mediadev library

Sort by:

Direction:

Partnership Approaches for Press Freedom: Best Practices for ‘Localisation’ and ‘In-Country Ownership’
Inspiring Practice

Amsterdam: Free Press Unlimited (2024), 41 pp.

"We summarise here the most important recommendations for ‘localisation’ in partnership approaches and developing in-country ownership: - The power dynamics of funding streams: Partners in fragile countries struggling for (economic) survival sometimes feel compelled to agree to projects designs ... that do not match their needs. Funding streams from international implementers of projects and donor requirements by country donors and private foundations create power imbalances that need to be constantly reviewed and mitigated against. In an era of shrinking civic space, international organisations often become focused on the competition for donor funding too much. Accepting donor's views and its language can be a spoiler of trust between international organisations and in-country organisations if it does not match local needs. Saying ‘no’ can be healthy to contest ill-conceived funding. Power dynamics are not always about money, but also about (un)healthy relationships, shared knowledge and genuine interest in each other’s skills, capacity and knowledge. We need to stay sensitive regarding cultural norms and views on the role of journalists in fragile countries. Within programmes there is space for sharing responsibility more. Co-design and co-ownership requires constant attention. - Words matter in relationships with partners, be sensitive and self-reflective: This is exemplified by the frequent use of words as ‘local’, ‘southern’, ‘poor countries’ which are perceived by in-country organisations as belittling and discriminatory. Even the word 'localisation' itself is contested but we use it here as the international discussion frames it in the current discussions about Aid Infrastructure. Toxic and/or colonial vocabulary is mentioned repeatedly by partners and colleagues as a risk for an equal relationship. By contrast Free Press Unlimited should be conscious of such mechanisms, and continuously develop a glossary which radiates equity and equality and keep discussing it as language evolves. - Long term investment is needed for leadership and in-country ownership: Local ownership and autonomy requires investment in in-country organisations and its key staff. But ‘localisation’ is not an end in itself. It is a means to make credible trusted information available in various contexts as delivered by professional in-country media actors. Sometimes a local set-up is required to facilitate growth of country organisations and fostering local leadership. In the discussion about ‘localisation’ there is a trend visible where international organisations are setting up local offices to follow the ‘money going south’. This is not a positive trend and also not a solution to empower in-country organisations, and Free Press Unlimited tries to stay away from copying it. - Address global issues within the partnerships, it has added value for partners: In-country organisations in conflict prone and repressive societies are busy with survival. International organisations such as Free Press Unlimited can bring in expertise and perspectives from other regions and countries to overcome such divisional aspects of various in-country contexts. Free Press Unlimited is able to convene, help bridge divides and build coalitions, by bringing in counterparts in the same situation. But it is not just about learning and project design but also about the reflective nature of advocacy rooted in in-country contexts. Free Press Unlimited’s advocacy strategy sources its legitimacy in partners and their context and entertains a do-no-harm policy towards her partners. - Use the relationships with donors to ensure better value for partners: Free Press Unlimited’s positive experiences with seed money and finding donors for it, is an important contribution to partners and allies. It is often more challenging for in-country organisations to find a seat at the table of donors, and they often lack the multifaceted access to donors. Money is important, but belief in a free press and free access to information is more critical in reaching the goals of FPU. FPU must never replace "propagating" its ethos with looking for money for partners. - Articulate your powers better and do not shy away from using them for public good: International press freedom organisations have power and they should use it for the benefit of the global press- and media freedom community. Relinquishing that power in the face of shrinking space, also towards donors can help Free Press Unlimited to remain bold, ambitious and table the discussion about the positive power for good that international organisations have and can put to use for the benefit of all." (Executive summary, pp. 6-7) more

External Link (3)

Safety policy: Creating a safe working environment for journalists

Amsterdam: Free Press Unlimited (2024), 13 pp.

"In the next five years, Free Press Unlimited will work towards the following five goals to enhance the safety of media professionals: 1. Media professionals supported by Free Press Unlimited programmes are able to deal effectively with interference and threats at a physical, digital, legal and psy ... more

Download (1)

Restricciones a la libertad de prensa y asfixia mediática en el contexto electoral en Venezuela

Freedom House; Fundación para la Libertad de Prensa (FLIP); Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ); Fundamedios; IFEX-ALC; Reporters Without Borders; Free Press Unlimited; Voces del Sur (2024), 26 pp.

External Link (9)

Fighting Misinformation Helps Social Cohesion and Early Recovery in Syria

Amsterdam: Free Press Unlimited (2024), 7 pp.

"By preserving independence, Syrian media is trusted to promote dialogue, providing a platform for diverse voices and fosters a culture of critical thinking and public debate, the media acts as a catalyst for inclusive recovery and sustainable development. It lays the groundwork for a resilient, dem ... more

Download (0)

Media Freedom in Romania Ahead of Super Election Year: Mission Report on Media Capture, Legal Obstacles and Journalists’ Safety

Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR); International Press Institute (IPI); Osservatorio Balcani e Caucaso Transeuropa (OBCT); Free Press Unlimited (2024), 24 pp.

External Link (8)

Relocation of journalists in distress in the European Union

Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR); European Centre for Press & Media Freedom (ECPMF); Free Press Unlimited (2023), 24 pp.

External Link (9)

SACMID Evaluation: An Evaluation of SACMID’s Activities Within the PRIMED Project

Paco Mens, Akriti Saraswat

Free Press Unlimited (2023), 16 pp. + annexes

"The South Asia Center for Media in Development (SACMID), addresses gender disparity both within the workplace and media content. Its main focus is utilizing the Gender Media Monitoring Tool to tackle these issues. The data collected through media monitoring is subsequently employed for advocacy ini ... more

External Link (12)

Syria Audience Research Study

Free Press Unlimited (2023), iv, 70 pp.

"The key findings suggest that Syrians continue to adopt social media and social messaging apps as the primary channels through which they access news. They appreciate the privacy of messaging apps for communication with friends and family, and check the credibility of news stories with friends, fam ... more

External Link (9)

Fight for Press Freedom. Strategic Framework: Free Press Unlimited 2023-2026

Amsterdam: Free Press Unlimited (2023), 16 pp.

Download (0)

Informe de hallazgos de la misión internacional sobre libertad de prensa y de expresión en Guatemala

Freedom House; Free Press Unlimited; Reporteros sin Fronteras; Article 19; Fundación para la Libertad de Prensa (FLIP) (2023), 37 pp.

External Link (19)

An Uphill Battle: From Impunity to Justice for Journalist Murders
Top Insights

Evelien Wijkstra, Jos Midas Bartman

Free Press Unlimited (2022), 31 pp.

"For this report we analyzed hundreds of cases of journalists who were murdered in reprisal for their work. What stands out is their courage to report misdemeanor by those in power despite the clear and often well-known risks this entails for them. What stands out as well is the lack of capacity in ... more

External Link (8)

Safety of Women Journalists in Bosnia-Herzegovina: Perceptions, Experience and Understanding of Safety and Gendered Safety Risks

Free Press Unlimited (2022), 19 pp.

"This report summarised the findings of the focus group discussions, held in November-December 2021, which were organised in Free Press Unlimited in cooperation with BH Novinari. Through these focus group discussions, Free Press Unlimited got a good understanding of the following: The participants' ... more

External Link (22)

The murder of Gerry Ortega: Justice delayed, justice denied

Jos Midas Bartman

Free Press Unlimited; Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ); Reporters Without Borders (2022), 30 pp.

"The murder of Gerry Ortega is indicative of structural problems concerning the safety of journalists in the Philippines; while the hitmen are often arrested, the powerful masterminds behind the killings of journalists often evade justice. Gerry Ortega was a prominent broadcast journalist and enviro ... more

External Link (19)

The Assassination of Sardasht Osman: Debunking the Official Story

Free Press Unlimited; Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ); Reporters Without Borders (2022), 42 pp.

"Sardasht Osman was a courageous and talented 23-year-old citizen journalist, who wrote about corruption and political mismanagement within the Kurdish Regional Government (KRG) in a period of political upheaval. On 13 December 2009, Sardasht wrote a satirical article accusing the family of Presiden ... more

External Link (19)

Improving Monitoring for Crimes Against Journalists: Report on Monitoring Workshop

Manizja Aziz, Leon Willems

Free Press Unlimited (2022), 10 pp.

"This report is part of a UNESCO-financed project entitled “Improving monitoring for crimes against journalists”, which fits into the framework of the wider SDG 2030 Agenda. The first pillar of this project was a survey and in-depth interviews with civil society organisations involved in monitor ... more

External Link (19)

Journalists‘ Experience and Views on Judicial Transparency in Bosnia and Herzegovina

Amer Dzihana

Sarajevo: Free Press Unlimited (2022), 38 pp.

External Link (12)

Exile Media: Mapping the Challenges Faced by Independent Media in Exile

Tim Schoot Uiterkamp (ed.)

Free Press Unlimited (2022), 18 pp.

External Link (19)

Covid-19 Response in Africa: Together for Reliable Information. Final Evaluation

Michelle Betz, Elizabeth Adundo, Emmanuel Wongibe

Free Press Unlimited (2022), 50 pp.

External Link (9)

Journalists’ Views and Perceptions of Judicial Transparency. A Comparative Study in Three Western Balkans Countries: Bosnia and Herzegovina, North Macedonia and Serbia

Snezana Trpevska

Free Press Unlimited (2022), 67 pp.

Download (0)

Estudio de mercado y audiencias de medios de comunicación en América Central: Guatemala

Proyecto VIMES; Free Press Unlimited; A-01 (2022), 70 pp.

"Esta publicación presenta información sobre el mercado actual de los medios de comunicación en Guatemala; sobre cómo la población percibe estos medios y cuáles son los hábitos de la audiencia en el consumo de la información. Además, ofrece recomendaciones para mejorar la viabilidad de los ... more

Partnership Approaches for Press Freedom: Best Practices for ‘Localisation’ and ‘In-Country Ownership’ Inspiring Practice

An Uphill Battle: From Impunity to Justice for Journalist Murders Top Insights

Partnership Approaches for Press Freedom: Best Practices for ‘Localisation’ and ‘In-Country Ownership’
Inspiring Practice

An Uphill Battle: From Impunity to Justice for Journalist Murders
Top Insights