Mission

The News and Information Association of Mongolia is a local non-governmental organization dedicated to providing an independent, thorough and regular source of news and information about Mongolia. The first project of NIAM is the www.moninfo.org website, which provides an internationally accessible vehicle for news coverage researched and written by NIAM journalists.

NIAM is also involved in broader media reform in Mongolia through the development of journalism training and the creation of journalism resources and journalism internships for students.

NIAM is also building shared information networks, partnerships and project collaborations with national and international organizations in Mongolia such as Globe International, the Press Institute of Mongolia, the Open Society Forum, the National Human Rights Commission and UN agencies.

NIAM’s current media-development work

• NIAM has conducted a training seminar for Ulaanbaatar-based and regional journalists from all media on how to report responsibly and accurately on sexual harassment. The training, organised by the National Human Rights Commission, was designed to instil in journalists respect, sensitivity and impartiality when covering sexual harassment. It dealt with such things as stereotypes, language and interview techniques.

• NIAM conducted a training seminar for Ulaanbaatar-based journalists from all media on how to report on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) people and LGBT issues. The seminar was funded by the Red Cross and AusAID and was organised by local NGO Zaluus Eruul Mend. The training – the first to ever solely deal with LGBT issues - was designed to educate journalists on the realities of life for Mongolia’s LGBT community and how to report accurately and sensitively on LGBT people and the issues they face. It dealt with such things as media homophobia and media witch-hunts, stereotypes, language, labels, defamation, hate crimes, inclusiveness, diversity and respect.
  

• NIAM conducted a training seminar for Ulaanbaatar-based and regional journalists from all media on how to report on the issue of human trafficking. The training, organised by the National Human Rights Commission, was designed to instil in journalists an understanding of the scope, complexity and various components of human trafficking, and how to report on the issue with respect, sensitivity and critical analysis.

• NIAM has instigated and organized an ongoing series of monthly meetings with representatives from media-development NGOs and NGOS involved in project-specific journalist training. The aim of the meetings is to open the channels of communication, identify problem areas with the Mongolia media and identify ways the organizations could be working with the media and each other more effectively in order to achieve long-term development aims. Particpating organizations include: Globe International, the Open Society Forum, the Press Institute of Mongolia, the National Human Rights Commission, UNDP, UNFPA, the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, and Mongolian National Broadcasting.

• NIAM has a student from the Press Institute of Mongolia undertaking a three-month journalist internship. The aim of the internship is to provide quality work experience and training; provide a good grounding in the practice of ethical journalism; provide an environment conducive to the development of good journalistic skills and knowledge; provide supervision and support from skilled journalists with international experience; and provide an opportunity to improve the student's English and English-language journalism skills.

Governance

 

As a local NGO the News and Information Association of Mongolia is governed by a five-member board of directors and staffed by Mongolian and foreign journalists, translators and information-management professionals. Board of directors:

 

The founder and director of NIAM is Luke Distelhorst.