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The State of Media Development: Eastern Europe and Central Asia

Giorgi Jangiani

Bonn: Deutsche Welle DW Akademie (2025), 20 pp.

"The report highlights both urgent challenges and emerging opportunities in Eastern Europe and Central Asia — a region grappling with financial instability driven by the Russian war in Ukraine, political manipulation, declining support from tech platforms, and the potential loss of decades of accu ... mulated human and intellectual capital in the media sector. These challenges are further compounded by growing polarization, opaque platform-dominated markets, and increasingly repressive legislation. As a result, many media organizations are being forced into untenable choices between defending press freedom and investing in innovation and content production. Despite these pressures, the study emphasizes the resilience and adaptability of local media actors. Donor support remains meaningful in key areas such as institutional strengthening, coordination, research/learning and promoting local ownership. However, the report stresses that financial support alone is not enough — it calls for sustained, principled, and coordinated engagement. As one interviewee noted, “We don’t want to end up in a situation where we’re forced to sacrifice one principle over another — but in this region, that’s already happening.” While panic is not a strategy, inaction risks deepening the crisis. This report provides clear guidance for donors and implementers to reinforce media ecosystems and protect public interest journalism. If we were to summarize the key recommendations of this report, they would be: – Ensure sustainable core funding: Core support is essential to respond to crises and reduce reliance on politically influenced or commercially driven content. – Invest in long-term tech innovation: Fragmented, short-term digital investments fall short. Donors must coordinate support for scalable, sustainable digital strategies and help reclaim advertising revenue. – Address local media gaps: In many areas, television remains dominant while digital capacity lags. Fund initiatives that reinforce local democratic discourse and reduce polarization. – Strengthen legal and safety protections: Small and exiled media face legal threats and security risks. Long-term investment is needed in legal reform, journalist safety, and operational resilience. – Prioritize local leadership and inclusion: Donor reliance on international actors often sidelines capable local organizations. Local voices must be centered in strategy, funding, and implementation. Finally, it’s worth noting that the regional findings are based on a focused but insightful sample: 13 organizations from Eastern Europe and Central Asia participated in the survey (as part of the global survey), alongside 10 key informant interviews. Despite its limited scope, the report offers a solid foundation for future assessments and strategic agenda-setting in media development." (Conclusions and key recommendations) more

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Posting “what” on social media? The (mis-)use of Facebook by young people in refugee camps

Valentina Baú

Journal of Information, Communication and Ethics in Society, volume 23, issue 1 (2025), pp. 134-147

"This paper aims to shed light on the threats that young people living in refugee camps face in their use of Facebook. While social media enable a participatory process of communication (Russo et al., 2008), which is based on the agency of the communicator and defined by their own cultural and moral ... more

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Tackling Disinformation, Information Manipulation and Interference in Four African Elections
Deep Insights

Dani Madrid-Morales, Herman Wasserman, Nicola Davies-Laubscher, Fatoumata Sow

Mapping Electoral Disinformation inAfrica (MEDiA); Centre for Information Integrity in Africa (CIIA); Stellenbosch University (2025), 58 pp.

"In recent years, electoral disinformation has followed several recurring patterns globally, many of which were observed in the case studies analysed in this report. One prominent tactic is attacks on electoral integrity, where political actors spread false claims about voter registration, election ... rigging, or external interference to delegitimise outcomes. As we show in this report, in the DRC, for example, rumours circulated that biometric voter registration was designed to expose individuals’ HIV status, discouraging participation. In South Africa, disinformation networks falsely claimed that the Electoral Commission (IEC) was manipulating results to favour the ruling party, fueling distrust in the electoral process. Another trend is the weaponisation of ethnic and gendered disinformation. In Kenya, misleading narratives framed certain candidates as “foreign-sponsored outsiders” to undermine their legitimacy, while in Senegal, false claims about morality were used to discredit opposition figures. Meanwhile, gendered disinformation—targeting women candidates with sexist tropes and false accusations—was a recurring feature in all four countries, reflecting a broader global pattern in which women in politics are disproportionately subjected to online abuse and misinformation. Social media platforms have been central to the spread of electoral disinformation. Across Africa, as in much of the world, platforms such as Facebook, TikTok, and X (formerly Twitter) have served as primary vehicles for the rapid dissemination of falsehoods, often facilitated by coordinated inauthentic behaviour. Data that we present in the report shows that, in South Africa, paid “nano-influencers”—individuals with small but loyal online followings—were mobilised to amplify misleading narratives in favour of specific political actors, demonstrating how disinformation strategies are evolving in response to changing digital landscapes. [...] In response to these findings, the report makes several key recommendations. First, it calls for greater cross-platform coordination among CSOs, fact-checking groups, and election monitors to ensure realtime responses to emerging disinformation threats. Second, it highlights the importance of media and digital literacy programmes among all age groups, including young voters, some of whom are often the most active on social media but may lack the skills to critically assess the credibility of information they encounter. Third, it urges greater transparency and accountability from technology platforms, which remain the primary distribution channels for electoral disinformation but have done little to curb its spread in African electoral contexts. Ultimately, electoral disinformation is not simply a digital challenge—it is a fundamental governance issue that shapes public perceptions of legitimacy and democratic participation. Evidence from the four elections in Africa that we examine in this report demonstrates that countering disinformation requires a multi-stakeholder approach that includes journalists, civil society actors, election commissions, and policymakers working collaboratively to strengthen information integrity and electoral transparency. The findings in this report offer both a diagnosis of the current disinformation landscape and a framework for more effective, evidence-based responses that can help safeguard future elections from manipulation." (Pages 9-10) more

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Digital Media, Denunciation and Shaming: The Court of Public Opinion

Daniel Trottier, Qian Huang, Rashid Gabdulhakov

Oxford: Routledge (2025), 118 pp.

"This book offers a common set of concepts to help make sense of online shaming practices, accounting for instances of discrimination and injury that morally divide readers and at times risk unjust and disproportionate harm to those under scrutiny. Digital media denunciation has become a primary for ... more

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The State of Media Development: Asia-Pacific

Umesh Pokharel

Bonn: Deutsche Welle DW Akademie (2025), 23 pp.

"Amid the Asia-Pacific region’s complex political and media landscape — marked by authoritarian regression, shrinking civic space, digital surveillance, funding shortfalls, and gender inequality — this study has explored the current status of media development in the region vis à vis the OECD ... 's six principles for relevant and effective media support [...] This leads to the following key recommendations: – Safeguard independent journalism through ethical support, risk awareness, and mutual accountability: Media programs must integrate local risk assessments and ethical protections to maintain editorial independence. Donors should adapt visibility approaches to protect partners in sensitive settings and foster open, two-way communication for adaptive, shared accountability. – Secure sustainable, inclusive, and crisis-responsive media financing that reflects media’s public value: Unrestricted, long-term funding is critical for media sustainability, particularly in fragile or exiled contexts. Media should be treated as a core democratic institution with expanded support reaching marginalized communities and integrated into broader development sectors. – Design media support with systemic, evidence-based and inclusive approaches that address structural gaps: Support must be grounded in deep ecosystem diagnostics and be inclusive of marginalized voices. Resources should strengthen hyperlocal and digital-first media while building local advocacy and resilience with donor collaboration enabling long-term impact. – Put local expertise and diverse leadership at the center of strategy, funding, and decision-making processes: Local actors should lead program planning and execution, supported by simplified access, institutional investment, and inclusive leadership — especially for women, rural, and displaced journalists. – Build coherent, transparent, and diplomatically backed coordination mechanisms that prioritize local participation: Donors should institutionalize inclusive coordination platforms, fund coordination roles, and streamline compliance. Diplomatic engagement should align with media development to bolster press freedom during crises. – Invest in contextualized research, continuous learning, and regional knowledge exchange to future-proof media systems: Locally led research, updated journalism education, and regional knowledge-sharing must be supported to address emerging issues and build resilience across Asia-Pacific media landscapes. While the findings are drawn from key informant interviews with ten organizations across eight Asia-Pacific countries and a small online survey sample and thus has limitations in terms of representativity, the report does provide a valuable starting point for broader future assessments and strategic planning in media development in the Asia-Pacific region." (Conclusion and key recommendations, page 22) more

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Contemporary Contested Ethiopian Media Practice and Its Influence on Journalists’ Autonomy and Role

Abera Yenework Kebede, Adem Chanie Ali, Mulatu Alemayehu Moges

Journalism Practice, volume 19, issue 11 (2025), pp. 2549-2575

"This study explores contemporary journalists’ autonomy and role in the Ethiopian contested media practice by taking journalists working in Amhara Media Corporation (AMC). A qualitative research approach was used to collect data from journalists and admin staff. For triangulation, this study combi ... more

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Media development pathways: A case study of the Media Institute of Southern Africa

Susan Abbott

London: University of Westminster, Doctoral Thesis (2025), 222 pp.

"The purpose of this research project is to contribute to the academic and practitioner understanding of how donors impact the development of media systems in developing and transitioning countries. The study reflects on the evolution of donor strategies in media development over the past 30 years s ... ince 1989, highlighting several key trends [...] Early optimism about democratic transitions has waned, with media development now seen as a rescue operation. A clear definition of ‘democracy’ has become blurred, with autocrats co-opting the term, leading to growing scepticism about its true meaning. The cynicism about democracy is joined by a sense of naïve expectations in that donors once believed that funding free and independent media would automatically strengthen other democratic institutions. This assumption has been challenged as reality proved more complex. When it came to specific feedback on donor strategies, respondents shared that donor funding initially supported traditional media infrastructure. With the rise of the internet and digital media, strategies shifted to support the digital transformation of journalism. Respondents also note that donor strategies have often shifted with geopolitical interests, leaving media development in regions like Eastern Europe and Southern Africa in flux. Wars and political changes have diverted funds and attention, impacting the sustainability of media projects. There is criticism that donors lack a coherent long-term strategy or clear goals for media development related investments. Many rely on Western NGOs to devise strategies, leading to concerns about the effectiveness and sustainability of these efforts. Overall, the research undertaken underscores the need for more stable, well-defined, and strategically coherent donor approaches to support independent media development effectively. Finally, the study relayed concerns from local stakeholders that they feel there is a pressing need to localise practices and prioritize localisation to enhance long-term impact and sustainability. This dissertation focuses on the post-1989 context, which was significant for the spread of democracy following the fall of the Berlin Wall, the breakup of the Soviet Union, and the end of apartheid in Africa. This period, often called the third wave of democratisation, was marked by a belief in the inevitable spread of democracy and liberal democratic order. My research connects media development theories with practical applications in specific contexts examining how donor strategies affect journalism and press freedom, informed by scholarship on liberal democracy. The qualitative research, based on interpretivism/constructivism, probes donor impact on media space and evaluates program success, contributing to a theory of change in media development. The comparative research and grounded theory approach led to the development of a case study about the Media Institute of Southern Africa. Findings and analysis are drawn from the perspectives from donors, program beneficiaries, implementers, academics, and experts. The research interprets the legacy of donor-supported media development in the context of democratisation efforts by Western government aid agencies and foundations." (Abstract) more

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Women Journalists, Proximity Radios and Conflicts in Burkina Faso: Weaving the Social Fabric for Peace

Viviane Schönbächler

Cham: Palgrave Macmillan (2025), xix, 328 pp.

"This book explores the complex relationships between proximity radio and conflict in Burkina Faso from the perspective of female radio journalists. The study is based on in-depth qualitative field research, including interviews, audio diaries, and radio content analysis, using an analytical framewo ... more

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Information Environment Mapping in Central Asia: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan

ACT Global

Paris: Canal France International (CFI); Advancing Global Innovation and Learning Effectively to Build Resilience in Independent Media (AGILE) (2025), 84 pp.

"This mapping, conducted by CFI as part of the EU-funded AGILE project, examines how communities in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan access and use information in difficult and fast-changing media environments. It identifies five structural challenges: barriers to practical informa ... more

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Digital warfare: Exploring the influence of social media in propagating and counteracting hate speech in Sudan’s conflict landscape

Hind Abbas Hilmi Ibrahim

Chr. Michelsen Institute (CMI), University of Khartoum; University of Bergen (2025), 31 pp.

"Social media is a double-edged sword in Sudan’s conflict, acting as both a conduit for hate speech and a platform for peacebuilding. This study examines how digital platforms shape Sudan’s conflict landscape post-April 15 2023 by facilitating divisive rhetoric and enabling counter-speech initia ... more

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The State of Media Development: Middle East and North Africa

Samar Sabry

Bonn: Deutsche Welle DW Akademie (2025), 25 pp.

"In light of the rapid changes in the political, economic, and technological landscape in the region, there is an urgent need to reassess the goals and priorities of media support programs in the MENA region, focusing on challenges, best practices, and providing effective recommendations. This also ... requires adopting a more coordinated and integrated approach between donors and local partners to ensure that support aligns with the real needs of media institutions and the communities they serve. This is considered the foundation for achieving sustainable impact, rather than relying on short-term or fragmented support that does not keep pace with local realities. Key recommendations 1. Risk assessment and compliance with local context: Develop proactive risk assessment systems that include early warning tools and analysis of the political context, with project designs aligned to the local and political conditions of each country. 2. Protect journalists and enhance their safety: Strengthen physical and digital safety through continuous training, provision of protection tools, and the establishment of technical and advisory support units in cases of targeting. 3. Sustainable and neutral funding: Provide core and long-term funding to ensure financial sustainability, while maintaining funding neutrality, and ensure fair distribution. 4. Adopt a comprehensive and integrated approach: Adopt strategies that consider all components of the media system, supported by thorough needs assessments and long-term monitoring and evaluation mechanisms to ensure impact and sustainability. 5. Empower local partners: Enhance the active role of local actors and transform them from implementers to strategic partners in all stages of the project. 6. Build the capacities of local partners: Develop the skills and knowledge of local partners and researchers specialized in media development, integrate research and learning into projects. 7. Support emerging organizations: Continue funding and supporting small, locally impactful organizations, rather than focusing on large ones only. 8. Simplify administrative procedures: Reduce administrative burdens through standardized proposal templates and allocate a percentage of funding to administrative costs to ensure effective management. 9. Enhance coordination among stakeholders: Appoint national and regional media reform advisors and strengthen links between policymakers and media institutions to ensure synergy." (Conclusions and key recommendations, page 25) more

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Estado del Desarrollo de los Medios: América Latina y el Caribe

Emy Osorio Matorel

Bonn: Deutsche Welle DW Akademie (2025), 20 pp.

"Los medios de interés público en América Latina y el Caribe son resilientes e innovadores, pero el entorno que los rodea sigue siendo frágil. Como ha mostrado este estudio, ninguno de los seis principios de la OCDE se cumple plenamente, con las mayores brechas en el financiamiento (apoyo de cor ... more

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Passion, purpose and pathways: A typology of volunteer motivations in community radio

Bridget Backhaus, Nat Kassel

Journal of Alternative & Community Media, volume 10, issue 1 (2025), pp. 51-71

"Community radio stations depend on the labour of volunteers to fulfil their crucial social, cultural and democratic functions. Yet volunteering is treated as purely mechanistic in much community radio literature and practice: a means to an end, a resourcing challenge or reflective of the participat ... more

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The State of Media Development: Francophone Africa

Jean Claude Bitsure, Jean-Pierre Uwimana

Bonn: Deutsche Welle DW Akademie (2025), 22 pp.

"The African media sector embodies both remarkable potential and persistent fragility. Across the continent, journalists and media organizations continue to demonstrate resilience, innovation, and commitment to public interest reporting, and often in environments marked by political interference, ec ... more

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Countering Misinformation in Political Reporting: Enhancing Journalistic Legitimacy

Stephen Cushion, Maria Kyriakidou

Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press (2025), 200 pp.

"This book examines how journalists should deal with the growing tide of political disinformation and public scepticism towards news media. Informed by the latest research from the UK and around the world, the book draws on a series of UK-based studies over a six-year period between 2019-2024, syste ... more

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Sudanese Media Ecosystem

Aida Al-Kaisy, Andariya

Internews (2025), 44 pp.

"Based on qualitative and quantitative research conducted between May and August 2025, including interviews with journalists, media organisations, policymakers, and civil society activists, the report highlights how Sudan’s media environment has transformed into a “parallel battlefield” where ... more

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Exploring a Practice-Oriented Methodology for Measuring News Media Quality in Tanzania

Christoph Spurk, Abdallah Katunzi

African Journalism Studies, volume 46, issue 4 (2025), pp. 391-409

"Measuring the quality of news media is a crucial yet often overlooked aspect of enabling informed decision-making among citizens. Despite the lack of consensus on its definition and measurement, this paper introduces a practice-oriented methodology for evaluating news media quality across print, ra ... more

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The State of Media Development: Anglophone Africa

Robi Koki Ochieng

Bonn: Deutsche Welle DW Akademie (2025), 21 pp.

"This study examines the status of media development in Anglophone Africa and specifically assesses adherence to the OECD’s six Principles that guide donor support for relevant and effective media development. The research draws on qualitative and quantitative data collected through surveys and in ... more

Disability Representation in Bangladeshi Media: A Study on Inclusion in Content and Organizational Practices

SoMaSHTe

UNESCO (2025), 26 pp.

"The study emphasizes the vital role of Bangladeshi media in promoting inclusion and equality for persons with disabilities (PWDs). While progress has been made, gaps in representation, accessibility, and workplace inclusion remain. Key priorities include adopting inclusive formats like sign languag ... more

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What is journalism for?

Jon Allsop

Bristol: Bristol University Press (2025), 180 pp.

"Journalism faces multiple threats today all over the world: economic decline, online disinformation, the rise of AI, authoritarian curbs on freedom of the press, and violence against journalists. In such a climate, it’s more urgent than ever to ask what journalism is for. Drawing on his experienc ... more

Tackling Disinformation, Information Manipulation and Interference in Four African Elections Deep Insights

Tackling Disinformation, Information Manipulation and Interference in Four African Elections
Deep Insights