The Media Development Program (MDP) is five-year media strengthening program funded by USAID/Egypt. Program activities began in May 2006. Working in collaboration with Egyptian partners, the program seeks to improve the professionalism, sustainability and economic performance of the Egyptian media sector. The program is being implemented and developed as part of the USAID/Egypt Democracy and Governance Program, complementing as well as reinforcing USAID democracy and governance programming, as well as USAID programs in other technical areas such as health, education and economic growth. MDP is implemented by a consortium led by Management Systems International (MSI) with its partner the International Research and Exchanges Board (IREX), Other contributing partners include CARE and D3 Systems.

MDP is based on an agreement between the Governments of Egypt (represented by the Ministry of International Cooperation – MIC) and the United States (represented by USAID). MDP progress is regularly monitored by a Steering Committee, co-chaired by MIC and USAID and with the membership of leading media.

MDP's core Egyptian media partners include:

• Al Ahram Regional Press Institute
• Al Akhbar Training Center
• Egyptian Radio and Television Union (ERTU) Training Center
• Egyptian Press Syndicate
• Faculty of Mass Communication, Cairo University
• Middle East News Agency (MENA) Training Center
• The Egyptian State Information Service (SIS)
• The Supreme Press Council

The program’s main goals are:

• Building the training and management capacity of a range of Egyptian media training institutions (both print and broadcast) to promote professional development among mid-career media professionals, emerging journalists and media managers.

• Improving the management and economic viability of Egyptian print and broadcast sectors through direct technical assistance and training. By the end of the project selected print and broadcast outlets will improve their economic performance and there will be permanent stable of Egyptian expertise to provide continuing consulting in this area.

• Strengthening the professionalism, organizational capacity and economic performance of local media. Project resources will focus on Aswan, Alexandria and Minya where ERTU and the State Information Service will be valued partners in training and technical assistance.

• Improving the enabling environment for a professional, objective and economically viable media in Egypt by providing targeted technical assistance as requested by the Government of Egypt.

As it implements program activities, the MDP team adheres to several guiding principles:

• Egyptian expertise must be relied on when possible through Egyptian staff, consultants, subcontractors and grantees.
• Egyptian capacity must be built to deliver expertise, training and other media development services, with a view to project sustainability.
• Gender mainstreaming must be a central tenant of programming.
• Egyptian training institutions and organizations must be project partners, not just beneficiaries.
• Egyptian partner leadership must be committed to the process, and designated point persons must be empowered to move process forward.