What's the future for Community Media in Cyprus? An abstract.

For the last couple of years of my life I am having my head stuck into Community Media and more specifically, the Cyprus Community Media Center or, the shorter, more known version of its name, the CCMC.

Basically, "Community Media" aims to do what "traditional" media -both state-owned and corporate-owned- doesn't: to give a voice to the voiceless, to bring communities closer to media literacy and skills (especially on new media) AND (interestingly) to bring communities and Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) closer to the traditional, established media. After all, Community Media does not directly compete with traditional media, in fact they are (or, should be) in a modus operandi I like to call "co-opetion" (an impromptu of "cooperation" and "competition").

But, as you all may know (and we shouldn't even start a conversation on that now!), the financial crisis has hit the media sector in Cyprus - really, really badly. On this, you can see an extensive previous post. Has this also affected Community Media? Well, CCMC does not exist in a vacuum, so yes. 

Moreover, as many NGOs rely on funding (based on competitive and other grants) and right now funding is becoming increasingly scarce and more competitive, the question is, what is the future for Community Media in Cyprus, provided that basically CCMC currently carries Community Media in Cyprus on its shoulders?

Many other questions too: If well-established media are currently facing such hardships, what chances CCMC has (that basically it's just an NGO) to grow, let alone to survive? How can someone study the current environment and come with useful organization strategy when things are in such flux and there is uncertainty, even for the very near future? Are we as insane as in attempting to set sail on the high ghastly dark seas?  

We are working on it. 

For me, personally, I am trying to put a lot of things written so to create a framework for business strategy development for any Community Media organization. It is, after all, also part of my thesis. For this, we work closely with CCMC's management, staff and the rest of the Governing Board (that I am a member of it, representing IKME).

I have put these questions, in a more thorough and formal manner, into the abstract you see below. When I -working with the rest of CCMC- will have some answers, I will keep you posted. I have a deadline in a week. Enjoy and good to luck to us, the CCMC - and me, the Masters student.

Business Strategy for a Community Media Organization in the light of the impact of the Financial Crisis on the Media Sector in Cyprus

Abstract

Transnational organizations like the European Parliament [1], European Commission [2] and UNESCO [3] have recognized the role of Community Media and called in resolutions for its recognition and promotion as a third sector* of mass media; for stakeholders and the business sector to invest and develop in it; and for the EU member states to accommodate this sector with necessary law reforms (e.g. licensing, regulation etc) and support.

It has been identified as the Community Media sector’s role as a contributing agent Economic Change in Europe and also the importance of Community Media activities such as the increasing of media literacy, in order to foster active citizenship.

For Cyprus, Community Media as a “third sector” in mass media is a novelty. Although in countries abroad Community Media is an established sector, in Cyprus the chance and challenge is given to discover and break new ground for this sector.

The recently established Cyprus Community Media Center is an organization that has been created from an incubator-like scheme, from a competitive grant proposal awarded by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Cyprus. In July 2013, CCMC will function as an organization independent from the UNDP grant: it will have to survive, sustained and grow on its own. The transition started in 2012 and the administration of CCMC must make all necessary preparations to ensure the transition succeeds, in order to succeed its sustainability and growth.

For the successful transition and future growth of CCMC, the knowledge and business administration methodologies have been employed in order to meet the following requirements:

a) The review of relevant literature on Community Media, business transition and strategy and apply it in the context of the Community Media sector in Cyprus. The study of previous works, reports, literature review, as well as communiques, directives and white papers from transnational organizations have contributed to identify gaps, research and development needs in the context of Community Media in Cyprus, contributed for the design of a suggested framework for Community Media development, helped to reinforce the business plan for CCMC, as well as to research and display best practices from abroad as recommendations.

b) Based on information from interviews and other sources, an analysis has been conducted regarding the impact of the financial crisis on media organizations in Cyprus and the implications. From this, the role Community Media could play for the “traditional” media has been established, to provide support during the crisis, to establish cooperation (“co-opetion”), to disseminate the strategic use of new tools and techniques (new media) and to act as the “binding” agent, mediating and bringing the communities closer to traditional media.

c) The relevant stakeholders have been identified and research, market/business environment research and study has been conducted needed for a complete strategic business plan for a Community Media Organization in Cyprus.

d) Quantitative and qualitative research have been employed, ultimately contributing to test whether CCMC can have a sustainable future in the current view of economical prospects in Cyprus and most importantly, to help make necessary provisions in the business plan (and adjustments in current operations) in order to mitigate the adverse market climate.

e) A critical analysis of all elements has contributed in the authoring of a well and thoroughly written strategic business plan, coming forward with further recommendations and suggestions -including on the business production processes- and further research questions needed for the new, Community Media sector in Cyprus.

f) The results have been incorporated into a suggested methodology that can be used by community media organizations in Cyprus as a strategic planning framework.

Relevant Documents:

[1] European Parliament resolution of 25 September 2008 on Community Media in Europe (2008/2011(INI)) http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?pubRef=-//EP//TEXT+TA+P6-TA-2008-0456+0+DOC+XML+V0//EN

[2] COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION 20.8.2009 on media literacy in the digital environment for a more competitive audiovisual and content industry and an inclusive knowledge society. - COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES Brussels, 20.8.2009 C(2009) 6464 final

[3] UNESCO – UNESCO Chair on Community Media - http://www.uccommedia.in/

* In this context, Community Media acts as a “third sector” in mass media, meaning that it is distinct from state-owned media, as well as from privately-owned and profit-oriented media corporations,with varying differences in terms of ownership, orientation, mission, forms, conduct, format, content, framework etc.