commbox Media Assistance

Filter

1715

Sort by:

Direction:

External Link (47)

State of the Media: Timor-Leste 2024

Matthew Abud, Zevonia Vieira

ABC International Development; Asia Foundation (2024), 77 pp.

"This study provides a detailed snapshot of Timor-Leste’s media in late 2023, exploring the operations and business models of media outlets, the legal landscape, proposed government programs impacting media, and relevant infrastructure ahead of an anticipated significant increase in digital connec ... more

External Link (73)

Development Co-operation Principles for Relevant and Effective Support to Media and the Information Environment
Key Guides

Paris: OECD (2024), 15 pp.

"The below principles seek to reinvigorate international support to media and the information environment. They aspire to encourage current development co-operation providers to increase levels of financial and other forms of assistance and to improve the relevance and effectiveness of their existin ... g support to preserve, protect, and promote public interest media and information integrity. Official development assistance (ODA) can be essential to address the major challenges facing the global information environment. The principles presented here may guide development co-operation providers’ endeavours to respond to the challenges laid out in the preamble. The principles are supported by a non-exhaustive, indicative list of practical, concrete ways to operationalise each principle. The first principle on ‘do no harm to public interest media’, is intended as a minimum standard which all development co-operation providers are expected to respect. The other principles are more ambitious, seeking to function as a guide and an inspiration to development co-operation providers to increase the relevance and effectiveness of their support. 1. Ensure that assistance does no harm to public interest media [...] 2. Increase financial and other forms of support to public interest media and the information environment, in order to strengthen democratic resilience [...] 3. Take a whole of system perspective on supporting the media and information environment to make support more relevant, effective and sustainable. Consider the media and information environment as a development sector in itself, a critical part of efforts to promote and protect democracy, human rights, gender equality and development as well as a sector which can support implementation of other development goals [...] 4. Strengthen local leadership and ownership, empowering media partners as well as other actors in the information environment such as civil society organisations and online content creators to meaningfully participate in policies and programmes [...] 5. Improve co-ordination of support to the media and information environment, both among donor agencies and between development and diplomatic efforts to support media freedom, especially in contexts of crisis [...] 6. Invest in knowledge, research, and learning [...]" (Page 8-11) more

Download (6)

Forum Media and Development

Forum Medien und Entwicklung (fome) (2024), 24 pp.

"This publication is a directory of the member organisaztions of the German Forum Media and Development (fome) and some of their working areas as of March 2024." (commbox)

External Link (52)

Mapping of media assistance and journalism support programmes in the Western Balkans region

Global Forum for Media Development (GFMD) (2024), 7 pp.

External Link (66)

EU Funding in the Media: An Analysis of Journalism Projects Financed by the European Union

Nikolas Schäfer, Marius Dragomir

Tallinn; London: Media and Journalism Research Center (MJRC) (2024), 19 pp.

External Link (67)

Support to Afghan Media Resilience to Foster Peace and Security

Paris: UNESCO (2024), 14 pp.

"Since August 2021, almost 50% of media outlets have ceased their operations in Afghanistan. An estimated 90% of women journalists have lost their jobs, with many more media workers having fled the country or been forced into hiding. Replying to a call from over hundred anonymous journalists for con ... more

Download (16)

The Media Viability Manifesto: A Common Framework for Joint Action
Key Guides

Laura Moore, Elena Köhler, Clare Cook

Bonn et al.: Deutsche Welle DW Akademie; Media Viability Manifesto Initiative (2024), 33 pp.

"The Media Viability Manifesto (MVM) provides an urgently needed common framework for joint action from the global media development community. Its aim is three-pronged: To foster conceptual clarity, to strengthen strategic collaboration between multiple stakeholders, and to align practical implemen ... more

Download (9)

Central Asia Media Program: Final Report

Dmitri Surnin, Dylan Gray

USAID; Internews (2024), 158 pp.

External Link (58)

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

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

Download (12)

Press Forward: A Guide for Local Funders

Sarah Gustavus Lim, Katie Hawkins-Gaar

Press Forward (2024), 23 pp.

"Press Forward aims to grow the overall investment in local news and strengthen communities across the country over the next five years by focusing on such shared values as equity, accessibility, collaboration and centering community needs. The vision of the founding coalition is to increase resourc ... more

External Link (83)

Impact Framework for Media Projects. Toolkit

International Media Support (IMS); Local Media for Democracy Project; European Federation of Journalists (EFJ); Journalismfund Europe; Centre of Media Pluralism (2024), 13 pp.

"The impact framework is a set of tools and guidelines that helps to define targets for, track, and assess the impact of activities under the supported media projects in a clear and organised way; it can also be used for other media projects. Its methodology embraces a user-centric approach, links p ... more

Download (6)

Where is the money? A global perspective on forms of funding, financing and investment for public interest media
Deep Insights

Clare Cook, Ross Settles, Chris Kabwato, Hassan Abbas, Alexandre Goudineau, Janine Warner, Laura Aguirre

Copenhagen: International Media Support (IMS) (2024), 63 pp.

"Two years in the making, this report unfolds regional perspectives of new forms of funding, financing and investment for public interest media. It provides a multistakeholder reflection in four regions of the world on how public interest media can best be supported over the next decade. Through con ... more

External Link (50)

68th meeting of the Bureau of the Intergovernmental Council of IPDC 20 - 21 June 2024. Item 4 of the provisional agenda: Results-based report on projects approved by the 66th meeting of the IPDC Bureau (June 2022) and Rapid-response mechanism projects implemented in 2022-2023, part II

Paris: International Programme for the Development of Communication (IPDC) (2024), 190 pp

External Link (71)

Safeguarding independent journalism in Latin America

Francisca Skoknic

Oxford: Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism (2024), 37 pp.

"In a region plagued by poverty, inequality, and attacks on press freedom, Latin American journalists have ventured into non-profit journalism to uphold democracy. Outlets producing award-winning and highly impactful journalism in the region include El Salvador’s El Faro, founded in 1998, Chile’ ... s Ciper (2007), IDL-Reporteros in Peru and La Silla Vacía in Colombia (2009), Animal Político in Mexico (2010), Agência Pública in Brazil and Plaza Pública in Guatemala (2011) – to name a few. But finding a sustainable financing model has eluded most outlets. There is limited advertising revenue for such controversial topics, and lower income audiences are hard-pressed to pay for news. This has led to an over-reliance on foreign funding to finance their work. Research by SembraMedia found that grants are the primary source of non-profit income, accounting for 63% of their revenue on average. To assess for myself how acutely reliant independent media in Latin America are on foreign donors, I set about analysing 40 independent outlets based in 16 countries. I focused on outlets that produce public interest journalism, play a significant role in their countries, and receive institutional foreign funding. [...] Between 2016 and 2022 those 40 outlets received more than $27 million from OSF and Ford Foundation. While Ford Foundation granted roughly half the number of grants as the Soros organisation, their grants were significantly larger, meaning the total amount donated was almost on par. OSF has been key in giving establishing grants to new outlets and then fostering their growth, while Ford tends to back outlets with a track record. Ana Joaquina Ruiz, Program Associate for Mexico, and Central America at Ford Foundation, told me: “OSF has the capacity to fund more innovative projects. Ford is a bit more conservative and works with projects that can be a contribution in the long term.” A third important player to consider in this ecosystem is Luminate, created by the founder of eBay, Pierre Omidyar. Publicly available data shows it has only distributed 11 grants between 2016 and 2022 among the 40 outlets I analysed. The average size of each grant was $360,000 – far more than the average Ford Foundation grants ($240,000) or OSF grants ($135,000). It is worth noting, however, that no consistent data could be found about the length of time each grant was intended to cover. An analysis of average amount granted per year might paint a different picture." (https://reutersinstitute.politics.ox.ac.uk) more

Download (5)

Multi-Donor Programme on Freedom of Expression and Safety of Journalists: Annual Report 2023

Sylvie Coudray, Guilherme Canela De Souza Godoi, Mirta Lourenco et al.

Paris: UNESCO (2024), 67 pp.

Download (16)

Enabling a Sustainable News Environment: A Framework for Media Finance Legislation
Deep Insights

Conny Moon Sehat, Amy Mitchell, Samuel Jens

Center for News, Technology & Innovation (CNTI) (2024), 46 pp.

"This study examines 23 recently enacted or proposed legislative efforts from 2018 through 2024 aimed at providing revenue streams for journalism. We hope it offers a fulsome method for analyzing possible paths forward. There are two main parts of the report: Part One groups this legislation into se ... more

Download (8)

Principes pour un soutien pertinent et efficace aux médias et à l’espace de l’information dans le cadre de la coopération pour le développement
Key Guides

Paris: OCDE (2024), 15 pp.

"Les principes ci-après ont pour but de redynamiser le soutien international aux médias et à l’espace de l’information. Ils visent à encourager les fournisseurs de coopération pour le développement actuels à accroître leurs niveaux d’assistance (notamment financière) et à améliorer ... la pertinence et l’efficacité de leur soutien existant dans le but de préserver, protéger et promouvoir les médias d’intérêt public et l’intégrité de l’information. L’APD peut être déterminante pour relever les grands défis auxquels est confronté l’espace de l’information mondial. Les principes présentés ici peuvent aider les fournisseurs de coopération pour le développement à trouver des solutions aux difficultés exposées dans l’introduction. Chaque principe s’accompagne d’une liste indicative non exhaustive de modalités de mise en oeuvre pratiques et concrètes. Le premier principe, qui consiste à ne pas porter préjudice aux médias d’intérêt public, est considéré comme un minimum que tous les fournisseurs de coopération pour le développement sont censés respecter. Les autres principes, plus ambitieux, ont vocation à servir de guide et d’inspiration aux fournisseurs précités en vue d’accroître la pertinence et l’efficacité de leur soutien. 1. Veiller à ce que l’aide ne porte pas préjudice aux médias d’intérêt public. [...] 2. Accroître le soutien, notamment financier, en faveur des médias d’intérêt public et de l’espace de l’information afin de renforcer la résilience démocratique [...] 3. Adopter une perspective systémique globale du soutien aux médias et à l’espace de l’information afin que celui-ci soit plus pertinent, plus efficace et plus durable. Considérer les médias et l’espace de l’information comme un secteur du développement à proprement parler, un élément essentiel des efforts visant à promouvoir et protéger la démocratie, les droits humains, l’égalité des genres et le développement, ainsi qu’un secteur qui peut aider à la mise en oeuvre d’autres objectifs de développement [...] 4. Renforcer le leadership et l’appropriation au niveau local, en donnant aux partenaires des médias ainsi qu’aux autres acteurs de l’espace de l’information (comme les organisations de la société civile et les créateurs de contenus en ligne) les moyens de participer de manière constructive aux politiques et aux programmes [...] 5. Améliorer la coordination du soutien aux médias et à l’espace de l’information, à la fois entre les organismes donneurs et entre les initiatives de développement et les efforts diplomatiques visant à promouvoir la liberté des médias, en particulier dans les contextes de crises [...] 6. Investir dans la connaissance, la recherche et l’apprentissage." (Page 8-11) more

Download (7)

Examining the Journalism Philanthropy Model: A Literature Review

Louisa Lincoln

International Journal of Communication, volume 18 (2024), pp. 889–907

"Amid the decline of commercial local news in the United States, another model has emerged as a growing alternative: philanthropy-supported journalism. Although foundation-funded journalism is not a particularly new model, the field has seen an influx of charitable funds in recent years—since 2009 ... more

External Link (75)

Are Donors Taking the Journalism Crisis Seriously? An Analysis of Official Aid to Media 2010–2019

Mary Myers, Heather Gilberds

Washington, DC: Center for International Media Assistance (CIMA) (2024), 32 pp.

"Donor agencies are saying that they are committed to media development and are trying to learn from the past but many of the same challenges that have beset the sector for years remain. And media support is still low on the list of aid priorities and can easily be cut when crises such as COVID‑19 ... and the war in Ukraine strike. In the eyes of the media INGOs, the OECD DAC donors are still not providing adequate, stable, or predictable funding or clear media development strategies. All media INGOs, and many donor officials, are working in a constant state of uncertainty about whether there will be true commitments—or cuts—just around the corner. There still appear to be more questions than answers in the sector. Among those interviewed for this study, for every donor or implementer who looked back with pride at the last decade’s successes in a country or on a theme, another questioned that same theme or strategy. Each donor agency has its own subtly different priorities and approaches. The more technical aspects—the search for commercial sustainability and the avoidance of aid dependency, how to promote public trust in media, how best to build journalistic capacity, and how to promote localization and a truly bottom‑up approach—are some of the issues that still have no solutions. Nonetheless, compared with a decade ago, there appears to be a better understanding of media among the major donors. They are also increasingly concerned about the impact of technology and digital governance on news media and recognize the dangers associated with social media and information pollution. There is also a greater commitment to multilateral diplomatic efforts, such as the Media Freedom Coalition (started by the United Kingdom and Canada in 2019), the Summit for Democracy (launched in 2021 by the United States), the International Partnership for Information and Democracy (launched by France in 2019), and possibly what may be emerging as a “diplomatic turn” in media development. Donor governments are increasingly talking to recipient country governments and lobbying for changes such as improved journalist safety, an end to impunity for attacks on journalists, trial observations by the international community, granting of emergency visas, and so on." (Conclusions, pages 25-26) more

External Link (50)

Mapping ODA to media and information environment integrity
Deep Insights

Laure-Hélène Piron

Paris: OECD Development Assistance Committee (DAC) (2024), 105 pp.

"Interviews with 25 officials from development ministries and agencies and media experts, and a review of over 100 documents, confirmed that development partners are aware of the pressures faced by traditional and new media, and how the information environment can influence their wider democracy and ... more

Development Co-operation Principles for Relevant and Effective Support to Media and the Information Environment Key Guides

The Media Viability Manifesto: A Common Framework for Joint Action Key Guides

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

Where is the money? A global perspective on forms of funding, financing and investment for public interest media Deep Insights

Enabling a Sustainable News Environment: A Framework for Media Finance Legislation Deep Insights

Principes pour un soutien pertinent et efficace aux médias et à l’espace de l’information dans le cadre de la coopération pour le développement Key Guides

Mapping ODA to media and information environment integrity Deep Insights