Azerbaijan New Media Project (ANMP)

Center for Collaborative Technology, Media Development, Eurasia

ANMP is a three-year, USAID-funded project that will work with professional and citizen journalists to improve multimedia reporting skills and build cooperation between media, civil society, and citizens.

The program will give more Azerbaijani citizens access to credible, democratized news and information that is innovatively collected and presented. ANMP builds upon IREX’s experience in the last phase of the USAID-funded Media Advancement Project for Azerbaijan, which opened a dozen internet access centers, known as FYI Community Information Centers, around the country.

IREX implements the project in partnership with Transitions Online, the Kiwanja Foundation, and Save the Children, in addition to several Azerbaijani organizations.

Goals

• Expand youth and regional community on-line media through increased public access to and use of digital technology

• Strengthen and network legal defense and media advocacy organizations

• Increase the quantity of high quality or innovative content production

Background

The Internet still provides a crucial venue for independent news, information, opinions and ideas in Azerbaijan. Young people in particular are savvy online social networkers, using new media tools to connect with friends and organize politically active groups. In addition, legal defense resources are critical to girding support for an independent media. The European Court of Human Rights has repeatedly declared that Azerbaijan has violated basic rights to freedom of expression, although the government has given no heed to these rulings. Mitigating these threats requires a concerted effort to better equip journalists to challenge threats to their independence, as well as building citizens’ understanding of their rights to news and information supplied by a pluralistic media.

Project Activities

ANMP will support professional and citizen journalists via a series of activities including:

• Continued support for an expanded network of FYI Community Information Centers, where citizen journalists can learn how to write and publish their own stories online.

• Improved online access for school and universities to ensure greater access to information.

• Strengthened media legal resource to protect and advocate for journalists.

• Enhanced training for professional journalists interested in developing more innovative and high-quality content both in traditional and new media.