One World Broadcasting Trust

One World Broadcasting Trust, based in Britain was established in 1987 to promote understanding between developed and developing countries of the world through the effective use of media, and to highlight how in today’s globalised world, all nations are inter-dependent. To this end, the Trust seeks to raise awareness of global human rights, social and development issues – from poverty and debt to education, good governance and freedom of expression.

By its unique set of activities, the Trust stimulates a greater understanding of the developing world, helping us to see the signs of positive progress as well as the problems still to be overcome.

Its [http://www.owbt.org/pages/Bursaries/bursaries_home.html Bursaries] for talented film students untap a huge potential in the area of international documentary film-making;

Its [http://www.owbt.org/pages/Fellowships/fellowships_home.html Fellowships] bring together senior broadcasters from developing Commonwealth and other countries to share ideas and formulate new goals;

And its flagship event, the annual [http://owbt.org/pages/Awards/awards_home.html One World Media Awards] ceremony, recognises excellence in communication about the wider world through TV, radio, print and electronic media.

Background

Most media coverage on the developing world tends to focus on natural or man-made disasters to which the public often responds generously with donations for immediate aid relief. However the opportunity for educating the general public on the wider issues of long-term development, planning, recovery and sustainable growth is often overlooked.

Not many Western broadcast journalists have first-hand experience in covering issues affecting the developing world, which directly correlates with the decline in international factual non-news television over the past few years documented by the 3WE (a coalition of international development and environment charities, lobbying for sustained, high quality and imaginative coverage of international issues on UK television). The media all over the world has been inclined to concentrate (and continues to do so) on covering parochial issues, and it is the task of the Trust to encourage media, not only in the UK, but increasingly overseas to address this shortcoming.

Means

The Trust aims to achieve its objectives in a variety of ways, including:
* giving prestigious awards for outstanding media coverage of the developing world, in a number of categories that cover radio and television news and documentaries, print, and new media, as well as rewarding an exceptional overseas community media project;

* supporting senior broadcasters from the developing world, who are committed to professional and socially conscious broadcasting, by organising a media fellowship programme in the UK. The programme brings these broadcasters to the UK and enables them to exchange information and ideas with their UK counterparts on the latest developments in the media scene;

* facilitating the production of high quality documentaries by UK film students on international issues affecting the developing world through the provision of bursaries to help with production costs, and through workshops and support from consultants. In recent years this has expanded to the provision of bursaries to overseas students to travel to the UK to make a documentary;

* promoting partnerships between broadcasters, non-governmental organisations, voluntary organisations, experts in the fields of human rights and development, and government departments;

* promoting research to motivate a wide range of independent producers and broadcasters in Europe and beyond to produce more programmes on international development issues and the relationship between developed and developing countries, and in new formats that appeal to a wider and younger audience;

* initiating co-operation and exchange of information among broadcasters.

The Trust shares office space with its sister organisation [http://uk.oneworld.net One World International Foundation] , and the [http://www.ibt.org.uk International Broadcasting Trust] (IBT), with whom it collaborates on an ongoing basis.

Trustees

Lord Young of Norwood Green, Vice-Chair, Ethical Trading Initiative (Chairman)

Mick Csáky, Chief Executive & Creative Director, Antelope

Brendan Gormley, Chief Executive, Disasters Emergency Committee

Carol Haslam, Executive Producer & Chair, Wildscreen festival

Seetha Kumar, Head of HD, BBC

Roger MacDonald, Writer

Jenny Richards, Deputy Director, TVE, Television Trust for the Environment

Christopher Rowley, former Head of Planning, IBA

Magda Walter, Independent Media Consultant

Phil Harding, former Director of English Network & News, BBC

External links

* [http://www.owbt.org/index.html Official site]