what we do

DRP seeks to fill a special niche at the intersection of international development, communications strategy and journalism.  We employ a collaborative, grass-roots approach in order to let local communities determine and put in place effective radio programming.

• We work in partnership with non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and local radio stations to develop a comprehensive plan to strengthen independent radio.  This begins with an assessment of the enabling environment, including an evaluation of government policies, an analysis of existing stations, and a stocktaking of stakeholders and station managers.  We also meet with citizens about their needs and media use in order to form a closer link between the people and the programming.

• We create specific training plans tailored to the needs of the local community.  We identify experienced consultants and have a roster of over thirty, both from the U.S. and abroad, who we can draw upon to implement these training programs. 

• We are engaged in research and on-site case studies on the sustainability of radio stations in southern Africa; the Open Society Institute will support the first of these guidebooks.

• We work as co-creators with local stations, joining their expertise of their communities with our experiences working in the broader world, in a spirit of mutual respect.  With local actors, we help create community-driven agencies that can aggregate resources and set professional standards for radio stations to ensure long-term sustainability for local stations.

• We are advocates for the radio medium in development, to expand the vision of its possibilities for NGOs, multilateral institutions, and governments.  We are a resource for those looking for examples of effective uses radio and techniques for community engagement. Our work is informed by broad field experience and focused research.  We are both teachers and learners, continually seeking innovative and effective solutions to share with others.

We partner with international development organizations to share and implement best practices from this growing field.  We are committed to seeking out and using the best methodologies for implementation in our practice.