VOA常速英语2014--强大的媒体对于政府运作的意义（在线收听）

Experts Say Strong Media Essential to Functioning Governments 强大的媒体对于政府运作的意义

Experts say a strong media sector is essential to nurturing many areas of a country's development. Well-functioning media institutions can support government and private sector efforts on issues of corruption, accountability, quality-of-life, infrastructure and education. Mariama Diallo looks at how a country's media and development go hand-in-hand.

One of the themes of this year's observance of World Press Freedom Day is the media's importance in development. In a recent report on the post-2015 Development Agenda, the United Nations says a free and independent news media are important for facilitating good governance and transparency. Mark Nelson, with the Center for International Media Assistance, says the media are a critical element in development.

今年世界新闻自由日的主题是媒体在发展中的意义，在最近有关后2015发展议程的报告中，联合国称自由独立的媒体有助于促进良政和透明。国际媒体援助中心的马克·尼尔森说，媒体是发展至关重要的因素。

“As economies get more and more sophisticated and as they work more effectively, they need information to propel the decisions and the choices that people make every day. Information is absolutely critical and if that information is good info, you have a much better chance of making the right decision," said Nelson.

“随着各经济体变得越发复杂，其运行效率更高，需要信息来推动人们日常进行的决策和选择。信息是绝对重要的，如果信息是好的信息，那么就有机会做出更好的决定。”

Nelson says there are tangible ways to show that a free media can contribute to eradicating poverty. He remembers a radio show while working in Niger about the importance of washing hands.

尼尔森说事实表明自由媒体能促进消除贫困，他提到尼日尔一个宣传洗手重要性的广播秀。

“These radio programs were credited with really helping reduce the transmission rate of some of these diseases. And when people are not sick, when they are able to go to work and they contribute to an economy, then they are able to escape poverty," he said.

“这些广播节目帮助减少了一些疾病的传播率，因而受到赞誉。当人们不再生病，能够去工作并促进经济发展时，就能够摆脱贫困了。”

Every day this week, the U.S. State Department has highlighted the plight of journalists around the world, especially those who are imprisoned or not allowed to broadcast freely.  Marie Harf, state's deputy spokeswoman, says that being able to express yourself and dialogue about what government you want can lead to a better government.

本周的每一天，美国国务院都在强调世界各地记者面临的困境，尤其是那些被拘禁或不允许自由报道的记者。国务院副女发言人玛丽·哈夫说，能够自由言论，说出你想要什么样的政府能促成更好的政府。

“If you have an ability for your citizens to stand up and say you are not governing me the way I should be, you are not giving the economic opportunities that our people deserve, you are not taking responsibility as a leader, that leads to accountability," said Harf.

“如果能让你的公民站起来，说出你执政的方式不对，你没有给我们应有的经济机会，你没有承担作为领导人的责任，这样政府才能负责。”

The World Bank Institute spends millions of dollars on programs to help reform certain areas of the media in the developing world. Jeff Thindwa, its social accountability manager, talks about a program named Open Data Boot Camp for Journalists.

世界银行研究所在一些项目上耗资数百万美元，来帮助改革发展中国家媒体中的某些领域。研究所的社会责任负责人Jeff Thindwa谈到一个名叫“为记者开放数据训练营”的项目。

“This is a program that takes journalists and civic leaders through training in how to access budget data, public spending data, how to interpret and interrogate that data, how to clean it up and use it to effectively ask the questions that need to be asked." There is a direct link between an open government and a capable media and development outcomes," said Thindwa.,

“这个项目负责培训记者和民事领袖如何获得预算数据、公共开支数据，如果解释和质问这些数据，如何清理这些数据，如何有效使用这些数据来提出需要问的问题。开放政府、良好的媒体和发展结果之间存在直接关联。”

Thindwa says media have a real stake in how government performs.

Thindwa说媒体关系到政府如何运作。

"They can be given the capacity to monitor for accountability, to reduce corruption and to report back to citizens and help build and engaged citizenry," he said.

“可以赋予媒体监督政府责任、减少腐败、向公民报道以及帮助建设和参与公民事务的能力。”

It's often through media outlets that complicated information is deciphered (explained) and delivered to the public.

通常复杂的信息是通过媒体渠道得以解释并传播给公众的。