Examining international donor programs that aim to promote independent media, Kumar (senior social scientist, US Agency for International Development) asks questions concerning the nature of media assistance, how it is delivered, who are the major actors, what type of programs are supported by the international community, what have been media program achievements and shortcomings, and what steps can be taken to improve the effectiveness and impact of media assistance. Annotation ©2006 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)