The media unavoidably, necessarily mediates conflicts. This mediating effect can be dangerous when journalists are unaware of their power. The Project encourages journalists to examine their own biases and habits. It encourages them to ask the parties fresh, innovative questions, to widen the frame of the conflict, and to promote dialogue between the parties. MJP also encourages journalists to be less outcome oriented, and to pay more attention to processes.
Mediation stresses separating parties and positions, and focusing on the parties' interests.
This format can tend to lock parties into their positions, and to make their positions more intractable. MJP stresses investigating and reporting on the parties underlying interests. Journalists must pay closer attention to their use of language and choice of terms. Journalists must also become more aware of the impact of what is left unsaid. For example, reports tend to leave the victims of violence unnamed.