Southeast Asia Media Training Network

Southeast Asia is a culturally diverse region with an enormous wealth in human potential. Although every country in the region has its own specific background, certain similarities prevail, especially in terms of political, social and religious context. When it comes to the media, the countries share certain similarities: most of the governments in the region continue to exert control over the information that is available and accessible to the public.

In addition, journalists lack possibilities to professionalise their work in a way that would render them financially independent, often depending on meagre governmental financing. Most countries in the region have outdated media training and education systems that are predominantly based on theoretical learning, offering little opportunities for prospective journalists to get practical training in a modern newsroom context.

What we do

Fojo Media Institute started working in Southeast Asia in 2016 through the project ”Southeast Asia Media Training Network” (SEAMTN) providing support to training institutes in Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam. The project has created a network for media training, connecting six media institutes from the four countries and assisting them in delivering better quality education for journalists in the region.

Support is given to the institutes to upgrade their training- (curricula and instruction), and management-related capacities. Through networking and participation in regional and international thematic seminars and conferences, trainers and journalists get the opportunity to meet, exchange experiences and find ways forward. The project further supports partner media institutes to integrate gender sensitivity in their education as well as providing advanced capacity building on media freedom, freedom of expression, and the right to information. Finally, our partners are mentored to be able to stay in tune with global practices on how to counter disinformation, increasing their skills in debunking and fact-checking.