ISLAMABAD, Dec 10: Media persons, academics and non- governmental organizations, representatives stressed close cooperation and strengthening of relationship between media and civil society for effective and sustainable development.

This was recommended by the participants at the concluding session of a two-day workshop on "Development Communications for Media", organized by NGO Resource Centre, a project of the Aga Khan Foundation with the support from European Commission through Rural Social Development Programme (RSDP), here Thursday, says a press release issued here.

The workshop was attended by 30 participants, including editors, news editors, reporters, sub-editors from 25 media organizations and university professors from across the country and conducted by Abbas Husain, consultant to NGORC, Afsheen Anwer, Faculty Member and Qadeer Baig, Deputy Director of the centre.

The speakers emphasized greater understanding of each others, working and dynamics, which is beneficial for a better, long-term relationship between media and NGOs and would strengthen the efforts of development process, it added.

Highlighting the efforts made by the NGORC for media-NGO relationship during the last few years Qadeer Baig said the workshop was designed to enhance the capacities of media persons on development issues.

Earlier, NGORC has conducted two workshops on development communications for NGOs and media in October, November and December, in Karachi and Lahore, attended by more than 40 NGOs and media organizations.

Highlighting the findings of a research conducted by the NGORC in 2002-3 on the topic of "Media-NGO Relations", he said it indicated that there existed a communication gap between the media and citizen organizations. Various aspects of the relationship were examined.

Emphasizing the conceptual part of development communication, Abbas Husain said "communication requires holistic approach instead of reductionist approach which only focuses on its constituent components".

The participants reinforced the view that the media in its numerous forms plays an important role in any modern-day society. During the two-day session, working in groups on various aspects of the development communications, the participants developed thematic and programmatic strategies at various levels for improving and enhancing the reporting on development issues.