The Liberia Media Centre (LMC) is a joint initiative by the Liberian media community led by the Press Union of Liberia (PUL) and the Partnership for Media and Conflict Prevention in West Africa formulated to address access to collective resources and professionalization of the country’s media sector.

LMC exists as an independent and legally registered not-for-profit media organization that fosters local development through the utilization of communication and information sources. LMC exists also to assist media and civil society with professional services in a wide range of areas, including research, training, outreach and mass communication.

Following the end of the Liberian civil conflict in 2003, USAID provided support to LMC (then called the PUL Resource Centre). Prior to this support, in 2000, International Alert provided funding support for the establishment of a resource center at the Press Union of Liberia. Building on all of these, in 2004 members of the Partnership worked together with the Liberia media community in a consultative process to reorganize and draft the Centre’s statute creating a representative board.

Phase I of the LMC program (supported by IREX – Europe, International Media Support and Open Society Institute) saw the establishment of the Centre at the Press Union of Liberia offices, thus providing media practitioners, students of mass communication and associations with access to computer and technical resources.

Phase II, has seen the center grow significantly into a viable and sustainable media development institution in its own location.

Currently, LMC provides forum for the periodic assessment of media coverage of significant national and international events, facilitates capacity building programs for civil society and journalists, and renders professional services to media and civil society groups.

GOALS

LMC carries out its activities in accordance with the following goals:

• To provide Liberian journalists and media professionals access to working resources and facilities;
• To facilitate the upgrading of professional skills of Liberian journalists and media professionals;
• To support the development of independent, free and pluralistic media in Liberia;
• To support the participation of Liberian media and journalists in regional and international training and other activities, supporting the strengthening of professional standards and ethics;
• To develop links between Liberian, regional and international media professionals;
• To support the development of journalism education in Liberia, as well as provide national coordination for internationally funded training activities as and when requested and appropriate to do so.