UNESCO, PMA to partner on new data journalism project in the Caribbean

13th January 2025
PMA’s work in the Caribbean has won further support from UNESCO’s International Programme for the Development of Communication, a specialised UN committee for media development.
Two men and one woman sit in a radio studio. One man is reading from a piece of paper.
RJRGLEANER Communications Group held live radio interviews alongside its Hurricane Beryl aid distribution. Credit: Gary Allen / RJRGLEANER Communications Group

The Public Media Alliance (PMA) is pleased to announce its latest project to be funded by UNESCO’s IPDC and the UNESCO Office for the Caribbean.

The project, titled “Data Journalism in Action: Empowering Caribbean Disaster Preparedness”, zeroes in on disaster risk reduction (DRR) in the Caribbean, which remains a critical concern for the region’s populations. With natural disasters posing significant and growing threats – and media organisations having to constantly adapt to cover these very threats – this project takes a pioneering step by specifically harnessing the power of data journalism.

Explore: Data Journalism for Caribbean Disaster Preparedness (Project) 

In developing the project, two pressing needs were considered, explained PMA’s Project & Advocacy Coordinator, Desilon Daniels. Firstly, PMA recognised the need to bridge a pressing skills gap, particularly at the intersection of data journalism and disaster risk reduction where there are complex demands of merging data journalism techniques with the specialised requirements of effective DRR communication.

“Equipping journalists with skills to navigate this intersection is essential for crafting impactful and contextually relevant media narratives during disasters,” Daniels said. “Secondly, there is a need to bolster community engagement in disaster preparedness efforts through the media.” The project emphasises the media’s role in actively involving communities in shaping the discourse around disaster resilience, such as through community-centric storytelling and data-driven community engagement.

The project will kick off in May 2025 with a three-day hackathon in Bridgetown, Barbados, bringing together 12 journalists from Barbados, Grenada, and Trinidad & Tobago to develop country-specific data projects. In June, the participants will reconvene for virtual training where they’ll cover general considerations for data journalism, including the intersection of gender and community storytelling. From June-September, they will test their data-driven DRR projects in the field and benefit from regular mentorship sessions, before the project concludes in October with a projects showcase. This regional showcase will not only celebrate achievements but will also set the stage for ongoing collaboration and sustainability.

Are you interested in this opportunity? Email PMA at info@publicmediaalliance.org for more information.

“Not only does this project address a critical need for data journalism skills in disaster preparedness, but it also marks an exciting milestone for PMA with our first hackathon. By creating an environment for hands-on innovation and targeted mentorship, this project will offer a unique and transformative opportunity for Caribbean journalists. With only 12 spots available, we urge media organisations and journalists across the region to seize this chance to elevate their reporting and impact at a time when they can make a real difference.”

– Kristian Porter, CEO of Public Media Alliance

Kristian Porter
Building with both old and new alliances

PMA is excited to partner for the first time with HEI-DA, a media development non-profit based in France that operates throughout Africa, Southeast Asia and Europe. Founded in 2015, HEI-DA specialises in data journalism and interactive storytelling projects with social, economic or environmental impact in collaboration with media organisations, NGOs, non-profits, local communities and others.

“We’re thrilled to be partnering with PMA for this programme. Data-driven reporting techniques are essential for accurate and engaging climate coverage. I’m personally looking forward to working with Caribbean journalists and helping them tell stories specific to the region.”

– Marianne Bouchart, Founder and Director of HEI-DA

Meanwhile, the project builds upon years of close collaboration between PMA and the Kingston-based UNESCO Office for the Caribbean. Our current media literacy project targeting schoolchildren, educators, and journalists within four countries continues to make waves, and follows on from another media literacy project supported by UNESCO Caribbean in 2022.

Beyond the Caribbean, UNESCO IPDC has supported other successful PMA projects in the past few years, including:

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