Fondation Hirondelle analyzes the impact of the media and information programs it creates or supports, and contributes to research on the role of information and media in crisis contexts. We commission or participate in independent quantitative and qualitative surveys to measure the audience of our media and information programs. These surveys allow us to better understand the media environments in which we operate. We organize focus groups bringing together representative segments of our audiences so that our editorial teams can regularly take the opinions of the public into account in their productions. This research allows us to develop our overall approach and to hone our theories of change. We make the surveys we commission or have carried out available to our partners and the media that we support. We share our analysis and recommendations on the basis of these studies.
We participate in the dialogue between media organizations at local and international level. We carry out or contribute to international studies on information and independent media in crisis contexts. We thus contribute to a better understanding of the role of media in societies, particularly in crisis and fragile contexts. This helps raise the extent to which public and private actors take the right to information into account, and helps evolve standards at local and international level.
Principles
- Evaluation of the media environments in which we operate
- Regular quantitative, and qualitative measurement of media audiences and information programs we create
- Integration of “evaluation and survey” lines in all our project budgets
- The survey results are taken into account so as to adapt our programs, our approaches and theories of change to better respond to the expectations of the population and our partners
- Audience surveys and research carried out by independent institutes recognized for their professionalism
- National staff and project partners are involved in the preparation of surveys, and results shared systematically
- Consultation and transparency with regard to other national and international actors in the media and media development sector
- Participation in media development discussion groups
Activities
Analyses and surveys
- Study of media contexts
- Analysis of people’s information needs
- Definition of the needs of our media and partners
- Commissioning, follow-up, and analysis of audience surveys
- Commissioning and analysis of content studies
- Conducting qualitative surveys through focus groups
- Conducting research on media in crisis areas
- Piloting a study of United Nations peacekeeping operations’ media
Coordination
- Coordination of research in difficult contexts
- Consultation with other media players in the field
- Participation in meetings and exchanges with media development actors, donors and the academic world
- Organization of meetings/ conferences on the role of media in crisis contexts
Examples
Study on Studio Tamani and its contribution to the peace process in Mali
Assessment of Studio Kalangou's impact on women's rights and empowerment in Niger
Study on Sources and Circulation of Information in North-Kivu, DRC
