Midterm Review of the “Improving citizens’ access to public information through community radio content syndication in Liberia” Project

Internews overview

Internews is an international non-profit organization whose mission is to empower local civil society worldwide to give people the news and information they need, the ability to connect and the means to make their voices heard.

For more information about the organization please visit: www.internews.org

1. Project summary

Internews Europe and the Association of Liberia Community Radios (ALICOR) launched a 36-month project titled “Improving citizens’ access to public information through community radio content syndication in Liberia.” This initiative aims to enhance the effectiveness and sustainability of Liberian community radios by increasing the quantity, quality, and reach of radio content on critical issues through a content syndication network. ALICOR, with Internews’ support, will establish a multimedia facility for content production and distribution, promoting a two-way flow of information between the government and citizens. Additionally, the project seeks to improve the management, organizational capacity, and financial sustainability of ALICOR and its member stations by strengthening governance, business models, and providing media business support. The strategic focus on sustainability and local ownership aims to empower community radios to drive social change and increase revenue.

I.1. Project Objectives:

The main goal of this project is to enhance the effectiveness and sustainability of a network of Liberian community radios in serving as a conduit for citizen voices and government response. Internews will achieve this goal through two intertwined objectives:

• Increase the quantity, quality and reach of community radio content on critical issues through content syndication and information sharing network
• Improve management, organizational capacity and financial sustainability of ALICOR and community radio stations

1. Purpose of the Midterm Review

The midterm review aims to assess the progress and effectiveness of the “Radio content syndication in Liberia” project. This review will evaluate:

• The extent to which the project has achieved its progress towards its goal(enhancing the quantity, quality, and reach of community radio content, Improved management, organizational capacity, and financial sustainability of ALICOR and community radio stations)
• The extent to which the project has contributed to improving the management, organizational capacity, and financial sustainability of ALICOR and its member stations.
• Provide evidence demonstrating whether and how the program has contributed to long-term change(enhancing the effectiveness and sustainability of a network of Liberian community radios in serving as a conduit for citizen voices and government response) for target beneficiaries.

II.2. Evaluation criteria: The evaluation should be based on the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development’s (OECD’s) six evaluation criteria focusing on relevance, coherence, effectiveness, efficiency, impact and sustainability, paying a particular attention to gender equality issues. The findings will inform adjustments and strategic decisions to ensure the project’s continued success and sustainability in the remaining period.

1. Evaluation Scope

The evaluation will assess the project’s implementation from July 2022 to October 2024. It should focus on engaging all implementing partners, with a particular emphasis on the project’s core group of community radio stations of the ALICOR Network. The exact focus and scope as well as evaluation sub questions will be discussed and agreed during the inception phase.

The evaluation should answer the following key evaluation questions (EQs):

1. Relevance:

To what extent has the radio content syndication project addressed the needs of community radio stations in increasing the reach, quality, and relevance of programming on critical public issues through the ALICOR?

2. Coherence:

To what extent has the intervention aligned with national media policies, community development programs, and other similar initiatives? How well have the interventions fostered collaboration between stakeholders, including government entities, civil society organizations and the population?

3. Effectiveness:

How effective have the capacity-building initiatives been in improving the production and broadcasting skills of community radio journalists? What measurable improvements have been observed in the professionalism and journalistic standards among target radio stations?

4. Impact:

What impact has been achieved through the radio content syndication project (on community radio stations, ALICOR and citizens) in amplifying citizen voices, driving social change, and holding the government accountable? How significant is this contribution to the overall goal of the project?

5. Sustainability:

What key results have been achieved through the implementation of the project, what viable systems or strategies are in place to ensure that they are sustained? What are the key challenges to sustaining ALICOR’s community radio stations’ operational capacity (governance, finances, etc.) once the project ends, and what steps can be taken to address these challenges?

1. Timeline and Deliverables:

Timeline:

Deliverables:

Inception Report: Detailed methodology, work plan, and timelines for the mid-term review(A report template will be shared).

Mid-Term Review Report: A comprehensive report including(A report template will be shared):

• Executive summary.
• Analysis of progress toward each project objective.
• Key findings by project objective.
• Key findings to cover each evaluative criterion and any successes and challenges.
• Lessons learned and recommendations for future/similar projects.

Presentation of Findings: A presentation to stakeholders, and key stakeholders summarizing the findings and recommendations of the mid-term review.

1. Application guidelines and requirements

Interested parties should apply to ksolomane@internews.org and cc bmikangi@internews.org by October 24^th 2024

Applications should include the below documentation. Deadline:

• A 2-3-page statement of interest/draft proposal, highlighting how your methodological approach will address the scope planned for this evaluation as well as describing how your profile meets criteria (see next section).
• A CV and 2 reference letters.
• Evidence of evaluation work (e.g. link to evaluation reports or PDF attachments), highlighting evaluation theories and approaches.
• Indicative team profile with the relevant experiences of each team member highlighted.
• A short cost justification (not included in the 2-page limit) and estimated level of effort (number of days), for this consultancy.

Essential qualifications

• Fluent in English and any Liberian Local languages.
• Master’s degree in media, journalism, international development, evaluation or related field.
• At least 10 years of experience conducting evaluations in difficult contexts, particularly for European Donors.
• Strong knowledge of international NGO operations, including program design, implementation, and Monitoring & Evaluation
• Proven track record of conducting qualitative and quantitative M&E data collection and analysis.
• Excellent inter-cultural communication skills/cultural sensitivity and the ability to forge strong cross-cultural relationships and build trust demonstrated through previous intercultural experience.
• Strong expertise in media business development
• Evidence of publishing research in respected journal
• Strong analytical skills. Ability to synthesize and present findings and conclusions, make practical recommendations, and prepare well-written, timely reports in English.
• Demonstrated experience in qualitative data collection and analysis.
• Experience of evaluating similar project strongly preferred.
• Strong facilitation, presentation, writing and communication skills.