The Community Media Index (CMI) is a participatory assessment and action planning tool that can be used by community media projects to enhance their ability to reflect and grow. Projects can implement the CMI themselves as a self-assessment tool, involve stakeholders from their Development Eco-System and use the CMI as a participatory learning and information-sharing tool, or invite an external agency to apply the CMI as a form of external evaluation.

As a consequence of its action-research philosophy, the CMI assessment seeks to provide information that can easily be translated into practical actions by stakeholders.

In short the CMI is a lens – a common language or perspective. It can be applied in specific contexts once off (as a strategic planning tool) or over periods of time (for planning and evaluation). In specific contexts it will empower projects to ‘index’ themselves, creating goals and benchmarks. When it is utilised as a shared perspective (applied across a sector), projects can be indexed alongside each other. In this application the CMI is most valuable in transmitting information and sharing innovations and best practice - creating a knowledge base and momentum for community media strengthening initiatives.

The CMI itself comprises three components: 

1. Framing & Measuring Tools: A number of dimensions of organisational life are identified to frame the Index and ensure that the assessment is holistic and does not privilege one critical aspect above another. For each dimension a number of sub-dimensions will be developed to focus data gathering and deliberation. Within each of these sub-dimensions a set of indicators will be developed against which stakeholders can assess the projects state and plan its growth. 

2. Data Gathering & Analysing Tools: Participatory processes for gathering the information and making the assessments, facilitating consensus building, and including multiple voices and perspectives in the assessment. (see the CMI Tools here)

3. Reporting Tools: Reporting formats that communicate the Index assessment – the project’s current state, movement form previous assessments, and new goals – in a clear and easily understandable way. These reporting formats will be critical to the extent that the CMI becomes a useful ‘living’ point of reference and learning guide for the project and stakeholders in its’ Development Eco-System. 

Since the CMI seeks to be able to assess media projects in every context around the country, the proposed initiative has to design a nationally relevant and applicable framework without imposing abstract standards on specific projects. As such the CMI places great importance on a flexible framework that has the adaptability to fit the project-specific context.