accountability

As IREX launches its Promoting New Media and Media Convergence in Russia program, examples of how new media is changing the nature of communications and media continually appear. The new generation of Russians is completely entrenched in new media and is now learning how to influence public opinion (both in good and not so good ways) in the country.

Having recently come across an essay by former USAID Administrator Andrew Natsios, I’ve been thinking a lot about what contributes to a successful civil society program. In the piece, Mr. Natsios argues – strongly – that accountability mechanisms originally designed to measure the impact of democracy and governance programs have become over emphasized to the point where they actually interfere with achieving development goals.