MEdia Kit
Case Studies

Global Media Training: “Best Practices” for Election Coverage

nDemand Consulting
June 7, 2021

Global Media Training: nDemand was tasked to organize, create curriculum, and carry out the training program in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and to provide succinct and knowledgeable training on elections, ethics, fair and balanced reporting, interviewing tactics, social media, disinformation, and security.

CLIENT: U.S. Agency for Global Media

PLACE OF PERFORMANCE: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE: 4/2020-8/2020

TECHNOLOGIES USED:

SITUATION: The United States Agency for Global Media (USAGM) was in need of on-site training in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia outlining “Best Practices” for election coverage. They were seeking a contractor who had experience working in Ethiopia and understood the inherent challenges of organizing events in an international setting. They also wanted to find a contractor with extensive knowledge of fiscal accounting procedures, including the way in which the USAGM handles all invoices and payments, and who was well known and respected for their work.

TASK: nDemand was tasked to organize, create curriculum, and carry out the training program in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and to provide succinct and knowledgeable training on elections, ethics, fair and balanced reporting, interviewing tactics, social media, disinformation, and security.

nDemand | Training in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia outlining “Best Practices” for election coverage.

APPROACH: nDemand provided support to USAGM to ensure their mission was successful from inception to execution. Using our vast knowledge of the African continent, we developed a training program that reflected the culture and customs of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. We liaised with the local embassy and reached out to local leaders to receive blessings for our training. After exploring best practices for the region, we tailored our training to meet the particular needs and culture of this location. We were diligent in creating a curriculum that educated journalists in best practices for reporting sensitive political information while building validity with the public.

In addition, nDemand fulfilled all the logistical requirements necessary for executing the training in Addis Ababa. We identified and booked a trainer fluent in English and Amharic, and provided translators from English to Amharic for USAGM employees who participated in the training. Our team made all required airfare reservations and arranged ground transportation for training participants for each day of training. Using our knowledge of U.S. Government rules and regulations, Department of State (DoS), and U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) international requirements we sent our own staff to Ethiopia. We supported the USAGM with payments for all travel, accommodation, and payments to trainers, providing a hotel room and per diem for each trainer. We made reservations for lunch and refreshment breaks for the duration of the training. We prepared training materials including an agenda, as well as promotional materials such as banners and flyers, and worked with the trainer to ensure delivery of all the necessary materials for distribution to trainees. We presented to the participants of the meetings in a clear, concise, and professional manner. We reserved and paid for the conference room that accommodated all training participants, and ensured all necessary amenities (including WiFi, audio/visual equipment, and laptops for each participant) were made available for the duration of the training. We liaised with all participants who attended the training, as well as officials and scholars who contributed resources.

RESULT: As a result of nDemand’s mission support, USAGM’s on-site training in Addis Ababa was an overwhelming success. nDemand laid the foundation for success by facilitating all necessary preparation, acquiring hotel rooms, promotional materials, and an appropriate venue for the training. Using practical and hands-on workshops, nDemand’s training content reinforced basic journalism concepts including ethics and storytelling and provided guidance on how to use digital tools to create high-quality multimedia content. We provided USAGM with training evaluations that recapped the training content and highlighted its achieved results. We kept and recorded logs of all per diem and fees paid to trainers and provided an expense report to USAGM upon training completion.

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