Common Ground Media Training

The media's traditional approach to controversial and sensitive issues is to explore the extent and range of disagreement, but this rarely results in common understanding or provides a solution to a problem. In fact the media often seems to exploit a contentious issue for its entertainment value, sometimes leaving readers and audiences with the impression that nothing positive can be achieved and that the extremes of opinion being presented are representative of the majority.

In contrast, Common Ground methodologies encourage the exploration of possible areas of agreement between opposing sides in a discussion, try actively to subvert prejudices and stereotyping, to promote the dignity of all sides, and to encourage a positive vision. This approach works well for sensitive political issues, as it does in situations of violent armed conflict.

CG Media Training
Common Ground media trainings, lasting one to five days, are designed for both seasoned journalists, challenging them to look through a different lens, and for conflict resolution practitioners who don't have a media background but who want to use media in their programs. The trainings introduce participants to a range of conflict resolution tools in order to develop their interviewing, reporting and/or moderating skills on contentious political and social issues and in conflict situations.

The purpose of CG media trainings is not to impose a methodology, but to extend the range of useful tools and skills available to media professionals and others as they go about their work. The trainings include:

• Defining objectives: understanding the media spectrum
• Research: distinguishing positions and interests; issue mapping
• Facilitation: listening and paraphrasing skills; questioning assumptions; re-framing answers etc.
• Formats: styles of writing, and tried and tested radio/TV program formats
• Pre-testing and evaluation: testing if objectives (intended outcomes) are being met

In the past 18 months Common Ground trainers have given media trainings to press, radio and TV journalists and producers in the Middle East, Nepal, Venezuela, and the Great Lakes region of central Africa, as well as to an international mix of journalists and producers at the Radio Netherlands Training Centre in Hilversum, and at the European Journalism Centre in Maastricht.

For more information, please contact Nick Oatley, noatley@sfcg.org.

Search for Common Ground (Washington DC)
1601 Connecticut Ave. NW, #200
Washington, DC 20009-1035
Phone: (202) 265-4300
Fax: (202) 232-6718
E-mail: search@sfcg.org