MISA ANNUAL REPORT 2008 Mission statement The Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) is a dynamic, member-driven regional organisation with national chapters coordinated by a professional Regional Secretariat, which seeks – through monitoring, training, capacity building, research and the distribution of information – to foster free, independent and diverse media throughout southern Africa in the service of democracy and development as stated in the Windhoek Declaration and the African Charter on Broadcasting. Vision statement MISA’s vision is of a southern African region in which the media enjoys freedom of expression, independent from political, economic and commercial interests, pluralism of views and opinions. Our vision is of a region where members of society, individually or collectively, are free to express themselves through any media of their choice without hindrance of any kind. A region, too, where access to information must be unhindered and where information is readily available. The MISA vision is: · · · · · A media that is free, independent, diverse and pluralistic Access to the media and information by all sectors of society Media workers who are competent, critical, accountable, sensitive to gender issues and are aware of their responsibility to society Legislation, regulations and policy environments that support media independence, diversity and pluralism Citizens in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region that are empowered to claim information as a basic right. 1