Project Description
In 2012 Democracy International conducted a comprehensive performance evaluation of USAID’s Serbia Media Assistance Program, implemented by the International Research and Exchanges Board (IREX). The DI team assessed how the program’s performance influenced the Serbian media sector, IREX’s primary and secondary partners, and other stakeholders. The evaluation provided a detailed examination of the progress SMAP achieved toward its three goals: (1) strengthening the legal and regulatory environment for media; (2) increasing the managerial and financial capacity of independent media outlets; and (3) enhancing the quality and availability of information important to citizens with a focus on news and program production at the local level and coverage of reform issues at the national level. The evaluation analyzed program successes, identified factors affecting program implementation and other obstacles, and examined the effect of the program on USAID/Serbia’s strategic objectives.