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San Francisco, CA HQ in USA/Country Offices in Afghanistan, Cambodia & Nepal

While serving a worthwhile mission, Equal Access International has also at times created a negative impact amongst emerging/startup local businesses who do not always have the means or financial resources to compete with well-capitalized "MNC"s of the development media world. In Cambodia, the arrival of Equal Access's operations had a significant ripple effect across the board in the local media production scene, with many emerging and local producers (Khmer and foreigner alike) struggling for business when faced with this well-capitalized international non-profit newcomer competitor. It would be unfortunate if such trends persisted, either with Equal Access or other international/MNC-style non-profit development media groups. In my view, the overarching goal of any such organizations should be to support and encourage such private sector startups so as to encourage a robust civil society--not to stifle them. Moreover, I fail to see the advantage of remitting production revenue out of the developing host country towards the developed-country headquarters, when fully capable local producers might ably produce the same media while keeping those earnings within the country in local banks, via local staff. Insofar as this is a situation which extends beyond Equal Access towards other well-capitalized non-profit "MNC"s in the development communications arena, Equal Access alone can't be faulted. But these trends should be studied and acted upon quickly so as to implement mechanisms to ensure that, no matter how well-meaning, a well-capitalized international non-profit such as Equal Access cannot wittingly or unwittingly negatively impact local emerging media startups who may, in fact, better serve the interests of the local LDC.