CIPDD - SUPPORTING THE CAUCASIAN INDEPENDENT MEDIA

The Caucasian Institute for Peace, Democracy
and Development (CIPDD) was founded in 1992 in Tbilisi, Georgia, and is a
non-governmental, not-for-profit organization involved in research, publishing, organizing
conferences, and other kinds of activities. Its main objectives are to promote democratic
and free-market values, foster better understanding between the peoples of the Caucasus,
and encourage non-partisan theoretical analysis of problems related to the post-communist
transition in the Caucasus region. Currently, CIPDD publishes the South Caucasian Human
Rights Monitor and a monthly bulletin in English called Army and Society in Georgia.

CIPDD’s first substantial attempt to support regional journalists commenced in a
partnership with the London-based Institute for War and Peace Reporting. Activities under
the project include training journalists, publishing Media Caucasica--a regional
journal on media and human rights problems, encouraging investigative reporting in the
Caucasus countries by commissioning journalists for newspapers and publishing their
articles in independent local newspapers. CIPDD next developed media support with a
project entitled "Promoting Peace and Democracy in the Caucasus Through Support of
Independent Media." CIPDD continues to maintain previously established projects that
encourage investigative reporting and monitor human rights situations.

CIPDD also has established the Internet Resource Center for the Caucasian Media (IRC).
IRC is devoted to undertaking innovative approaches to the long-standing challenges facing
the region. Very few regional media entities are profitable due to their lack of
circulation and sales revenues due to limited public interest. The publication of articles
by journalists from neighboring countries has not yet become systematized. The personal
incomes of journalists mainly rely on fees for the articles commissioned by a particular
interest group connected with a local elite fighting against other interests groups. Most
publishers cannot afford to pay journalists the fees for high quality and unbiased
articles.

A number of public interest NGOs, domestic as well as foreign, is helping to redress
these wrongs in this underdeveloped regional media market. To contribute to the
development of a robust regional market for journalists’ articles and to its
integration into the global media market, CIPDD’s forthcoming Internet Resource
Center (English-Russian) will publish articles written by regional journalists or features
regional affairs. It will also provide the backgrounds of publishers and journalists as
well as list unpublished articles and proposals for articles. Those accessing the IRC
after registering online will be able to post proposals to the IRC’s web-site. CIPDD
will be responsible for editing the proposals and for mediating with IRC participants.

Paata Gurgenidze, Project coordinator, Promoting Peace and Democracy in the
Caucasus Through Supporting Independent Media, CIPDD