groups (age, gender, etc.)

Central area – a defined geographical area assigned to stations for reporting

purposes. All stations in a market share the same central area.

Full Coverage Area –includes all areas where respondents’ meters or diaries
indicate listenership to a station. Stations in the same markets have different
full coverage areas.

Cumulative Audience (cumes) – the number of different people listening to a

station for at least 15 minutes during a specified period of time (usually weekly)
Central reach refers to the estimated number of different listeners within the
central market area, while full coverage reach includes the estimated number
of different viewers anywhere in the country.

Quarter Hour Average – average number of listeners tuned to a station in any

quarter hour in a given time period. It is determined by adding all the individual
quarter hour audiences and dividing by the number of quarter hours involved.

Average Minute Audience (AMA) – a ratings system, that provides information

on the average number of listeners in this time period.

Audience or Market Share – the percentage of those people listening to radio

who are tuned to a particular station at a particular time
• Individual station audience x 100 = Audience Share
• Total Radio Audience

Average Hours Tuned – average number of hours people listen to a station

during a weekly period. It is determined by dividing the total number of hours
tuned by the number of listeners.

Metrics and analytics

Metrics and analytics are terms used to describe measurements, evaluations,
and interpretations of statistics and correlating them with business and public
relations objectives. Some use the terms interchangeably while others use only
one or the other. Some make a distinction between the two, using metrics for
measurements of statistics and analytics for interpretation and analysis of
those metrics, including the ultimate evaluation of whether or not outcome
objectives were met.

Content measures are evaluations of how content – facts, opinions, messages,

etc. about an organization, issue, or topic – is accessed, adapted, shared, and
amplified on a site or sites or across the web.

Conversation measures study online conversations (tweets, blog posts and

comments, link backs, etc.) related to an organization, issue, etc. The
conversation may be measured by quantity, tone/sentiment, message fidelity,
etc. One such content measure is the conversation index or conversation rate,
created by dividing the total number of posts by the number of relevant
comments and trackbacks. Sometimes, this measurement evaluates the
prominence and sphere of influence enjoyed by those participating in a
relevant conversation. Some go even further, connecting those conversations
to an organization's objectives relating to knowledge or awareness, attitudes
towards the organization, and desired behaviors.

Outcome measures are used to evaluate how content measures correlate with
outcome objectives.

Web Metrics
Page views is a count of the number of times a page was viewed. This includes
duplications.

Traffic sources – how visitors get to a site or page on a site. They may arrive
directly or through a referring site or search engine.

Unique visits adds up the number of individual people who visited a site within
a specified period of time used for reporting purposes.

New visitors – the number of unique visitors who access any page on a site –
via a web browser – for the first time

Repeat visitors – the number of unique visitors who make two or more visits to
a site.

Return visitors – the number of unique visitors who return to a site after the
initial visit.

Visit duration – the length of time visitors spend on a page or a site.

Conversation reach – the number of unique visitors who took part in a

conversation. Tone/sentiment analysis is not included.

Bounce rates – statistics on those visitors who remain on a site for five seconds
or less or those who visit only one page of a site.

Supplementary terms
Advertising Value Equivalency (AVE) is the amount in dollars a story would cost
if it appeared as paid advertising. It is determined by multiplying the
size/length of the story by the advertising rate for the relevant publication or
station.

Benchmark refers to a point of reference for measuring coverage of an issue or

campaign. It's a standard or yardstick used when measuring progress in a
campaign.

Clip count refers to the total number of stories that mention a client company,
product or campaign.
Digital Rights Management (DRM) refers to access control methods that limit
usage of digital content to protect publishers and copyright holders.

Issue refers to any subject or topic that is being tracked and analyzed. For an
issue to earn media coverage, it usually is a public issue, i.e., a problem,
opportunity, question, or choice faced by or greatly affecting society or some
segment of society.

Omnibus issues monitoring/analysis is undertaken by a group of noncompeting

organizations who share the cost of gathering media intelligence on a situation
or issue.

Related articles are those that relate to the main story. It may be a sidebar with
a human interest angle, another (perhaps opposite) point of view, an editorial,
etc.

Syndicated issues tracking is a service provided to individual subscribers who all

receive the same information on media coverage of a situation or issue.
COMMUNITY RADIO
MONITORING HANDBOOK
I NTRODUCTION :
“One doesn’t have to be a Marxist to tell that large media conglomerates and
transnational companies are disconnected from the lives of communities
where they operate from. Worse still, the much talked about ‘Digital
revolution’ in the contested topography of the ‘information society’ has
resulted in new forms of cyber-capitalism and digital divides. Contrary to this,
community radio provides a framework, not only to re-engage those
communities which exist on the periphery, but also gives a chance for civic
transformation, participatory democracy and mutuality. Community Radio is a
counterpoise to the egotistical profit driven media accountable to their own
1
selves. ”

Community radio is defined in the policy as ‘a medium that gives a voice to the
voiceless, serves as mouthpiece of the marginalized and is central to
communication and democratic processes within societies’2. Community Radio
is generally a broadcasting system established
by the efforts of a specific community,
operated by the community for the purpose of
the community’s welfare. It is, therefore, a type
of radio service that caters to the interests of a
certain area, broadcasting content that is
popular to a local audience and is often
overlooked by commercial or mass-media
broadcasters. Community radio stations serve
the local community listeners by offering a
variety of content that is not necessarily
provided by the larger commercial radio stations. Community radio outlets
often provide news and information programming geared toward the local
area, particularly focusing on the marginalized groups such as religious or
cultural minority groups that are poorly served by other major media outlets.

The policy outlines the Community Radio as “A non-profit service will be in

charge of ‘Community Radio’ broadcasting activities. It should be owned by a
particular community, usually through a trust, foundation, or association. Its
aim is to serve and benefit that community. It is, in effect, a from of public-

1
Saima Saeed, Community Radio: Policies, Power and Possibilities, Lecturer, Jamia Millia Islamia,
New Delhi
2
Community Radio Installation, Broadcast and Operation Policy 2008
 service broadcasting, but it serves a community rather than the whole nation,
as is the usual form of public broadcasting described above. Moreover, it relies
3
and must rely mainly on the resources of the community. ”

C OMMUNITY IN THE C OMMUNITY R A DIO

A community is a social group of any size whose members reside in a specific
locality, share government and often have a common cultural and historical
heritage. The term ‘community’ obscures many complexities. ‘Community has
been defined in many different ways. Geographical definitions emphasize that
a community is a group of people living in proximity within defined borders
such as a village or neighborhood. Social psychological definitions emphasize
that a community is defined less by presence in a particular physical space than
by real or imagined commonalities of identity, aspiration and/or values.

•a community is a group •a community is defined •emphasize

of people living in less by presence in a commonalities of culture,
proximity within defined particular physical space kinship, religious affinity,
borders such as a village than by real or imagined social structure and
or neighborhood commonalities of values, together with
identity, aspiration living in a particular
and/or values place.
Social Sociological and
Geographical
psychological Anthropological
definitions
definitions definitions

Sociological and anthropological definitions emphasize commonalities of

culture, kinship, religious affinity, social structure and values, together with
living in a particular place.

Within communities, there are important differences in status, wealth and

power. In fact, the term ‘community’ often implies a level of homogeneity that
does not exist. A community
frequently consists of multiple sub-
groups that differ according to
religion, socio-economic status and
ethnicity and some groups may wield
much more power and influence than
others do. In such contexts,
communities may decide to establish
community radio that reduces the
inequities that already exist within the
community. Even if the groups include members of different sub-groups, their
participation may be symbolic and their influence may be limited.

Communities in Community Radio are often a contentious and tricky debate

and will vary from country to country. Community may also often be replaced

3
Community Radio Installation, Broadcast and Operation Policy 2008
by a range of terms like "alternative", "radical", or "citizen" radio. Although
traditionally in sociology, a "community" has been defined as a group of
interacting people living in a common location, community radio is often built
around concepts of access and participation and so the term community may
be thought of as often referring to geographical communities based around the
possible reach of the radio's signal, i.e. the people who can receive the
message, and their potential to participate in the creation of such messages.
This pose the challenge in defining the community appropriately for the fact
that many community radio stations now broadcast over the internet as well,
thereby reaching potentially global audiences and communities.

According to the government policy “A ‘Community’ is considered to be a

group of people who share common characteristics and/or interests such as
sharing a single geographical location i.e. a specific town, village, or
neighborhood; sharing of economic and social life through trade, marketing,
exchange of goods and services.4”

M ODELS OF C OMMUNITY R ADIO

Philosophically two distinct approaches to community radio can be discerned,
though the models are not necessarily mutually exclusive.

• One stresses service or community-mindedness, a focus on what the

station can do for the community.
• The other stresses involvement and participation by the listener.

Within the service model localism is often prized, as community radio, as a

third tier, can provide content focused on a more local or particular community
than larger operations. Sometimes, though, the provision of syndicated content
that is not already available within the station's service area is seen as a
desirable form of service.

Within the access or participatory model, the participation of community

members in producing content is seen as a good in itself. While this model does
not necessarily exclude a service approach, there is a tension between the two,
as outlined, for example, in Jon Bekken's Community Radio at the Crossroads5.
6
Community media, according to Kevin Howley , are distinguished from their
commercial and public service counterparts in three fundamental ways. First,
community media provide local populations with access to the instruments of
media production and distribution. Second, the organizational culture of
community media stresses volunteerism over professionalism and promotes
participatory management, governance and decision-making. Third, and
perhaps most significantly, community media reject market-oriented
approaches to communicative practices and are philosophically committed to

4
Community Radio Installation, Broadcast and Operation Policy 2008
5
Bekken, Jon. "Community Radio at the Crossroads: Federal Policy and the Professionalization of a
Grassroots Medium" in Sakolsky, Ron and S. Dunifer (eds.) Seizing the Airwaves: A Free Radio
Handbook.
6
Howley, K. (2002) Communication, Culture and Community: Towards A Cultural Analysis of
Community Media. The Qualitative Report, Volume 7, Number 3
nurturing mutually supportive, collaborative, and enduring communal
relations7.

In sum, community media play a vital, though largely unacknowledged role in

preserving democratic forms of communication, defending local cultural
autonomy, promoting civil society, and rebuilding a sense of community.
Community media as a development device

R OLE OF C OMMUNITY R ADIO

Community radio is primarily an alternative media that can act as a
countervailing force to the politically motivated state media and profit-motive
corporate media. Community radio facilitates the empowerment of people
with their active participation in the process and not merely as passive
listeners. Community radio promotes people’s agenda first such as local
knowledge, cultures, human rights and social justice, environmental issues and
community problems as well as the issues related to development, community
radio can raise voices against human rights violation, oppression, promote
human rights situation, the practice of democracy and promote improved
governance through transparent and accountable relation building among
citizens and in the society.

Therefore, community radio helps create knowledge, preserve knowledge,

disseminate knowledge and apply knowledge for the advancement of the
community. It helps build a knowledge society, establishes human rights,
empowers community to raise voices and develop a pluralistic society.8

•Knowledge •Pluralism
Society

Knowledge Knowledge
Creation Preservation

Knowledge Knowledge •Community

•Human Utilization Dissemination
Rights Empowerment

C OMMUNITY R ADIO AND OTHER MEDIA

Globally there are three tier radio systems, i.e.

1. Public Service Broadcasting

2. Commercial Broadcasting

7
Devine, R. H. (1991) Marginal notes: Consumer video, the first amendment and the future of
access. Community Television Review, 14(2), 8-11.
8
A form of society which is made up of people from different ethnic, religious and cultural
backgrounds, a society which embraces minority groups and is tolerant towards them
 3. Community Broadcasting

Public service broadcasting usually public sector broadcast system aimed for
publicity of the government. It covers national issues according to
government’s priority. The peripheral or rural people eventually ignored in this
kind of media. A nationwide consensus building or reconstruction of public
consent is being propagated by public service broadcast. In commercial
broadcasting system profit is the ultimate goal. Enterprises established radio
for earning money by advertisement. So, the outreach becomes more isolated
and peripheral. Community radio is a broadcast system owned, operated and
broadcast by the community people. CR covers local issues. National and
international issues also cover in line with community interests. It creates an
environment of promoting local knowledge, cultural heritage, custom, practice
and values. Usually low power FM transmitters used for broadcasting in CR for
the specific area. Community motivation and participation are two powerful
things which make CR different from traditional media system.

D IFFERENC E B ETW EEN C OMMUNITY R ADI O AND O THER

R ADIOS
The differences of community radio and other radio can be made on the basis
of the following criteria9:

Approach Ownership Audience

Responsibility Style Goal

Therefore, using the criteria the following can be determined:

Basis of Community Commercial Government

Comparison Radio Radio Radio
Approach Participatory Market Driven Bureaucratic

Ownership Collective Private Government

Audience Active/Participant Carefree Passive

Responsibility Towards Society Towards Owners Towards Government

Style Natural/informal Artificial Formal

Goal Collective Welfare Profit Propaganda

9
Ref: Radio Pledge, Mr. Raghu Mainali
These criteria make the monitoring framework of a community radio quite
different that other radio.

P URPOSE F OR A M ONI TORING H AN DBOO K F OR

C OMMUNITY R ADIO
Community Radio is a new media in Bangladesh context. This is the first time in
history, a community driven broadcasting system is about to air programs
which contain voices of the voiceless people.
There is a mind-set that media should be
monitored to make it accountable or controlled.
In case of CR, the intention is not putting control
over its operation but to ensure its effective
operation. The monitoring framework is aimed to
assist CR from the beginning to be an effective
medium for community people as mentioned in
the policy. A handbook of monitoring is needed
to address issues related license, establishment,
planning, operation, content management,
production, broadcast and evaluation. Community people don’t have practical
knowledge and expertise for operating CR in this moment. A practical guideline
could help them for smooth operation on CR station. On the supply side, this
handbook will cover issues related to efficient role-play of the policy maker and
implementer as well.

Monitoring and evaluation are important for two main reasons.

For learning and development

• Help assess how well interventions are doing and help make it better.
It is about asking what has happened and why, what is and what is not
working.
• It is about using evaluation to learn more about an organization’s
activities, and then using what has been learnt.
• For accountability - to show others that the interventions are effective
• Funders and other sponsors want to know whether a project has spent
its money in the right way. There is pressure from funders to provide
them with ‘proof’ of success. Many projects have to respond to this
demand in order to survive.

O BJECTIV E OF THE CR M O NITORING H AN D B OOK

Community Radio Monitoring Handbook will address both the issues for
stakeholders and policy implementer. In the same time it will consider the
general audience for ensuring more listener-focused broadcasting system. CR
initiators are getting preparation for establishing stations. The proposed
handbook will offer the ground rules for fair play. Editorial guidelines, ethics,
aesthetic, national interests, development agenda, local issues, national
integration, code of conducts and many more issues are there to consider
before starting CR station. A comprehensive work plan is required to prepare
beforehand. The handbook could be a guiding force for initiators, government
and general audience as well.
WHAT IS MONITORING AND
EVALUATION?
The term monitoring is primarily used for collecting information to help answer
questions about progress of activity or program. It is a planned, organised and
a routine process to understand and appreciate the activity or project more
concretely and help evaluate its performance and provide constructive
feedback for improvement.

On the other hand, the term evaluation is primarily used for applying the
monitoring information to make judgments about activity or program and
make changes and improvements.

The OECD (2002a) defines monitoring and evaluation as follows:

Monitoring is a continuous function that uses the systematic collection of data on

specified indicators to provide management and the main stakeholders of an ongoing
development intervention with indications of the extent of progress and achievement of
objectives and progress in the use of allocated funds.

Evaluation is the systematic and objective assessment of an ongoing or completed

project, program, or policy, including its design, implementation, and results. The aim is
to determine the relevance and fulfillment of objectives, development efficiency,
effectiveness, impact, and sustainability. An evaluation should provide information that
is credible and useful, enabling the incorporation of lessons learned into the decision-
making process of both recipients and donors.

It is evident that both monitoring and evaluation are distinct yet

complementary. Monitoring gives information on where a policy, program, or
project is at any given time (and over time) relative to respective targets and
outcomes. It is descriptive in intent. Evaluation gives evidence of why policies,
targets and outcomes are or are not being achieved. It seeks to address issues
of causality. Of particular emphasis here is the expansion of the traditional
M&E function to focus explicitly on compliance, outcomes and impacts of
community radio.

Evaluation is a complement to monitoring in that when a monitoring system

sends signals that the efforts are going off track (for
example, that the target population is not
approving the services, that policy compliance are
meeting standards, that there is weakness in
operation and management as agreed upon, and so
forth), then good evaluative information can help
clarify the realities and trends noted with the
monitoring system. For example, If performance
information is presented by itself (in isolation)
without the context and benefit of program
evaluation, there is a danger of program managers, regulators, legislators... and
others drawing incorrect conclusions regarding the cause of improvements or
declines in certain measures. Simply looking at trend data usually cannot tell us
how effective the program interventions are.

C OM P LEM ENT AR Y R OLES OF M ONI T OR I NG A ND E VA LU A T I ON

Monitoring Evaluation
Analyzes why intended results were or were
Clarifies program objectives
not achieved
Assesses specific causal contributions of
Links activities and their resources to objectives
activities to results
Translates objectives into performance
Examines implementation process
indicators and sets targets
Routinely collects data on these indicators,
Explores unintended results
compares actual results with targets
Provides lessons, highlights significant
Reports progress to managers and alerts them
accomplishment or program potential, and
to problems
offers recommendations for improvement

Evaluation, therefore, can be defined as an assessment, as systematic and

objective as possible, of a planned, ongoing, or completed intervention. The
aim is to determine the relevance of objectives, efficiency, effectiveness,
impact, and sustainability so as to incorporate lessons learned into the
decision-making process. Specifically, this kind of evaluation addresses: “why”
questions, that is, what caused the changes being monitored; “how” questions,
or what was the sequence or process that led to successful (or unsuccessful)
outcomes; and “compliance and accountability” questions, that is, did the
promised activities actually take place and as planned?

The monitoring without the intervention framework or logic does not provide
required information for decision-making. Therefore, it is important to
understand the intervention logic – its goal, outcome, output, activities and
inputs. The following diagram provides an overview of a typical program
intervention logic of a CR.
 Goal
Improve livlihood and quality of life of rural people through knowledge and inforamtion

Outcome
Improved level of awanress on development issues, rights, and services

Outputs
Updates of Accessing
Knowledge about Increased access Increased quality
Community Government Increased income
rights to services of life
Development services

Activities
Launch radio campaign to educate community Link service providers with the community

Inputs
Responsible Community
Station Management Information collection Funds
Broadcasting Participants

The above intervention logic can now become the framework for monitoring
and evaluation and provide information as to where the problem originated
and how it has impacted the overall performance of the intervention.

M ONITORING C OMMUNITY R ADIOS

For monitoring the community radio, the Community Radio Policy (CRP) will
become the primary guiding tool. Along with the CRP, the other broadcast
related laws, policies and directives can also become useful in the monitoring
mechanism. To monitor the CRs, it is important to categorize and understand
the functions of CR that they are expected to do. Based on the CR Policy, the
following broad categories of functions can be determined:

F UNCTIONS OF C OMMUNITY R A DIO

Regulatory Function Obligatory Function Optional Function

•Roles which must •Roles which must •Roles which may

be carried out be carried out be carried out for
under policy under legal, social improved
and moral performance, but
conditions are not legally
bound

As per the community radio policy, the total responsibilities and functions
performed by a Community Radio Initiator are about 44. These functions can
be broadly categorized under three major heads

• Compulsory Functions
• Transferred Function
• Optional Functions

1. Compulsory Functions: are the functions that a CR must carry out and
reports to the relevant authority. There are 5 compulsory Functions:

i. Regulatory responsibilities
a. Technical responsibilities
b. Broadcasting responsibility
ii. Operational functions: According to the regulation, CRs
form community committees, hold regular meetings, fix
up rules & regulation and conditions of their roles
iii. Revenue and Administration functions: Help CR to collect
revenue, keep records, collect and maintenance
information. Also help CR employee who is responsible
for the same.
iv. Community Development functions: CRs are responsible
for social, cultural, economic and political development

2. Transferred Functions: are the functions that a CR is given by

authorities on special occasions. These functions become Compulsory
functions when assigned such as broadcasting, relaying or re-
broadcast nationally important and relevant programs of Bangladesh
Betar (Radio) including Special program such as address of the
president, prime minister, special program of national days
celebrations and weather bulletin.
3. Optional Functions: are the functions that are performed by the CR
initiators to improve their operation and achieving the overall goal of
the CR and community development such as broadcasting issues on
children or women issues,

CR M O NITORING F RAMEWORK (CRMF)

The monitoring and performance framework, performance goals and indicators
of CR programs can be reviewed on the basis of the knowledge and information
demand and supply status of a community or a community radio operation

• Overall ‘knowledge and information’ application area

• Knowledge and information suppliers (CR Initiator),
• Knowledge and information customers (Community)

Each category can be matched with the overall goal that program interventions
are trying to achieve:

• Outreach or scale: number of community people reached

• Access: the effort to provide services to people not served by existing
media;
• Sustainability: CR knowledge and information provider (CR Initiators)
• Efficiency: cost-effectiveness of program activities
• Benefits: Impact on Community
 CR Initiator Targeted Community

Government/ Service delivery & Increase in service Increase in use and Improved quality Improved
Regulatory change in availability and benefits derived of life and economic
operational quality to from the services livelihood
Authorities and social
practice beneficiaries received performance
conditions

Program strategies, The primary focus will on the Income, employment, satisfaction, Employment, growth of
rationale, and targets will penetration, interventions, growth of economic ventures, business, literacy rate,
be the primary focus quality of service, outreach, quality of life, health, education, gender issues, supply
access, volume of service etc chain, etc

T HE D ESI GN OF THE C OMMUNITY R ADIO M ONI TORING

S YSTEM
The design is the important and critical element in the monitoring mechanism.
The primary design of the community radio is provided by the government in
the community radio guideline. A good monitoring system would have the
following elements:

Agreeing on
Selecting Key
Outcomes to Baseline Data on
Indicators to
Monitor and Indicators
Monitor Outcomes
Evaluate

Planning for
Improvement - Monitoring for The Role of
Selecting Results Improvements Evaluations
Targets

Sustaining the
Reporting Findings Using Findings
M&E System

S TEPS OF M O NITORING
Before establishment of CR station, the initiator or representative of the
community is obliged to apply for license. The eligibility criterion, technical
specification, content selection, priority of content, management process,
operation, program planning and production, quality participation of
community, accountability to the listener, financial management, human
resource management, impact of broadcasting, these are few issues should
prioritized logically. The steps of monitoring will differ from user specific needs.
Initially there are two sets of users. They are demand side users and another is
supply side user. Monitoring steps will be designed for each group and sub-
groups.

T H E FI VE - S T E P AP P R OAC H T O M ONI T OR I NG A ND E VA LU A T I ON
The community radio regulator as well as the initiators has to be clear about
what they are trying to achieve and need to develop specific aims and
objectives. This is increasingly important for government, other agencies and
for community people.

There are many approaches to evaluation. The approach this handbook

describes is a model of self-evaluation that recognizes this emphasis on aims
and objectives.

M AIN S TAKEHOLDERS IN M ONITORIN G

Demand Side
Ministry of Information
National Regulatory Committee
Technical Sub-committee
Central Monitoring Committee
Local Police Station
CSO/ Community/ NGO
Community

Supply Side
CR Management Committee
Local Advisory Committee
CR Station Initiator

D E M A ND S I DE

1. MoI and three committees

a. National regulatory Committee
b. Technical Sub-committee
c. Central Monitoring Committee
2. Local Police Station
3. CSO/ Community/ NGO
4. Community

S U P P LY S I DE
 1. CR Management Committee
2. Local Advisory Committee
3. CR Station Initiator

Supply Side CR Management Local Advisory CR Station

Demand Side Committee Committee Initiator
Ministry of Information ☑ ☑ ☑
National Regulatory
☑ ☑ ☑
Committee
Technical Sub-committee ☑ ☑ ☑
Central Monitoring Committee ☑ ☑ ☑
Local Police Station ☑ ☑ ☑

CSO/ NGO ☑ ☑ ☑

Community People ☑ ☑ ☑

T HE M ONITORING C RITERIA
The Community Radio Policy of Bangladesh is quite extensive and covers
almost all the issues of technical, administrative, operational aspects of
Community Radio. Although, it may be argued that if such a comprehensive
policy is at all required at the nascent stage, however, the policy can effectively
help shape the growth of community radio in Bangladesh and help achieve the
objectives more effectively and efficiently.

The following monitoring criteria has been developed based on the Community
Radio Policy to effectively understand the

Policy Compliance Compliance Issues Who When Format

Section 5.1 of • Coverage of the Community Radio Station will for a • BTRC Quarterly Policy
CRIBO Policy 2008 range of 17 km from its centre. • Technical Sub Committee
• Maximum limit for transmitter power could be 100 • Vendor
watts.
Section 5.2 of • Keeping the antenna tower’s height from ground • BTRC Quarterly Policy
CRIBO Policy 2008 to 32 meters subject to local geological and social • Technical Sub Committee
conditions • Vendor
• Keeping the antenna gain under 6 DB
Section 5.3 of Allocation of Frequency in FM band as per National • BTRC During National
CRIBO Policy 2008 Frequency Allocation Plan • Technical Sub Committee frequency Frequency
allocation Allocation
Plan
Section 6 of Program broadcast content • Central Monitoring Committee Quarterly Format-1
CRIBO Policy 2008 • Advisory Committee
Section 7.2.3 of Promoting equity and social justice with special • Central Monitoring Committee Quarterly Format-1,2
CRIBO Policy 2008 priority to the marginalized communities in terms of • Advisory Committee
their race, caste, religion, physical disability and
gender
Section 7.2.4 of Ensuring capacity building for and within the • Central Monitoring Committee Quarterly Format
CRIBO Policy 2008 community through formal and / or informal training • Advisory Committee
as required
Section 7.3 of Evaluating (mid-term and at final) CR operation during • Central Monitoring Committee Yearly
CRIBO Policy 2008 the two year pilot phase stage of CR operation
 • Advisory Committee
Section 7.4 of Non-Transferability of CR license BTRC
CRIBO Policy 2008
Section 7.5 of • Sharing of programs among different Community • Central Monitoring Committee Monthly Format-1
CRIBO Policy 2008 Radio Station • Advisory Committee
• Relayed or re-broadcast nationally important and
relevant programs of Bangladesh Betar (Radio)
including Special program such as address of the
president, prime minister, special program of
national days celebrations and weather bulletin
Section 7.6 of • Program contents of the community radio • Central Monitoring Committee Monthly Format-1
CRIBO Policy 2008 broadcast service • Advisory Committee
• Reflecting the program contents to serve the
special interests of the community
Section 7.7 of • Ensuring community peoples’ inclusion from the • Central Monitoring Committee Monthly Format-2
CRIBO Policy 2008 point of participation, choice and sharing. • Advisory Committee
• Ensuring the participation of community people in
program planning, implementing, operating and
evaluating
Section 7.7.1 of Developing plans to facilitate and promote community • Central Monitoring Committee Monthly Format-2
CRIBO Policy 2008 participation • Advisory Committee
Section 7.7.2 of Broadcasting speeches of government officials at • Central Monitoring Committee Monthly Format-1
CRIBO Policy 2008 upazilla level on development issues and policies • Advisory Committee
Section 7.7.3 of Developing specific program set through community • Central Monitoring Committee Monthly Format-1
CRIBO Policy 2008 participation on local information, events and • Advisory Committee
notifications, local culture, identity, and local language
Section 7.7.4 of Reflecting local culture in program broadcast format, • Central Monitoring Committee Monthly Format-1
CRIBO Policy 2008 subject, presentation and language of programs • Advisory Committee

Section 7.8 of Broadcasting of local development news without • Central Monitoring Committee Monthly Format-1
CRIBO Policy 2008 political bias • Advisory Committee
Section 7.9.1 of Broadcasting of advertisements/ commercials related • Central Monitoring Committee Monthly Format-4
CRIBO Policy 2008 to development services, relevant and limited to the • Advisory Committee
specified area
Section 7.9.2 of Ensuring no influence of sponsors on the content or • Central Monitoring Committee Monthly Format-4
CRIBO Policy 2008 the style of individual programs or the overall • Advisory Committee
programming of the Community Radio Station and its
code of conduct
Section 7.9.2 of Complying the existing government regulations for • Central Monitoring Committee Monthly
CRIBO Policy 2008 commercials • Advisory Committee
Section 7.10 of Regulating or monitoring the activities of any • Central Monitoring Committee Monthly
CRIBO Policy 2008 community radio station by any Government authority • Advisory Committee
Section 7.11 of • Providing quarterly report to the ministry of • Central Monitoring Committee Monthly
CRIBO Policy 2008 information • Advisory Committee
• Preservation of records of broadcasted programs
during the piloting phase
Section 7.12 of Inspecting right of the Government or its authorized • Central Monitoring Committee Monthly
CRIBO Policy 2008 representative regarding: • Advisory Committee
• The broadcast
• Community Radio Station setup facilities
• Collecting information in connection to public and
community interests
Section 7.13 of The right of the Government to take over the entire • Central Monitoring Committee Anytime
CRIBO Policy 2008 Community Radio Station, service and network • Advisory Committee
possessed by the licensee or revoke/ terminate/
suspend/ punish the license in the interest of national
security or in the event of national emergency/ war or
low intensity conflict or in any similar type of
situations
Section 7.14 of • The final and conclusiveness of the Government’s • Central Monitoring Committee Anytime
CRIBO Policy 2008 decision. • Advisory Committee
• The power of the Government to direct the
licensee to broadcast any special message as may
be considered desirable to meet any contingency
arising out of natural emergency, or public interest
or natural disaster and the like
• The obligation of the licensee to comply with such
directions
Section 7.15 of Submitting audited annual accounts and • Central Monitoring Committee Yearly
CRIBO Policy 2008 annual report to the Government • Advisory Committee
Section 7.16 of Consequences of failing to commission • National Regulatory Committee
CRIBO Policy 2008 services within the instructed period • Central Monitoring Committee
Section 7.17 of Initiatives of Government to create a Community MoI
CRIBO Policy 2008 Radio Development Fund as supplement for the
community broadcaster’s own resources, capacity
building, improvement in quality of technology,
research & evaluation purpose, etc
Section 7.18 of Complying with all conditions decided by BTRC for the BTRC
CRIBO Policy 2008 use of frequency and radio equipment
Section 7.19 of Non-use of tower by the private telephone operators • Central Monitoring Committee
CRIBO Policy 2008 • BTRC
Section 7.20 of • Arranging overall security of the station with armed • Central Monitoring Committee
CRIBO Policy 2008 Ansars through own funding • Advisory Committee
• Submitting monthly report to the Government
stating if any anti-state broadcasting have been
carried out by the in-charge of concerned police
station
Section 7.21 of The rights of the government to modify any rules or • National Regulatory Committee
CRIBO Policy 2008 regulations stated in the policy
in support of public welfare or for appropriate
broadcasting or for public security
Section 7.22 of The rights of the Government to revoke the license at • National Regulatory Committee
CRIBO Policy 2008 any time in public interest or in case of violation of the
terms and conditions provided
Section 8.1 of Submission of recordings of broadcasted programs of • Central Monitoring Committee Monthly
CRIBO Policy 2008 community radio station to the local authority • Advisory Committee
prescribed by the Government every month
Section 8.2 of • Formation of a local advisory committee under the • Central Monitoring Committee
CRIBO Policy 2008 UNO, Officer-In-Charge of local police stations, and • Advisory Committee
Regional director of local Radio station, Principal of
locally situated education institution
• The monitoring the community radio station
activities on a regular basis by the committee
• Submission a confidential report to the Ministry of
Information every month by the committee.
Section 8.3 of Providing suggestions based on the strengths and • Central Monitoring Committee
CRIBO Policy 2008 weaknesses of the community radio station • Advisory Committee
broadcasting by the advisory committee
Section 8.4 of Encouraging the participation of upazila level • Central Monitoring Committee
CRIBO Policy 2008 government officials in the community radio programs • Advisory Committee
by the advisory committee
Section 8.5 of Encouragement of producing development • Central Monitoring Committee
CRIBO Policy 2008 advertisements / government advertisements through • Advisory Committee
community radio by the advisory committee
Section 8.6 of Provide necessary counseling service to improve the • Central Monitoring Committee
CRIBO Policy 2008 quality of programs by the advisory committee • Advisory Committee
Section 8.7 of Supervision of the overall operation related to • Central Monitoring Committee
CRIBO Policy 2008 Community Radio and shall inform the Ministry on a • Advisory Committee
regular basis

5. Local Advisory Committee

Policy Compliance Compliance Issues Who When Format
Section 6 of Program broadcast content • Central Monitoring Committee
CRIBO Policy 2008 • Advisory Committee
Section 7.2.3 of Promoting equity and social justice with special • Central Monitoring Committee
CRIBO Policy 2008 priority to the marginalized communities in terms of • Advisory Committee
their race, caste, religion, physical disability and
gender
Section 7.2.4 of Ensuring capacity building for and within the • Central Monitoring Committee
CRIBO Policy 2008 community through formal and / or informal training • Advisory Committee
as required
Section 7.3 of Evaluating (mid-term and at final) CR operation during • Central Monitoring Committee
CRIBO Policy 2008 the two year pilot phase stage evaluation of CR • Advisory Committee
operation
Section 7.4 of Non-Transferability of CR license • Central Monitoring Committee
CRIBO Policy 2008 • Advisory Committee
Section 7.5 of • Sharing of programs among different Community • Central Monitoring Committee
CRIBO Policy 2008 Radio Station • Advisory Committee
• Relayed or re-broadcast nationally important and
relevant programs of Bangladesh Betar (Radio)
including Special program such as address of the
president, prime minister, special program of
 national days celebrations and weather bulletin
Section 7.6 of • Program contents of the community radio • Central Monitoring Committee
CRIBO Policy 2008 broadcast service • Advisory Committee
• Reflecting the program contents to serve the
special interests of the community
Section 7.7 of • Ensuring community peoples’ inclusion from the • Central Monitoring Committee
CRIBO Policy 2008 point of participation, choice and sharing. • Advisory Committee
• Ensuring the participation of community people in
program planning, implementing, operating and
evaluating
Section 7.7.1 of Developing plans to facilitate and promote community • Central Monitoring Committee
CRIBO Policy 2008 participation • Advisory Committee
Section 7.7.2 of Broadcasting speeches of government officials at • Central Monitoring Committee
CRIBO Policy 2008 upazilla level on development issues and policies • Advisory Committee
Section 7.7.3 of Developing specific program set through community • Central Monitoring Committee
CRIBO Policy 2008 participation on local information, events and • Advisory Committee
notifications, local culture, identity, and local language
Section 7.7.4 of Reflecting local culture in program broadcast format, • Central Monitoring Committee
CRIBO Policy 2008 subject, presentation and language of programs • Advisory Committee

Section 7.8 of Broadcasting of local development news without • Central Monitoring Committee
CRIBO Policy 2008 political bias • Advisory Committee
Section 7.9.1 of Broadcasting of advertisements/ commercials related • Central Monitoring Committee
CRIBO Policy 2008 to development services, relevant and limited to the • Advisory Committee
specified area
Section 7.9.2 of Ensuring no influence of sponsors on the content or • Central Monitoring Committee
CRIBO Policy 2008 the style of individual programs or the overall • Advisory Committee
programming of the Community Radio Station and its
code of conduct
Section 7.9.2 of Complying the existing government regulations for • Central Monitoring Committee
CRIBO Policy 2008 commercials • Advisory Committee
Section 7.10 of Regulating or monitoring the activities of any • Central Monitoring Committee
CRIBO Policy 2008 community radio station by any Government authority • Advisory Committee
Section 7.11 of • Providing quarterly report to the ministry of • Central Monitoring Committee
CRIBO Policy 2008 information • Advisory Committee
• Preservation of records of broadcasted programs
during the piloting phase
Section 7.12 of Inspecting right of the Government or its authorized • Central Monitoring Committee
CRIBO Policy 2008 representative regarding: • Advisory Committee
• The broadcast
• Community Radio Station setup facilities
• Collecting information in connection to public and
community interests
Section 7.13 of The right of the Government to take over the entire • Central Monitoring Committee
CRIBO Policy 2008 Community Radio Station • Advisory Committee
service and network possessed by the licensee or
revoke/ terminate/ suspend/ punish the license in the
interest of national security or in the event of national
emergency/ war or low intensity conflict or in any
similar type of situations
Section 7.14 of • The final and conclusiveness of the Government’s • Central Monitoring Committee
CRIBO Policy 2008 decision. • Advisory Committee
• The power of the Government to direct the
licensee to broadcast any special message as may
be considered desirable to meet any contingency
arising out of natural emergency, or public interest
or natural disaster and the like
• The obligation of the licensee to comply with such
directions
Section 7.15 of Submitting audited annual accounts and • Central Monitoring Committee
CRIBO Policy 2008 annual report to the Government • Advisory Committee
Section 7.16 of Consequences of failing to commission • Central Monitoring Committee
CRIBO Policy 2008 services within the instructed period • Advisory Committee
Section 7.17 of Initiatives of Government to create a Community • Central Monitoring Committee
CRIBO Policy 2008 Radio Development Fund as • Advisory Committee
supplement for the community broadcaster’s own
resources, capacity building, improvement in quality
of technology, research & evaluation purpose, etc
Section 7.18 of Complying with all conditions decided by BTRC for the • Central Monitoring Committee
CRIBO Policy 2008 use of frequency and radio equipment • Advisory Committee
Section 7.19 of Non-use of tower by the private telephone operators • Central Monitoring Committee
CRIBO Policy 2008
 • Advisory Committee
Section 7.20 of • Arranging overall security of the station with armed • Central Monitoring Committee
CRIBO Policy 2008 Ansars through own funding • Advisory Committee
• Submitting monthly report to the Government
stating if any anti-state broadcasting have been
carried out by the in-charge of concerned police
station
Section 7.21 of The rights of the government to modify any rules or • Central Monitoring Committee
CRIBO Policy 2008 regulations stated in the policy • Advisory Committee
in support of public welfare or for appropriate
broadcasting or for public security
Section 7.22 of The rights of the Government to revoke the license at • Central Monitoring Committee
CRIBO Policy 2008 any time in public interest or in case of violation of the • Advisory Committee
terms and conditions provided
Section 8.1 of Submission of recordings of broadcasted programs of • Central Monitoring Committee
CRIBO Policy 2008 community radio station to the local authority • Advisory Committee
prescribed by the
Government every month
Section 8.2 of • Formation of a local advisory committee under the • Central Monitoring Committee
CRIBO Policy 2008 UNO, Officer-In-Charge of local police stations, and • Advisory Committee
Regional director of local Radio station, Principal of
locally situated education institution
• The monitoring the community radio station
activities on a regular basis by the committee
• Submission a confidential report to the Ministry of
Information every month by the committee.
Section 8.3 of Providing suggestions based on the strengths and • Central Monitoring Committee
CRIBO Policy 2008 weaknesses of the community radio station • Advisory Committee
broadcasting by the advisory committee
Section 8.4 of Encouraging the participation of upazila level • Central Monitoring Committee
CRIBO Policy 2008 government officials in the community radio programs • Advisory Committee
by the advisory committee
Section 8.5 of Encouragement of producing development • Central Monitoring Committee
CRIBO Policy 2008 advertisements / government advertisements through • Advisory Committee
community radio by the advisory committee
Section 8.6 of Provide necessary counseling service to improve the • Central Monitoring Committee
CRIBO Policy 2008 quality of programs by the advisory committee • Advisory Committee
Section 8.7 of Supervision of the overall operation related to • Central Monitoring Committee
CRIBO Policy 2008 Community Radio and shall inform the Ministry on a • Advisory Committee
regular basis

6. Local Police Station

Policy Compliance Issues Who When Format
Compliance

Section 7.20 of • Submitting monthly report to the Government • Local Police Station
CRIBO Policy stating if any anti-state broadcasting have been
2008 carried out by the in-charge of concerned police
station
Section 8.2 of • Formation of a local advisory committee under the • Local Police Station
CRIBO Policy UNO, Officer-In-Charge of local police stations, and
2008 Regional director of local Radio station, Principal of
locally situated education institution
• The monitoring the community radio station
activities on a regular basis by the committee
• Submission a confidential report to the Ministry of
Information every month by the committee.
Section 8.3 of Providing suggestions based on the strengths and • Local Police Station
CRIBO Policy weaknesses of the community radio station
2008 broadcasting by the advisory committee
Section 8.4 of Encouraging the participation of upazila level • Local Police Station
CRIBO Policy government officials in the community radio programs
2008 by the advisory committee
Section 8.5 of Encouragement of producing development • Local Police Station
CRIBO Policy advertisements / government advertisements through
2008 community radio by the advisory committee
Section 8.6 of Provide necessary counseling service to improve the • Local Police Station
CRIBO Policy quality of programs by the advisory committee
2008
Section 8.7 of Supervision of the overall operation related to • Local Police Station
CRIBO Policy Community Radio and shall inform the Ministry on a
2008 regular basis

S U P P LY S I DE :
7. CR Management Committee
Policy Compliance Issues Who When Format
Compliance
Section 6 of Program broadcast content • CR Management
CRIBO Policy Committee
2008
Section 7.2.3 of Promoting equity and social justice with special • CR Management
CRIBO Policy priority to the marginalized communities in terms of Committee
2008 their race, caste, religion, physical disability and
gender
Section 7.2.4 of Ensuring capacity building for and within the • CR Management
CRIBO Policy community through formal and / or informal training Committee
2008 as required
Section 7.6 of • Program contents of the community radio • CR Management
CRIBO Policy broadcast service Committee
2008 • Reflecting the program contents to serve the
special interests of the community
Section 7.7 of • Ensuring community peoples’ inclusion from the • CR Management
CRIBO Policy point of participation, choice and sharing. Committee
2008 • Ensuring the participation of community people in
program planning, implementing, operating and
evaluating
Section 7.7.1 of Developing plans to facilitate and promote community • CR Management
CRIBO Policy participation Committee
2008
Section 7.7.2 of Broadcasting speeches of government officials at • CR Management
CRIBO Policy upazilla level on development issues and policies Committee
2008
Section 7.7.3 of Developing specific program set through community • CR Management
CRIBO Policy participation on local information, events and Committee
2008 notifications, local culture, identity, and local language
Section 7.7.4 of Reflecting local culture in program broadcast format, • CR Management
CRIBO Policy subject, presentation and language of programs Committee
2008
Section 7.8 of Broadcasting of local development news without • CR Management
CRIBO Policy political bias Committee
2008
Section 7.9.1 of Broadcasting of advertisements/ commercials related • CR Management
CRIBO Policy to development services, relevant and limited to the Committee
2008 specified area
Section 7.9.2 of Ensuring no influence of sponsors on the content or • CR Management
CRIBO Policy the style of individual programs or the overall Committee
2008 programming of the Community Radio Station and its
code of conduct
Section 7.9.2 of Complying the existing government regulations for • CR Management
CRIBO Policy commercials Committee
2008
Section 7.11 of • Providing quarterly report to the ministry of • CR Management
CRIBO Policy information Committee
2008 • Preservation of records of broadcasted programs
during the piloting phase
Section 7.15 of Submitting audited annual accounts and • CR Management
CRIBO Policy annual report to the Government Committee
2008
Section 7.16 of Consequences of failing to commission • CR Management
CRIBO Policy services within the instructed period Committee
2008
Section 7.18 of Complying with all conditions decided by BTRC for the • CR Management
CRIBO Policy use of frequency and radio equipment Committee
2008
Section 7.19 of Non-use of tower by the private telephone operators • CR Management
CRIBO Policy Committee
2008
Section 7.20 of • Arranging overall security of the station with armed • CR Management
CRIBO Policy Ansers through own funding Committee
2008
Section 8.1 of Submission of recordings of broadcasted programs of • CR Management
CRIBO Policy community radio station to the local authority Committee
2008 prescribed by the Government every month
Section 8.2 of • The monitoring the community radio station • CR Management
CRIBO Policy activities on a regular basis by the committee Committee
2008
Providing suggestions based on the strengths and • CR Management
weaknesses of the community radio station Committee
broadcasting to the advisory committee
Encouraging the participation of upazila level • CR Management
government officials in the community radio programs Committee
Encouragement of producing development • CR Management
advertisements / government advertisements through Committee
community radio
Provide necessary counseling service to improve the • CR Management
quality of programs Committee
Supervision of the overall operation related to • CR Management
Community Radio Committee

8. CR Station/Initiator
Policy Compliance Issues How When Format
Compliance
Section 6 of Program broadcast content • CR Station/Initiator
CRIBO Policy
2008
Section 7.2.3 of Promoting equity and social justice with special • CR Station/Initiator
CRIBO Policy priority to the marginalized communities in terms of
2008 their race, caste, religion, physical disability and
gender
Section 7.2.4 of Ensuring capacity building for and within the • CR Station/Initiator
CRIBO Policy community through formal and / or informal training
2008 as required
Section 7.3 of Evaluating (Mid-term and at final) CR operation during • CR Station/Initiator
CRIBO Policy the two year pilot phase stage evaluation of CR
2008 operation
Section 7.4 of Non-Transferability of CR license • CR Station/Initiator
CRIBO Policy
2008
Section 7.5 of • Sharing of programs among different Community • CR Station/Initiator
CRIBO Policy Radio Station
2008 • Relayed or re-broadcast nationally important and
relevant programs of Bangladesh Betar (Radio)
including Special program such as address of the
president, prime minister, special program of
national days celebrations and weather bulletin
Section 7.6 of • Program contents of the community radio • CR Station/Initiator
CRIBO Policy broadcast service
2008 • Reflecting the program contents to serve the
special interests of the community
Section 7.7 of • Ensuring community peoples’ inclusion from the • CR Station/Initiator
CRIBO Policy point of participation, choice and sharing.
2008 • Ensuring the participation of community people in
program planning, implementing, operating and
evaluating
Section 7.7.1 of Developing plans to facilitate and promote community • CR Station/Initiator
CRIBO Policy participation
2008
Section 7.7.2 of Broadcasting speeches of government officials at • CR Station/Initiator
CRIBO Policy upazilla level on development issues and policies
2008
Section 7.7.3 of Developing specific program set through community • CR Station/Initiator
CRIBO Policy participation on local information, events and
2008 notifications, local culture, identity, and local language
Section 7.7.4 of Reflecting local culture in program broadcast format, • CR Station/Initiator
CRIBO Policy subject, presentation and language of programs
2008
Section 7.8 of Broadcasting of local development news without • CR Station/Initiator
CRIBO Policy political bias
2008
Section 7.9.1 of Broadcasting of advertisements/ commercials related • CR Station/Initiator
CRIBO Policy to development services, relevant and limited to the
2008 specified area
Section 7.9.2 of Ensuring no influence of sponsors on the content or • CR Station/Initiator
CRIBO Policy the style of individual programs or the overall
2008 programming of the Community Radio Station and its
code of conduct
Section 7.9.2 of Complying the existing government regulations for • CR Station/Initiator
CRIBO Policy commercials
2008
Section 7.11 of • Providing quarterly report to the ministry of • CR Station/Initiator
CRIBO Policy information
2008 • Preservation of records of broadcasted programs
during the piloting phase
Section 7.15 of Submitting audited annual accounts and • CR Station/Initiator
CRIBO Policy annual report to the Government
2008
Section 7.16 of Consequences of failing to commission • CR Station/Initiator
CRIBO Policy services within the instructed period
2008
Section 7.18 of Complying with all conditions decided by BTRC for the • CR Station/Initiator
CRIBO Policy use of frequency and radio equipment
2008
Section 7.19 of Non-use of tower by the private telephone operators • CR Station/Initiator
CRIBO Policy
2008
Section 7.20 of • Arranging overall security of the station with armed • CR Station/Initiator
CRIBO Policy Ansers through own funding
2008
Section 8.1 of Submission of recordings of broadcasted programs of • CR Station/Initiator
CRIBO Policy community radio station to the local authority
2008 prescribed by the Government every month
Section 8.2 of • Formation of a local advisory committee under the • CR Station/Initiator
CRIBO Policy UNO, Officer-In-Charge of local police stations, and
2008 Regional director of local Radio station, Principal of
locally situated education institution
Providing suggestions based on the strengths and • CR Station/Initiator
weaknesses of the community radio station
broadcasting to the advisory committee

9. CSO/Community/NGO, Listeners Club

Policy Compliance Issues Who When Format
Compliance
Section 6 of Program broadcast content • CSO/Community/NGO,
CRIBO Policy Listeners Club
2008
Section 7.2.3 of Promoting equity and social justice with special • CSO/Community/NGO,
CRIBO Policy priority to the marginalized communities in terms of Listeners Club
2008 their race, caste, religion, physical disability and
gender
Section 7.2.4 of Ensuring capacity building for and within the • CSO/Community/NGO,
CRIBO Policy community through formal and / or informal training Listeners Club
2008 as required
Section 7.3 of Evaluating (Mid-term and at final) CR operation during • CSO/Community/NGO,
CRIBO Policy the two year pilot phase stage evaluation of CR Listeners Club
2008 operation
Section 7.6 of • Program contents of the community radio • CSO/Community/NGO,
CRIBO Policy broadcast service Listeners Club
2008 • Reflecting the program contents to serve the
special interests of the community
Section 7.7 of • Ensuring community peoples’ inclusion from the • CSO/Community/NGO,
CRIBO Policy point of participation, choice and sharing. Listeners Club
2008 • Ensuring the participation of community people in
program planning, implementing, operating and
evaluating
Section 7.7.1 of Developing plans to facilitate and promote community • CSO/Community/NGO,
CRIBO Policy participation Listeners Club
2008
Section 7.7.2 of Broadcasting speeches of government officials at • CSO/Community/NGO,
CRIBO Policy upazilla level on development issues and policies Listeners Club
2008
Section 7.7.3 of Developing specific program set through community • CSO/Community/NGO,
CRIBO Policy participation on local information, events and Listeners Club
2008 notifications, local culture, identity, and local language
Section 7.7.4 of Reflecting local culture in program broadcast format, • CSO/Community/NGO,
CRIBO Policy subject, presentation and language of programs Listeners Club
2008
Section 7.8 of Broadcasting of local development news without • CSO/Community/NGO,
CRIBO Policy political bias Listeners Club
2008
Section 7.9.1 of Broadcasting of advertisements/ commercials related • CSO/Community/NGO,
CRIBO Policy to development services, relevant and limited to the Listeners Club
2008 specified area
Section 7.9.2 of Ensuring no influence of sponsors on the content or • CSO/Community/NGO,
CRIBO Policy the style of individual programs or the overall Listeners Club
2008 programming of the Community Radio Station and its
code of conduct
Providing suggestions based on the needs and • CSO/Community/NGO,
expectations of the local community for program Listeners Club
broadcasting
Encouraging the participation of civil society in the • CSO/Community/NGO,
community radio programs Listeners Club
Encouraging of producing development public service • CSO/Community/NGO,
announcements through community radio by the Listeners Club
advisory committee
CONCLUSIONS
A PPLICATIONS OF M&E
The M&E systems can be used to monitor and evaluate at all levels of
intervention as well as at operational, management and policy levels. The
required information and data can be collected and analyzed at any and all
levels to provide feedback at many points in time. The information can be used
to better inform key regulators, decision-makers, the general public, the
initiators, and other stakeholders.

I NT ER NA L A ND E X T ER NA L A P P LI C AT I ONS
M&E can also be conducted at local, regional, and national levels. So whether
one thinks of M&E in relation to levels of administrative complexity (project to
program to policy) or geographically, the applications are evident - though they
need not be identical. Again, the specific indicators may necessarily be
different, as the stakeholders’ needs for information will also be different for
each level of government and civil society.

K NOW LEDGE C A P I T A L
Good M&E systems are a source of knowledge capital. They enable
governments and other organizations to develop a knowledge base of the
types of projects, programs, and policies that are successful, and, more
generally, what works, what does not, and why. M&E systems provide
continuous feedback in the management process of monitoring and evaluating
progress toward a given goal. In this context, they promote organizational
learning.

T R A NS P AR ENC Y A ND A C C OU NT A BI LI T Y
M&E systems aid in promoting greater transparency and accountability within
implementing organizations, governments and the community in general.
External and internal stakeholders can have a clearer sense of the status of
intervention, projects, programs, and policies. The ability to demonstrate
positive results can also help garner greater political and popular community
support.

C HALLENGES
M&E systems can be built on a number of models; however, generally what are
often missed are the complexities of the wider context. The design, creation,
and use of M&E systems generally place too little emphasis on existing political,
organizational, cultural and often technological factors and contexts. The
tendency is to start by jumping straight into building a M&E system - without
even knowing where a given situation stands in relation to a number of critical
factors, including organizational roles, responsibilities, and capabilities;
incentives and demands for such a system; ability of an organization to sustain
systems; and so forth.

T HR EE M A I N P A R T S OF T HE R EA DI NES S
1. I N C E N T I V E S A N D D E M A N D S FOR DESIG NI NG A ND BUI LDI NG
M &E S Y S T E M
It is important to determine whether incentives exist - political,
institutional, or personal - before beginning to design and build M&E
system. The demand would dictate the design of the monitoring system

The following can identify the demand and the related incentives for
designing the monitoring:

1. What is driving the need for building the M&E system - legislative
or legal requirements, citizen demand, donor requirements
(National Development Plan, National Poverty Reduction Strategy,
MDG, or others?
2. Who are the designers and users of the system - government,
parliament, civil society, donors, others?
3. What is motivating the designers to build the system - a political
reform agenda, pressures from donors, a personal political
agenda, or political directive?
4. Who will benefit from the system - politicians, administrators, civil
society, donors, citizens?
5. Who will not benefit from building the system - politicians,
administrators, civil society, donors, citizens? Are there counter-
reformers inside or outside the system?

2. R O L E S A N D R E S P O N S I B I L I T I E S AND E XIS TING STR UC TUR ES

FOR ASS ESSI NG

Performance of Community Radio

The readiness assessment will enable one to gauge the roles and
responsibilities and existing structures available to monitor and
evaluate development goals.
• What are the roles of central and line ministries in assessing
performance?
• What is the role of parliament?
• What is the role of the regulatory agency?
• Do ministries and agencies share information with one another?
• Is there a political agenda behind the data produced?
• What is the role of civil society?
• Who in the country produces data?
- At the national government level, including central
ministries, line ministries, specialized units or offices,
including the national audit office
- At the sub-national or regional government level,
including provincial central and line ministries, local
government, NGOs, donors, and others
• Where in the government are data used?
 - Budget preparation
- Resource allocation
- Program policymaking
- Legislation and accountability to parliament
- Planning
- Fiscal management
- Evaluation and oversight.

3. C A P A C I T Y B U I L D I N G R E Q U I R E M E N T S FOR TH E SYSTEM
The readiness assessment generally reviews of the current capacity to
monitor and evaluate along the following dimensions:

• Technical skills
• Managerial skills
• Existence and quality of data systems
• Available technology
• Available fiscal resources
• Institutional experience

This is an important part of the assessment in emerging intervention,

because it can help identify any gaps in capacity needed to build and
sustain the monitoring systems.

Such an assessment can direct one to examine existing or possible

barriers to building the monitoring system, including a lack of fiscal
resources, political will, political champion, expertise, strategy, or prior
experience.

A number of key questions can be considered in this regard:

• What are the skills of oversight and monitoring committees in the

local and national level in each of the following areas:
- Community Radio project and program management
- Monitoring data analysis
- Community Radio goal establishment
- Monitoring budget management
- Community Radio performance monitoring and
evaluation?
• Is there any technical assistance, capacity building, or training,
orientation in community radio and monitoring and evaluation
provided at any level (national, regional, or local)?
• Who can provided this help and under what framework or reform
process?
• Are there any organizations that have been identified to provide
such technical assistance and training orientation for committee
members and others in performance-based monitoring and
evaluation particularly for community radio?

Now we will build on this material and explore the eight key areas covered by a
readiness assessment in more detail.
RECOMMENDATION
S AMPLE C ODE OF C ONDUCT
Internal Operational Plan/List of Document for CR station:
• Advertisement policy
• Gender policy
• HR policy
• Financial policy
• Editorial guideline
• Archiving policy
• Green policy
• Business plan
• Strategic plan (short and long)
• Flow-chart (compliance)
• Feedback
• Baseline before starting CR station, community participation, PR
policy, etc
ANNEX
M ONITORING F ORMATS

Section 6 of Program broadcast content • Central Monitoring Committee Quarterly Format-1

CRIBO Policy 2008 • Advisory Committee

• Date and Time:

• Name of the Program:
• Duration:
5 minutes
10 minutes
15 minutes
20 minutes

25 minutes
30 minutes
Others:
• Program Format:
Interview
Group Discussion
Report
Drama

Song
Others:
• Topics and Key issues:
Education
Health
Agriculture
Business

Youth Development
Children
Disability
• Objective of the program:
• Target Audience:
Youth
Women
Entrepreneurs
Government

Local Authorities
Community Leaders
Marginalized

Disable
Minority
• Presenter/Speaker/Participants:
• Language/dialect:
• Program Producer:
• Program Sponsor:
• Program Ownership:
own
Government
Others

Section 7.2.3 of Promoting equity and social justice with special • Central Monitoring Committee Quarterly Format-1,2
CRIBO Policy 2008 priority to the marginalized communities in terms of • Advisory Committee
their race, caste, religion, physical disability and
gender

• Date and Time:

• Name of the Program:
• Duration:
5 minutes
10 minutes
15 minutes
20 minutes

25 minutes
30 minutes
Others:
• Program Format:
Interview
Group Discussion
Report
Drama

Song
Others:
• Topics and Key issues:
Education
Health
Agriculture
Business

Youth Development
Children
Disability
• Objective of the program:
• Target Audience:
Youth
Women
Entrepreneurs
Government

Local Authorities
Community Leaders
Marginalized

Disable
Minority
• Presenter/Speaker/Participants:
• Language/dialect:
• Program Producer:
 • Program Sponsor:
• Program Ownership:
own
Government
Others
• Program Consultation with community: Date:
Participants:
Demography:
• Program Planning and Evaluation meeting with community participation
Date and Time:
• List of Participants:

Section 7.2.4 of Ensuring capacity building for and within the • Central Monitoring Committee Quarterly Format
CRIBO Policy 2008 community through formal and / or informal training • Advisory Committee
as required

• Orientation and capacity building program:

• Date and Time:
• List of Participants:
• Venue:
• Resource Persons:

Section 7.5 of • Sharing of programs among different Community • Central Monitoring Committee Monthly Format-1
CRIBO Policy 2008 Radio Station • Advisory Committee
• Relayed or re-broadcast nationally important and
relevant programs of Bangladesh Betar (Radio)
including Special program such as address of the
president, prime minister, special program of
national days celebrations and weather bulletin

• Date and Time:

• Name of the Program:
• Duration:
5 minutes
10 minutes
15 minutes
20 minutes

25 minutes
30 minutes
Others:
• Program Format:
Interview
Group Discussion
Report
Drama

Song
Others:
• Topics and Key issues:
Education
Health
Agriculture
Business

Youth Development
Children
Disability
• Objective of the program:
• Target Audience:
Youth
Women
Entrepreneurs
Government

Local Authorities
Community Leaders
Marginalized

Disable
Minority
• Presenter/Speaker/Participants:
• Language/dialect:
• Program Producer:
• Program Sponsor:
• Program Ownership:
own
Government
Others
• Program Consultation with community: Date:
Participants:
Demography:
• Program Planning and Evaluation meeting with community participation
Date and Time:
• List of Participants:
Section 7.6 of • Program contents of the community radio • Central Monitoring Committee Monthly Format-1
CRIBO Policy 2008 broadcast service • Advisory Committee
• Reflecting the program contents to serve the
special interests of the community

• Date and Time:

• Name of the Program:
• Duration:
5 minutes
10 minutes
15 minutes
20 minutes

25 minutes
30 minutes
Others:
• Program Format:
Interview
Group Discussion
Report
Drama

Song
Others:
• Topics and Key issues:
Education
Health
Agriculture
Business

Youth Development
Children
Disability
• Objective of the program:
• Target Audience:
Youth
Women
Entrepreneurs
Government

Local Authorities
Community Leaders
Marginalized

Disable
Minority
• Presenter/Speaker/Participants:
• Language/dialect:
• Program Producer:
• Program Sponsor:
• Program Ownership:
own
Government
Others
• Program Consultation with community: Date:
Participants:
Demography:

Section 7.7 of • Ensuring community peoples’ inclusion from the • Central Monitoring Committee Monthly Format-2
CRIBO Policy 2008 point of participation, choice and sharing. • Advisory Committee
• Ensuring the participation of community people in
program planning, implementing, operating and
evaluating

• Program Consultation with community: Date:

Participants:
Demography:
• Program Planning and Evaluation meeting with community participation
Date and Time:
• List of Participants:

Section 7.7.1 of Developing plans to facilitate and promote • Central Monitoring Committee Monthly Format-2
CRIBO Policy 2008 community participation • Advisory Committee

• Program Consultation with community: Date:

Participants:
Demography:
• Program Planning and Evaluation meeting with community participation
Date and Time:
• List of Participants:

Section 7.7.2 of Broadcasting speeches of government officials at • Central Monitoring Committee Monthly Format-1
CRIBO Policy 2008 upazilla level on development issues and policies • Advisory Committee
 • Date and Time:
• Name of the Program:
• Duration:
5 minutes
10 minutes
15 minutes
20 minutes

25 minutes
30 minutes
Others:
• Program Format:
Interview
Group Discussion
Report
Drama

Song
Others:
• Topics and Key issues:
Education
Health
Agriculture
Business

Youth Development
Children
Disability
• Objective of the program:
• Target Audience:
Youth
Women
Entrepreneurs
Government

Local Authorities
Community Leaders
Marginalized

Disable
Minority
• Presenter/Speaker/Participants:
• Language/dialect:
• Program Producer:
• Program Sponsor:
• Program Ownership:
own
Government
Others

Section 7.7.3 of Developing specific program set through community • Central Monitoring Committee Monthly Format-1
CRIBO Policy 2008 participation on local information, events and • Advisory Committee
notifications, local culture, identity, and local
language

• Date and Time:

• Name of the Program:
• Duration:
5 minutes
10 minutes
15 minutes
20 minutes

25 minutes
30 minutes
Others:
• Program Format:
Interview
Group Discussion
Report
Drama

Song
Others:
• Topics and Key issues:
Education
Health
Agriculture
Business

Youth Development
Children
Disability
• Objective of the program:
• Target Audience:
Youth
Women
Entrepreneurs
Government

Local Authorities
Community Leaders
Marginalized

Disable
Minority
• Presenter/Speaker/Participants:
• Language/dialect:
• Program Producer:
• Program Sponsor:
• Program Ownership:
own
Government
Others
• Program Consultation with community: Date:
Participants:
Demography:
• Program Planning and Evaluation meeting with community participation
Date and Time:
• List of Participants:

Section 7.7.4 of Reflecting local culture in program broadcast format, • Central Monitoring Committee Monthly Format-1
CRIBO Policy 2008 subject, presentation and language of programs • Advisory Committee
 • Date and Time:
• Name of the Program:
• Duration:
5 minutes
10 minutes
15 minutes
20 minutes

25 minutes
30 minutes
Others:
• Program Format:
Interview
Group Discussion
Report
Drama

Song
Others:
• Topics and Key issues:
Education
Health
Agriculture
Business

Youth Development
Children
Disability
• Objective of the program:
• Target Audience:
Youth
Women
Entrepreneurs
Government

Local Authorities
Community Leaders
Marginalized

Disable
Minority
• Presenter/Speaker/Participants:
• Language/dialect:
• Program Producer:
• Program Sponsor:
• Program Ownership:
own
Government
Others

Section 7.8 of Broadcasting of local development news without • Central Monitoring Committee Monthly Format-1
CRIBO Policy 2008 political bias • Advisory Committee

• Date and Time:

• News collection by:
• News Headlines:
• News Editor:

Section 7.9.1 of Broadcasting of advertisements/ commercials • Central Monitoring Committee Monthly Format-4
CRIBO Policy 2008 related to development services, relevant and • Advisory Committee
limited to the specified area

• Date and Time:

• Name of Advertisement:
• Duration:
1 minute
2 minutes
3 minutes
4 minutes

5 minutes
10 minutes
Others:
• Product/Services:
FMG
Agro
Health Care
Food

Home Care
Others:
• Key Message:
• Objective of the Advertisement:
• Target Audience:
Youth
Women
Entrepreneurs
Government

Local Authorities
Community Leaders
Marginalized

Disable
Minority
• Origin of Company:
• Origin of Product:
• Program Sponsor:
• Program Ownership:
own
Government
Others

Section 7.9.2 of Ensuring no influence of sponsors on the content or • Central Monitoring Committee Monthly Format-4
CRIBO Policy 2008 the style of individual programs or the overall • Advisory Committee
programming of the Community Radio Station and its
 code of conduct

• Date and Time:

• Name of the Program:
• Duration:
5 minutes
10 minutes
15 minutes
20 minutes

25 minutes
30 minutes
Others:
• Program Format:
Interview
Group Discussion
Report
Drama

Song
Others:
• Topics and Key issues:
Education
Health
Agriculture
Business

Youth Development
Children
Disability
• Objective of the program:
• Target Audience:
Youth
Women
Entrepreneurs
Government

Local Authorities
Community Leaders
Marginalized

Disable
Minority
• Presenter/Speaker/Participants:
• Language/dialect:
• Program Producer:
• Program Sponsor:
• Program Ownership:
own
Government
Others
• Name of Advertisement:
• Duration:
1 minute
2 minutes
3 minutes
4 minutes

5 minutes
10 minutes
Others:
• Product/Services:
FMG
Agro
Health Care
Food

Home Care
Others:
• Key Message:
• Objective of the Advertisement:
• Origin of Company:
• Origin of Product:
M EDIA C ODE OF C ONDUCT
The following are principles of ethical behaviour for the media, based on the
10
Code of Ethics of the Society of Professional Journalists , the Associated Press
11
Managing Editors’ Statement of Ethical Principles and Gannett Newspaper
12
Division’s Principles of Ethical Conduct for Newsrooms . [3]

Report the truth

• Be a watchdog of the political and electoral process.
• Ensure accurate, balanced and impartial coverage of the news. Make
sure the news content is substantiated, accurate, complete and in
context.
• Do not make assumptions. Check facts, and make a good-faith effort
before publication to get comments from the persons or organizations
involved.
• Seek solutions along with exposing problems and corruption.
• Use neutral words to ensure impartial, dispassionate reporting. Be
careful with technical terms, statistics, estimates and election results.
Be careful with headlines and make sure they reflect the facts of the
story.
• Avoid inflaming emotions over controversial issues.
• Label opinions and personal interpretations as such, and limit opinions
and editorials to the editorial pages.
• Label advertising clearly so it is not confused with the news.
• Be honest and fair in the way the news is gathered, reported and
presented. Do not lie or fabricate. Do not pretend to be a police
officer, public official or anyone other than a journalist in pursuing a
story. Do not plagiarize. Do not alter photographs or graphics to
mislead the public.

Minimize harm
• Be transparent and honest with the reader.
• Act honourably and ethically in dealing with news sources, the public
and colleagues.
• Do not expose the private life of a private citizen without reason.
• Be sensitive when interviewing, and recognize that gathering news can
cause harm or discomfort.
• Respect the rights of persons involved in the news. Observe common
standards of decency, and treat people with dignity, respect and
compassion.
• Balance the right of an accused person to a fair trial with the public’s
right to know.

Act independently

10
Society of Professional Journalists, Code of Ethics for Journalists, 1996
11
Associated Press Managing Editors, Statement of Ethical Principles, 1994
12
Gannett Newspaper Division, Principles of Ethical Conduct for Newsrooms, 1999
 • Avoid conflict of interest by refusing to accept gifts, favours or other
benefits from anyone being covered in an article or from newsmakers,
politicians or other journalists.
• Avoid being influenced by advertisers on the content of your
reporting.
• Do not give favourable rates to one political advertiser and not others.
• Do not give money for sources or stories.

Be accountable
• Be accountable to the public for the fairness and accuracy of what you
write.
• Honour pledges of confidentiality to a news source; otherwise, identify
sources.
• Be accountable for how you behave and collect news. Obey the laws
and the standards of ethical journalism.