MEDIA DEVELOPMENT

Evaluation Report
Executive summary Ukraine
Strengthening the watchdog role of media:
Professionalization of media management and expansionof Media and Information Literacy in Ukraine

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BackgroundUkraine has a vibrant civil society and a relatively free and pluralistic
media environment. Despite foreign disinformation operations, anarmed conflict, and the partial occupation of its territory, Ukraine
is striving to implement important reforms, including in the media
sphere. In this context, it is important to improve the professionalization of the media and increase the level of media and information
literacy.
The overall objectives of the BMZ-funded project implemented in2017–2019 in Ukraine are:
1. Professional media outlets and journalists with specialized skills
are informing Ukrainian citizens about relevant events in theircountry.
2. Citizens from Ukraine’s southeastern regions are establishing
new ways to participate in public discourse.
The project consists of five main strands of activities implemented incollaboration with four local partners:
1. Providing education on media management for managers andeditors through the Ukrainian Media E-School (UMES). The UMES
is implemented by the Independent Association of Broadcasters(IAB).
2. Increasing reporters’ skills in economic journalism through theSchool of Economic Journalism (SEJ) with Ukrayinska Pravda.
3. Developing citizen journalism and local online media, especiallyin the southeastern regions of Ukraine, in partnership with theCenter of Excellence for Citizen Journalism “Nakipelo.”
4. Training MIL multipliers through the Academy of Ukrainian Press(AUP).
5. Building the sustainability of and cooperation between independent media outlets in Eastern Partnership countries. Severalmedia managers from Georgia and Moldova study in the UMES.

Two independent evaluators conducted the evaluation study. Theevaluators sought to determine whether the project had assisted inadvancing the specialized skills of professional journalists and media
outlets through support for the UMES and SEJ, as well as increased
the quality of citizen journalism in southeastern Ukraine and the level of media literacy among the population through an educational
program for MIL multipliers.
This evaluation study applied all five criteria of the OECD/DAC. Since
DW Akademie is pursuing a strategy of digitalization, the evaluators
also assessed digital aspects within the project. Additionally, in viewof the complexity and sensitivity of the project’s local context, theevaluators took into account context-specific considerations. A variety of methods, including a field trip to Ukraine, were employed toconduct the evaluation.

Conclusions of the project evaluation
Relevance: The evaluators established that the project meets theneeds and requirements of the media environment in Ukraine. For
the country, educational projects remain relevant, especially when
they cover complex, specialized topics (like the economy or mediamanagement) or are intended for an audience with little or no previous access to media education (such as activists who became citizen
journalists and MIL multipliers). The activities of the project comply
with the internal organizational objectives of the partners. Therefore the criterion Relevance was rated as “comprehensively fulfilled”.
Effectiveness: The project’s objectives and activities correspond to
the two main focuses of DW Akademie’s international work – MIL
and journalism training. At the time of the study, all activities andindicators were on track. With one year remaining, it is most likelythat the project’s outcomes and outputs will be fully achieved by theend of its implementation. The project is digitally advanced and newtechnologies are an important part of its design and activities. Thus,
the criterion Effectiveness was rated as “comprehensively fulfilled”.
Efficiency: The evaluators concluded that the program has been implemented efficiently. Local partners are strong, experienced, andcommitted. Their roles in the complex project are clear. Each partnercontributed know-how and skills. Through precise planning and coordination by the project team and partner organizations, all activi-

ties are being implemented according to thework plan and in a timely manner. Therefore
the criterion Efficiency was rated as “comprehensively fulfilled”.
Impact: The project had a positive impact
on local partners and target groups. It produced an overall multiplier effect and led tothe practical application of newly acquired
skills. However, the evaluators could notadequately assess the impact of the MIL activities and how it actually influences criticalthinking; there is no concrete proof of this todate. All partners stressed the importanceof the DW Akademie methodology and its
trainings of trainers, which are both making
a longer-term impact. The major challenge
for the project itself has been the size of
Ukraine and the complexity of the problems
that the project is addressing. The evaluators also found that the project made astrong, unintended, context-related impact
regarding resilience to disinformation andthe promotion of critical thinking. So the criterion Impact was rated as “overall fulfilled”.
Sustainability: The project’s four main activities are at different stages of implementation and fundraising. DW Akademie plans
to continue supporting three project strands
but will exit UMES in 2020. At the time of theevaluation, the local partner had not yet secured funding to continue with the UMES

after the current project ends but is alreadysearching for other donors. All project partners are building networks and attempting
to institutionalize knowledge sharing. Nevertheless, it is too early to draw conclusions
on whether all the partners will be able tocontinue their project activities without further support. Therefore the criterion Sustainability was rated as “overall fulfilled”.

DW Akademie

is Deutsche Welle’s center forinternational media development.
As a strategic partner of the Federal
Ministry for Economic Cooperation
and Development (BMZ), DW Akademie
carries out media development projects that strengthen the human rightto freedom of opinion and promote
free access to information.
DW Akademie also works on projects
funded by the German Foreign Oﬃce
and the European Union — in approximately 50 developing and emerging
countries.

ContactDr. Jan Lublinski
Head Research and Evaluation
jan.lublinski@dw.com
53113 Bonn
Germany

DWAkademie@dw_akademie
youtube.com/DWAkademie
dw-akademie.com

The objective of the external evaluation is to provide a constructive assessment of the project results. It does not necessarily align with theperspective and planning of DW Akademie. Nevertheless, all ﬁndings were discussed in order to allow lessons learned to be incorporated into thedevelopment of future strategies.