Meet our 2022 Global Grantees!

9th August 2022

Find out about this year’s projects >

Peter’s Project:

The role that public media can play in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) will form the basis of Peter’s project.

Peter will undergo a study visit to MBC to observe, follow a news team, and see how they create news items for multimedia output with a particular focus on reporting on educational topics around the SDGs. Peter also thinks that MBC is a place that he can experience the broadcasting style of another African country.

He hopes to take note of MBC’s approach to keeping up with audience trends, public interest journalism, digital inclusion, cyber safety and digital literacy to scale up his ability to produce news reports that can support the national plan to achieve the SDGs, especially on education. Peter has produced similar stories in these areas which he would be sharing with MBC during his visit.

Upon his return, Peter plans to produce a 5 minute documentary for GBC radio and TV on the Free Senior High School Policy in Ghana, drawing inspiration from how Mauritius has implemented the scheme, and skills developed from MBC.

Reaction statement:

“Thanks very much to Public Media Alliance (PMA) for considering my proposal and awarding me this grant. My travel to Mauritius Broadcasting Corporation (MBC) will not only be beneficial to me alone, but to my country Ghana as government is challenged to improving the standard of education in the country. It is my role as a citizen to contribute to the attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals, SDGs by 2030. And by so doing, the visit to Mauritius will give me the opportunity to learn more on SDGs reporting, especially in the area of quality education (SDG goal 4) by MBC. It also affords me the opportunity to network and learn the relationship between the media and the government’s communication unit in Mauritius. I’m very grateful.”

Tanu’s Project:

As the representative of SBS – the world’s most linguistically diverse broadcaster – Tanu will visit Radio New Zealand’s and Pacific Media Network’s operations as part of a project assessing how media organisations around the region can collaborate. He will meet with key staff members, and, at the conclusion of the project, provide a report (including recommendations) to all involved, as the key outcome of the project.

‘Collaboration across the Pacific – a media research project’ report will be a catalyst for greater future benefits—not only for SBS and the PMA’s member organisations in New Zealand, but potentially also the international public at large across the Indo-Pacific region. The project can be a starting point for:

1. Improved and more diverse public media services that further understand and reflect the region’s contemporary audiences and their changing media needs
2. More collaborative, diverse, and strengthened public broadcasting sector and personnel across the region
3. Greater access to content—including public-interest content, Indigenous content, and culturally and linguistically diverse content.

Reaction statement:

“As an LGBTIQ+ person of colour from a non-English speaking background—there have always been moments in my experience when I ask myself, if I weren’t who I am, would things be quite different?—moments when just you feel as though there are ‘barriers’ around, as well as above. When I read the e-mail from PMA, advising that I was a successful awardee in my grant application to travel to New Zealand, I feel as though one of these barriers just lifted, straight up and simple, no hassle. I can then visualise the opportunity ahead, one which leads to more connections, collaboration, and celebration of our differences.

“I named my proposal for the Grant ‘Collaboration across the Pacific – a media research project’ in exactly that vein—in the hope that the region will be better off through working together, and I look forward to meeting and exchanging ideas with my Pacific peers. Lifting barriers is not inherently difficult, at times people just try so hard to find the excuses not to do it. While I am but one person in the media industry, I look forward to sharing my experience with you—let’s jump on board this collaborative journey together!”

Mahbuba’s Project:

Mahbuba’s project goal is to observe, learn the skills and techniques of the different stages of programme production by visiting Mediacorp’s studios and interacting with its production teams. She has a special interest in observing the whole production process of children’s programming.

Mediacorp is the largest content creator and media network of Singapore, operating a suite of TV channels and multiple digital platforms. Mediacorp’s channel 5 has children’s programme block ‘Okto’. They broadcast different outstanding children’s programmes like children’s TV series, documentaries, lifestyle, anime, and art performances. As a Programme Manager of Bangladesh Television, Mahbuba would like to use the knowledge gained from Mediacorp to contribute to the capacity development of BTV’s kids programme production. She would also like to visit their Media Academy which is renowned for media training, education and consultancies.

Reaction statement:

“First of all I would like to thank PMA for selecting my project proposal and giving me the honour of being one of the recipients of 2022 PMA Global grant. I also feel appreciative and privileged as this grant would give me an opportunity to observe the management policy and production steps of a broadcaster of a developed country like Singapore.

“My proposed visit will help me to get an insight of programme making techniques by visiting its studios and interacting with the production teams of Mediacorp. Especially I am inquisitive to know how they make such interesting amusing children’s programmes.

“This travel will help me to increase my understanding of the policy necessary in regard to more quality programme making in my organization. I also hope this visit will help me to make networks with the colleagues of the member organizations of PMA.”

Alexis’ Project:

Alexis will be travelling to Sweden for five days to experience reporting, journalism, and investigations in a country which is globally renowned for press freedom. While there, he will take stock of: levels of transparency and accountability, and the relationship between the media and government communications departments. Colleagues from the field of investigative radio reporting at Swedish Radio will show Alexis how they do their job, which will help Alexis improve his own investigative or public affairs reporting.

Upon returning, Alexis plans to do an audio story about his experience, which could be included in a Radio-Canada “How to explain” podcast. This could be titled, “What’s it like to be a journalist in a country that champions press freedom?” He is also interested in hosting a conference for colleagues on this subject.

Reaction statement:

“It is with great enthusiasm that I receive the PMA’s Grant. I have always believed that our understanding of journalism and our knowledge grows by meeting journalists from elsewhere who have been shaped completely differently. So a big thank you to PMA for allowing these encounters to happen.

“Sweden is constantly being praised for its freedom of the press and the transparency that politicians must adopt. I want to find out how this has an impact on the investigative journalists at public radio and on the journalists’ daily work.”

Yang’s Project:

Yang Lee will visit CBC GEM in Toronto, the OTT service launched by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation in 2018, to understand how it covers the audience measurement on streaming media. Yang Lee said, “we assume that the decrease of users’ demand for terrestrial broadcasting is happening, and if so, it might influence PSM’s budgetary allocation policy and Key Performance Indicators (KPI) system.”

He will observe the PSM concept and its application in audio-visual content carried over the internet via streaming and its challenge on the audience. Through in-depth interviews and participant observation, he will explore how CBC GEM figures out a best solution of distribution to reach the balance between universalism and financial independence.

Because CBC GEM has adopted a subscription-based funding model, Yang is keen to find out:

• Whether a subscription-based online public media system can achieve a universal merit good for society;
• How to develop an effective audience measuring instrument for OTT service; and
• How CBC GEM plans its long-term quality and innovate content.

Reaction statement:

“I am deeply pleased and honoured to receive this recognition from PMA. The newly invented Public Service Media concept and its application to the audiovisual content carried over internet streaming is opening a new challenge on the audience study.

“In Taiwan, PTS annually conducts the public value test (PVT) to understand how its service is used by the audience. After launching the PTS+ (the OTT service), it is also considering how to renew its PVT framework. My project will be the reference to develop the measuring system to ensure our streaming service achieves public value.”

Karen’s Project:

Despite the tremendous advances in technology in sports reporting, journalists in Jamaica have not been using these methods to cover sports. Although the sports department at RJRGLEANER is one of the largest in the Caribbean, it does not have a digital sports department, and reporters lack the knowledge and resources to use technology in their coverage.

Karen will therefore use the grant to look at best practices in how technology is being used to enhance sports coverage. She will travel to the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation in Ontario in Canada, which she said is an ideal media house given the fact they cover a wide range of sports and have a department dedicated to “Digital Communication”. Her visit would give her:

• Experience on how the sports journalists at CBC use available technology to enhance their coverage.
• A better understanding of the importance of digital media to sports reportage.
• Know-how and at what costs resources are made available to sports reporters.
• How to move from the written word to the creative methods available through current and advancing technology.

On her return she hopes to brief the management of the Sports Department on the knowledge gained via a presentation, along with sharing her experience with her colleagues in meetings and workshops.

Reaction statement:

“I am pleased to have been selected by the Public Media Alliance as a recipient of the 2022 Global Grant.

“As one of very few women working in sports journalism in Jamaica, I am in a unique position to shine the light on issues which affect women in sports and sports in general from the lens of a woman. 

“Sport is a critical component in Jamaica’s culture, with our athletes largely responsible for Jamaica being a very important global brand.  There are various emerging technologies which we as journalists can maximize in covering our beat. 

“Not only do Jamaicans set high standards for their athletes, they also set the bar higher for sports journalists. It therefore means that professionals such as myself must keep improving our skill sets.  This is part of what drove my decision to apply for the PMA Global Grant which will enhance my skills as I join a first world sports department and learn cutting edge technology and best practices.”

Tieang’s Project:

As part of Tieang’s project, she will spend time with the Namibian Broadcasting Corporation. This is to help her improve her skills in producing and reporting news, covering stories such as local community issues, and interviewing technique.

She will learn about the journalistic tools and techniques that NBC uses, and how NBC handles stories about prominent figures and issues such as politics and government-related issues in an impartial, fair, and balanced way. Tieang said it will help to improve Lesotho Television’s overall skillset, while also sharing with NBC staff the experiences and ways of working at Lesotho Television.

Reaction statement:

“I am very pleased; feel honoured, grateful, and extremely excited to have been given this opportunity. 

“My main objectives of visiting Namibia Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) are to learn how other media houses approach and produce best news ideas that will benefit the entire nation: being it economy, politics, or community related news. I also believe, the visit will positively help me develop as an individual and the whole organisation in terms of producing any types of news mostly community-based news.

“After completing the study tour, I promise to share my experiences with my colleagues so that we can work towards improving our news production, in a way that will positively help develop our country and bring the best of Lesotho government regarding addressing the community’s needs.”