Michael Unland

Name: Michael Unland
Function: Media Officer

Media Officer

OSZE Office in Dushanbe, Tajikistan

November 2006 - Januar 2013

 

Career:

  • Studied journalism, including a year in Brussels

  • Worked as radio journalist, web designer, and multimedia developer

  • Worked abroad in Kazakhstan, as well as for UNDP in Kyrgyzstan (development of an Edutainment TV show with more than a million viewers)

  • ZIF Expert since 2006; first position as media officer

  • Perspective: To continue in media development including in other family-friendly locations, as I now have a young daughter.

 

As media officer,

I run media development and promotion in Tajikistan. This relatively young field still lacks a modern legal basis that would allow media to develop democratically and pluralistically. I work with three national staff members, national organisations and international advisers on reforming the laws pertaining to the media. We support professional organisations for journalists and members of the media in formulating ethical standards and establishing a national media council. We also helped print media improve their distribution structures, so that they were able to open 120 additional newspaper outlets.

 

Why a peace operation?

Media and political democratisation go hand in hand in Tajikistan. The process requires time, patience and a strong will to succeed. While the work can be tiring, it ultimately creates new perspectives.

 

The most rewarding result of my work

has been the founding of an association of newspaper publishers and a press council. Bringing the opposing parties to the table entailed an immense effort. It is almost a miracle that we reached an agreement, which is the most stable in the region, and that we could levy a membership fee from media partners for the first time this year.

 

“Six years of deployment for the benefit of the media landscape in Tajikistan: my work has helped to bring about significant change.”