History and Achievements 
For 25 years, One World Media has been working with insiders and experts across all media, creating links to people in the fields of development, human rights and education who value international dialogue and share our vision for the world's media.
The Founders
The beginnings of One World Media can be traced back to 1986, when Chris Rowley, of the Independent Broadcasting Authority, and Austin Kark, then Managing Director of the BBC World Service, along with Johnny Wilkinson, formerly Secretary of the BBC, founded the One World Broadcasting Trust (OWBT) to stimulate a greater range of television and radio programmes about the developing world.
Initially, a group of twenty five people was approached, including senior broadcasters, politicians, academics, NGO leaders and businessmen with overseas connections. They agreed to establish the new charity, and a small group of Trustees was appointed. The first chairman of the Board was Sir Michael Caine, a leading businessman and founder of the Booker Prize, and the first Director was Catherine Freeman, of Thames Television. An eminent panel of Patrons also lent their support.
Two linked factors motivated the founders to create the Trust. Firstly, audience research showed that over 80% of the UK public relied on radio and TV as their principal source of information about the rest of the world; secondly, there was relatively little UK broadcasting about international matters: what there was concentrated heavily on famine, floods, war and distress.
The Trust's first activity was to set up a prize to encourage a broader range of work and then to give it public recognition. This initiative developed into the renowned and hugely respected One World Media Awards, reaching their 24th year in 2012, presented by Jon Snow of Channel 4 and transmitted on BBC World News television.
Conferences
During the first few years of the annual Awards, the evening ceremony was preceded by a large conference at Regent's College in London, often hosted by Jonathan Dimbleby. With high-profile speakers like government minister Lynda Chalker, attendees and supporters from throughout the media industry and development field, the international conferences enabled journalists and commissioners to learn about and discuss important issues and network with others also interested in coverage of the developing world. One of the first conferences examined audience research that the Trust had commissioned; another looked at radio and TV in and about Africa; and a third tried to build bridges between Arab and British broadcasting.
Trailblazers and Offspring
In 1994, Peter Armstrong and Anuradha Vittachi, a husband and wife team, became joint Directors of OWBT and pioneered a new media initiative, OneWorld.net, the world's first online portal covering issues such as human rights and sustainable development. OneWorld UK was later inaugurated as an independent organisation, amicably separating from OWBT but keeping close links. It is now active globally as the OneWorld Group.
International Fellows
In 1996, the Trust launched a new initiative with the support of the British Council and other funders - our international Fellowship Programme, bringing senior broadcasters from developing countries to the UK. The Fellowships offered a programme of professional development across editorial management and standards, broadcasting technology, regulation, research and policy. The Fellows met their counterparts in UK broadcasting for two-way exchanges on the role of the media in society and developments in media around the world. Over 60 leading media figures from more than 25 countries as far afield as Afghanistan and Zimbabwe have taken part. While the focus has been on those in leadership positions, there have also been specialist programmes including one for a group of Chinese journalists on climate change in 2009 and a radio drama fellowship for producers in Kenya in 2011. The Fellowship Programme is being relaunched in 2012.
A New Millennium
In 2000, Ritchie Cogan, formerly of the BBC, stepped in as Director to develop the Trust's core projects, also establishing closer relationships with European partners.
The Trust's Student Bursaries were initiated to offer grants to film and journalism students in the UK who wished to make films about developing world issues. By 2009, the bursaries had built momentum and our large-scale Student Programme was established with a grant from the Department for International Development. Now reaching hundreds of students every year, the Programme collaborates with 23 UK universities that offer practical media courses. As well as working directly with lecturers and tutors, it provides workshops and other events in which award-winning reporters, producers and commissioners teach students how to produce high-quality coverage of the developing world.
A New Decade
In 2010, Director Andy Glynne launched One World Media Week, an inspiring annual programme of events taking place around London involving partners like Channel 4, the Frontline Club, Guardian Media Group and the Institute of Development Studies. Events range from panel discussions and lectures covering relevant issues in media and development to film screenings and a day for new and emerging media professionals interested in documentary filmmaking and journalism.
Changing Times
Lord Tony Young had steered OWBT through the early years of the 21st century as Chairman, overseeing a change of name to One World Media in 2009 in recognition of changing times. Tony handed over to a new chair, Myles Wickstead, in 2009 and the change agenda gathered pace. The media, charity and development landscapes have all been transformed since One World Media was founded and the organisation has adapted and developed in response. In 2010, the board began governance and strategy reviews and adopted a three-year strategic plan in spring 2011, having appointed Marion Bowman as Director. A wide-ranging open recruitment process led to the selection of four new trustees in September 2011 on the eve of the organisation's 25th anniversary in 2012.
Our Community
Since its inception, One World Media has benefited from the enthusiastic commitment of innumerable supporters and volunteers, from its trustees, to prominent media figures and companies, to the wider circle of people and institutions concerned with global dialogue and understanding, human rights and development. We have built an unrivalled network and successful partnerships with bodies like the BBC, the International Broadcasting Trust, UNICEF, and the Commonwealth Broadcasting Association. Our funders and sponsors range from leading media companies to global development agencies to government bodies to private trusts and foundations.
The Future
After 25 years of achievement, and with media and communications changing rapidly while global events and trends affect life for people everywhere, our work has never been more relevant. Our response as an organisation is to develop new initiatives and ambitions that build on our previous track record of innovation and success.
For more information on how we are marking our 25th anniversary in 2012, click here.
If you would like to be part of our future, please contact our Director, Marion Bowman, tel. 020 7922 7942 or email marion@oneworldmedia.org.uk.