Minister of International Development Hilde F. Johnson announced a new scheme to support the free and independent media in Norway’s partner countries when she opened PRIO’s international conference on media support at Holmenkollen Park Hotel in Oslo today.

The media support, which will be provided as from 2004 through a new mechanism, will be earmarked for free and independent media in Norway’s seven main partner countries: Nepal, Bangladesh, Tanzania, Malawi, Uganda, Zambia and Mozambique. The new mechanism is intended to support the free media in general and their role as the "watchdogs" of society in particular.

"We will give priority to strengthening the critical role played by the media and by journalists by establishing scholarships, supporting measures to improve journalists’ security and providing training in investigative journalism," said the Minister of International Development.

This year Norway has allocated about NOK 51 million (from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and NORAD) to media support. In the budget proposal for next year, it is proposed that an additional NOK million be provided to free and independent media through the new support mechanism.

Press contact: Acting Head of Information Trine Øveraas, mobile phone +47 91 69 77 74