Increased collaboration is at the heart of a new agreement with Radio Netherlands Worldwide, the Broadcasting Board of Governors announced today. The agreement expands on the two global media organizations' longstanding partnership and enhances their cooperation in the areas of journalism and media training, program distribution, audience and market research, Internet freedom, and others.
"We look forward to developing our relationship further with RNW in support of our shared mission of advancing freedom of information and expression worldwide," said the BBG's Director of Strategy and Development, Bruce Sherman. "Wherever we can pursue cost-effective synergies for mutual benefit, we will seek to do so."
Commenting on the significance of the agreement for RNW, Director General Robert Zaal said, "For an online and social media organization such as ours, an exchange of ideas and cooperation in fields such as distribution and training is crucial. Teaming up is an explicit part of our strategy, and we expect to contribute to and profit from this agreement with BBG."
The agreement includes a cooperative training program -- to build indigenous journalistic capacity and support sustainable independent media -- and shared distribution efforts aimed at improving reach to key audiences, particularly young adults.
Projects already in development include an exchange of innovation teams to pursue joint digital media ventures and journalism and media training for an upcoming international security summit.
Sherman and Zaal signed the agreement while attending the annual meeting of the Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union in Hanoi, Vietnam.
(Leticia King/VOA PA)