CAMECO functioned as hub to coordinate activities between six funding agencies and a team of seven experts (among them a CAMECO staff member) for evaluation of an Asian news service.
Founded in 1979 as a means for the Catholic Church in Asia to share experiences and information, the news provider aims to give voice to the poor and marginalised, and to support the protection of human rights and freedom of religion. Like all media outlets, the Asian news service had to react to fundamental technological developments affecting content production and distribution, as well as audience behaviour. The evaluation covered content and services, users, managerial culture and performance, and recent sweeping changes in the organisational and editorial set-up and training activities. The main challenges for a future strategy were identified. In addition, the evaluation team (among them four Asians) assessed country operations in China, India and the Philippines. Misereor’s evaluation department had taken the lead in the technical coordination of the evaluation.
Taking findings of the evaluation into consideration, the news service presented a business plan in February 2015, during a joint meeting of the board and management with donors' representatives, which also gave the opportunity to agree on strategic directions, especially on the editorial set-up, identification of new audiences, marketing and training.
