The Media Program of the Open Society Foundation-Sofia in Bulgaria is currently working on a new initiative - setting up a Media Development Center (MDC).

“That suggests reconstructing the Media Program into a flexible unit, designed to carry out a long-term strategy in various aspects of media development in Bulgaria,” said Isabella Oronova, coordinator of the Media Program of the Open Society Foundation-Sofia.

MDC will focus on the professional training, stabilization, assistance, co-ordination and support of independent print and electronic mass media. It will assist and provide facilities for the development of journalists’ associations such as easy access to a database, the Internet, a resource center and library, consultation and expertise to all who work in media.

According to its organization proposal, MDC will promote professional journalists’ training and organize courses and workshops in cooperation with the Deutsche Welle Radio Training Center, Radio Netherlands, BBC World Service Training, Press Now-The Netherlands, and other organizations; and develop modern educational programs in journalism in cooperation with the faculty of journalism at Sofia University, New Bulgarian University and the American University in Bulgaria.

Oronova said MDC training activities for journalists started with the first of a series of workshops conducted for 25 journalists from regional media. The workshop, held in cooperation with the Deutsche Welle Radio Training Center, was conducted in Varna in April.

The 1998 training schedule also includes workshops for radio journalists - marketing and sales, copyright and radio management - in cooperation with The Deutsche Welle training center. There will be workshops for print media journalists - the technology of investigative journalism , how to use Internet in media, how to prepare a business plan for print media - in cooperation with Press Now-The Netherlands. General courses will include European institutions, and English language for journalists.

The Media Program supports Bulgarian journalists’ participation in conferences or training courses and offers opportunities for professional exchange with local and foreign organizations and institutions.

“Journalists or academics in journalism can apply for support for airfare and per diem,” Ornova said. “We have supported projects for organization of ... conferences, public debates on hot issues in the field of media, drafting media law, media research, etc.”

“We also support the emergence of regional media, whose existence is quite a problem in our country,” Ornova said, noting the movement of various foreign media companies into the Bulgarian market.

The Media Program has allocated part of its budget to support of ethnic media projects because most regions in the country are multiethnic. For more information contact: Isabella Oronova, Media Program Coordinator, Open Society Foundation-Sofia, 1 Balsha St., 1408 Sofia, Bulgaria. Phone: (359-2) 919-329. Fax: (359-2) 951-6348. E-mail: izz@osf.acad.bg. Web site:http://www.osf.acad.bg/OSF-SF/programs.eng.