Michelle Betz
Media Development
Services
Training and Mentoring
This is how I got my start in media development and training remains very much a part of my consulting DNA. I train whenever I get the chance and have trained journalists in over twenty countries and specialize in conflict sensitive reporting, election reporting and health reporting. I also enjoy working with journalists and presenters to hone their presentation and announcing skills. Participants have provided glowing reviews for my interactive sessions, the focus on skills learning and my participatory approach.
Whenever I have the opportunity, I mentor for NPR's Next Generation Radio, a fantastic multi-media training program in the US. I also mentor graduate students in Monash University's International Studies Department.
In many ways I see research as a key component of just about everything we do in media development -- it is key to understanding the context in which we're working, what we are trying to achieve and what contributions an intervention is making to the end goals.
I have been actively researching independently and with colleagues and have been widely published. You can check out some of my publications here.
As long as I can remember I have been fascinated with conflict and so most of my research is connected in some way to conflict. Recent research has focused on aspects of psychosocial support to local journalists and I am keen to continue to find ways that we can provide such support to under-resourced communities affected by conflict or transition.
Monitoring and Evaluation
I have conducted numerous evaluations and assessments, including impact assessments, needs and landscape assessments and mid-term and final evaluations using a variety of methods. Happy to talk about what you would like to evaluate and why.
Clients include:
Strategy
I find strategy and the process of defining strategy fascinating. It's most definitely a process and usually a team sport. I have helped develop strategies for organizations and have led research processes to inform strategy development.
Facilitation
For me facilitating a meeting or a discussion or a workshop means to engage, to listen, to inspire, to question and sometimes to challenge and to encourage people to think about what they're saying or doing and why.
Report writing and editing
As a journalist, I'm a writer by training and am able to effectively write everything from news stories to academic book chapters to analytic pieces to donor reports. If a piece isn't accessible, engaging and well-written then it's highly likely your audience won't take anything away or, at worst, won't read it. Ultimately, it's a waste of everyone's time. I pride myself on writing material that stays with you, that inspires and that gets the job done.
My CV