RESIS Institute, as a part of the institutional grant provided by CIVICA Mobilitas, a program funded by the Swiss Government, conducted an Assessment of the vectors of communication between the CSOs that are advocating the rights of vulnerable groups, the institutions relevant in the media field and self-regulatory media bodies. The Assessment is the base on which RESIS Institute, in the future period, together with s local CSOs, will work on building the Network of Audience Councils.

The Assessment, which has been opened for a broad consultation process in which all relevant groups are included, detects the key issues in the communication nodes between vulnerable groups on one side, - and the structures which have the power to create media policies, on the other.

The document analyses the vectors of communication between: (1) the CSOs that are working with vulnerable groups on a local and national level, (2) the media regulatory bodies and state institutions and (3) the self-regulatory media bodies. The findings indicate that in the creation and implementation of policies in the media field, the inclusion of vulnerable groups and the CSOs working for their rights is negligible.

Equally important is the finding that –there is no systemic approach and structured arrangement for this already mapped communication field – which is an obstacle for designing and redirecting that communication in the interests of the vulnerable groups whose access to the media content is marginalized.

As a result of the Assessment, RESIS is drafting a Strategy which aims to energize this outstandingly important, but seriously underrated field vulnerable groups’ influence in the creation of media policies. The Strategy will consequently, contribute towards a more convenient representation of their needs in the public sphere.