A US- and EU-funded initiative is offering significant financial incentives to media professionals across Central Asia, with the stated aim of combating so-called “disinformation” and “hate speech.”
Operating under the banner of CARAVAN (Cultivating Audience Resilience through Amplification of Vibrant and Authentic Narratives), the program is spearheaded by Internews, an organization with deep ties to US government funding and has previously been funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).
The new grant program invites collaborative teams from at least two Central Asian countries to submit content proposals, which, if selected, could receive up to €10,000 in support each.
This cross-border framework appears to be a strategic move to reinforce regional narratives under the guidance of external influence while claiming to encourage regional integration and unity.
Participants from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan are eligible for direct project funding, while in Uzbekistan, funding will be disbursed as fellowships for individual applicants.
Projects are to be carried out over 8 to 11 months, depending on the country.
Framed as a push for media innovation, the competition is open to a range of entities; from NGOs and media outlets to freelancers and bloggers. The catch: applicants must be legally registered in their home countries, and willing to partake in training sessions that align with Internews’ standards of what qualifies as ethical journalism.
The topics encouraged under the program include regional economic ties, environmental and climate issues, and geopolitical developments. At the same time, content is expected to serve the broader objective of fostering “peace, tolerance, and shared values;” buzzwords frequently employed in campaigns that aim to narrow the spectrum of acceptable discourse.
While Internews positions this initiative as a means to improve access to reliable information and empower communities, its goals of “countering false information” and reducing “hate speech” signal a deeper ambition: regulating the flow of content under the pretext of safeguarding the public.
Applicants must already have at least one year of experience and possess the technical skills to realize their proposals. Their work must also be published through established media platforms or social media.
The program’s emphasis on “originality” and “social impact” appears designed to mask a more subtle intent: reshaping media ecosystems through gatekeeping, all while touting pluralism.
USAID has previously had its fingerprints all over the media landscape and has been a major funder of Internews. And while USAID has been suspended by the current Trump administration, the funding of Intrnews appears to be continuing.
