Deadline: 30-Sep-22
Free Press Unlimited (FPU) is seeking applications for its program entitled “Syrian Audience Research Program”.
The overall goal of the program is to contribute to an inclusive, independent, and cohesive media that responds to the needs of Syrians.They provide them with accurate, balanced, timely, and relevant information that reflects the reality of Syrians of all genders and ages, living in urban or rural areas, with a neutral point of view, or affiliated with any direction in which they operate and have ambitions.
Specific Objectives
This is done by working on three specific objectives:
- Foster an inclusive and cohesive media dialogue.
- Include youth by expressing their voices and promoting their rights in the media, in dialogue and society.
- Enhancing accountability through media outlets / professionals and CSOs’ output and content that shape and feed mechanisms to hold duty bearers accountable, promote ethical journalism, and work towards inclusive solutions for Syrian society.
Research Objectives
FPU wishes to commission an audience behavior study in order to establish a ‘based on sampled Syrian media content’ and audience preference, as well as to determine what changes or improvements to its content are required.
Free Press Unlimited has three main objectives to be addressed through this audience research:
- Identify the media consumption patterns and the news and information needs, preferences and attitudes of a diverse range of Syrian audiences.
- Assess how independent journalism, as part of the media mix, contributes towards dialogue, cohesion, and peace-building.
- Create a baseline: Define and understand content that is related to youth and its impact on Syrian youth.
- Create a baseline: Define and understand the content related to accountability through ‘evidence based journalism’, like investigative or solution journalism, and its impact on the Syrian audience.
- The selected bidder will review and finalise the research questions during the inception phase, in consultation with FPU supported media and staff.
Deliverables
The main deliverables for this project are:
- Co-facilitation of a user-centered design workshop that will include FPU staff, FPU supported media and the chosen research team.
- Co-creative team consultation, exchange mechanism.
- Inception report detailing the agreed methodology.
- Data collection instruments (e.g. In-depth interview guides, structured diary template, survey questionnaire).
- Provide data quality assurance plan before starting the field work.
- Ongoing client consultation either face-to-face or via VoIP.
- Appropriate formatting and adaptation of all materials provided by Free Press Unlimited.
- Weekly progress updates; daily updates during the fieldwork.
- Same-day response to Free Press Unlimited queries.
- All content in English and Arabic – Translation and back-translation of all materials (translation costs can be covered in consultation with FPU).
- Full recruitment and over-recruitment (if required) of respondents that fully comply with the recruitment criteria determined in consultation with Free Press Unlimited.
- Fieldwork management.
- Audio- or video recordings of all in-depth interviews (where feasible).
- Participant diary records.
- Transcripts in Arabic and English.
- Data file in SPSS and export format.
- Fully detailed technical report outlining the key methodological stages of each audience research component.
- Descriptive report (20-25 pages) drawing on data from all research components.
- Power point presentation of preliminary and results.
- Participatory results and learning presentation and workshop with Free Press Unlimited and their partners.
- Webinar and Q&A on the results with international presentation stakeholders.
Eligibility Criteria
- FPU is specifically interested in conducting this audience research study within Syria, including in government-controlled areas, Autonomous Administration controlled areas, and Opposition controlled areas. In addition, FPU would like to include IDPs and Diaspora audiences where possible. A ‘zoom-in case’ within one of these areas is part of the study.
- Bidders should indicate which areas in Syria they can access and their logic for choosing the suggested areas.
- Bidders are requested to include the following in their proposals:
- Indicate a full understanding of FPU’s strategic imperatives and the research brief.
- Outline key personnel including a short bio.
- Indicate which parts, if any, will be subcontracted and to whom.
- Describe your methodological approach for each audience research component in detail.
- Outline any incentivisation strategy.
- Include a risk identification and mitigation matrix.
- Include detail of your ethical protocol procedures.
- Outline any anticipated challenges for each step/component.
- Describe your experience in conducting research in Syria and other challenging/conflictive research environments.
For more information, visit https://www.freepressunlimited.org/en/jobs/request-proposals-syrian-audience-research