mediadev library

Des Freedman, Jonathan Obar, Cheryl Martens, Robert McChesney (eds.)

New York: Fordham University Press (2016), 360 pp.

Publishing for Peanuts: Innovation and the Journalism Start-Up

J. J. Robinson, Kristen Grennan, Anya Schiffrin

School of International and Political Affairs Columbia University; Open Society Foundation (2015), 200 pp.

"Our remit was to look for innovative media outlets that are producing high-quality news, that are technologically innovative and that might actually survive financially. Accordingly, we spent three months interviewing media innovators around the w ... orld and reading what others have written on the subject. This report is divided into seven sections: 1) this introduction, 2) our main findings, 3) two sets of recommendations, one for the media development community and another set for people starting a media outlet, 4) an “Innovation Index” listing practices that we found around the world, 5) a description of our methodology, 6) a review of practitioner reports we read, 7) write-ups describing 35 media outlets, based on interviews we conducted [...] We were inspired and encouraged by what we saw. All over the world, independent media outlets are innovating and overcoming obstacles. Globally, start-ups are demonstrating the drive to take risks for the sake of a good idea. The challenges facing these outlets—and the innovations employed to tackle them—broadly fall into four categories: editorial, business, distribution and security. Operating with agility, media start-ups are finding creative ways to gather and disseminate information. In India, Gram Vaani uses a mobile phone social network to connect the rural poor and circumvent legislative prohibitions on radio broadcasting. In Zimbabwe, The Source survives in the repressive media climate by focusing on business journalism. Oxpeckers in South Africa uses geomapping to report on rhino poaching. Crikey in Australia has built a successful business model based on soliciting tips and scandal from the same audience it reports on and Kenya’s African SkyCAM deploys drones to avoid negotiating with police for access to disaster zones [...] Instead of finding a clear model for what works, we found confirmation of many things we knew or suspected. Independent media outlets vary in size, ambition and model. Few have fully succeeded, while many do one thing well, which typically reflects the founder’s particular strength—usually in journalism or technology [...] Most media outlets we found are small, run by a few full-time staff supplemented by volunteers and freelancers, and supported by a combination of grants, donations and haphazard business endeavors. The leaders at most organizations we interviewed were motivated by a desire to produce high-quality journalism rather than meet particular financial or audience goals." (Executive summary, page 5-7) more

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Something to be Glad About? Coverage of Children in South African and Zambian Media

Musa Oswald Rikhotso, Sandra Roberts

Johannesburg: Media Monitoring Africa; Open Society Foundation for South Africa (2012), viii, 46 pp.

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Reporting on Children: Is the Coverage Getting Any Better?

Ayabulela Poro, Sandra Banjac

Johannesburg: Media Monitoring Africa; Open Society Foundation for South Africa (2012), 27 pp.

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Contemporary Issues in South Africa: A Toolkit for Journalists

Tanya Farber

Open Society Foundation for South Africa (2009), 60 pp.

"In today’s climate in the media industry, reporters are expected to cover a broad range of issues. They no longer have the luxury of concentrating on a small piece of a larger puzzle, and at times, they may feel as if they need a better understanding of the background information before moving fo ... more

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The Basic Tools of Newspaper Journalism

Tanya Farber

Capetown: Open Society Foundation for South Africa (2009), 40 pp.

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The Promotion of Access to Information Act: A Best Practice Handbook for Information Officers and Requesters

Liesa Jossel

Cape Town: Open Society Foundation for South Africa (2007), 59 pp.

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Media for Sustainable Development. Content Survey: A Baseline Study Report on Sustainable Development Content/Themes for Community Radio Stations in Africa and Central America

AMARC Africa, Panos Southern Africa, Pronatura

Open Society Foundation (2004), 117 pp.

"The summary of findings for this study is drawn from extensive research conducted in the form of questionnaires and focus groups. The aim of the study was to assess the level at which community radio stations in ... more

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Community Radio Technical Manual

Martin Sims, Linda Mazibuko

Mabalane Mfundisi; Jean Fairbairn (coord.)

Braamfontein; Newlands: National Community Radio Forum (NCRF); Open Society Foundation for South Africa (2002), 252 pp.

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First Footprints of the African Renaissance: An Evaluation of Training Provision in the Community Radio Sector in South Africa 1997-2001

Marian Nell, Janet Shapiro

Johannesburg: British Council; Communication Assistance Foundation (CAF); Heinrich Böll Stiftung; Netherlands Institute for Southern Africa (NIZA); Open Society Foundation for South Africa (2001), x, 104 pp.

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Curriculum for Training Community Radio Station Managers

Benita Pavlicevic

Open Society Foundation for South Africa (1999), various pag.

"While there are many trainers offering curricula in radio, this curriculum focuses on the management aspect of community radio. Many people in organisations focus their commitment and energy on the delivery side of the organisation and neglect the task of building the organisation and its people. W ... more

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Community Radio Manual
Key Guidance

Open Society Foundation for South Africa

Newlands: Open Society Foundation for South Africa (1999), 221 pp.

Community Radio Manual Key Guidance

Community Radio Manual
Key Guidance