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The State of Media Development 2026: Funding, local ownership and adaptation in international media development
New

Ines Drefs, Rose Kimani, Dennis Reineck, Martin Scott

Bonn: Deutsche Welle DW Akademie (2026), 85 pp.

"With resources drying up, not least because the U.S. administration has pulled the plug on international development funding, a rise in authoritarianism and another large-scale tech reset looming with AI, media development organizations are struggling to meet the challenges. According to data colle ... more

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Under pressure: Report on the situation of threatened cartoonists around the world 2023-2025

Paris: Cartooning for Peace; Cartoonists Rights (2026), 48 pp.

"Between June 2023 and June 2025, Cartooning for Peace recorded eighty-seven cases of threats against cartoonists around the world. The types of attacks recorded reveal a predominance of legal proceedings and cases of censorship. This typology indicates that more insidious repressive mechanisms are ... developing, creating a climate of fear and self-censorship, while circumventing the international attention attracted by more obvious, physical repression. Over the past two years, Cartooning for Peace has recorded twenty-two cases of legal proceedings2 brought against cartoonists in several countries, including Türkiye, India, Malaysia, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia. In addition, there have been fourteen cases of censorship targeting cartoonists, taking various forms: editorial censorship, political censorship, etc. In India, the authorities criminalise and censor critical positions by relying on new information legislation, which is used to silence journalists, cartoonists, human rights defenders, and anyone expressing criticism of the authorities. More and more cartoonists are subjected to judicial proceedings that instrumentalise repressive laws – often those ostensibly addressing cybercrime, dis- and misinformation, sedition, extremism and/or terrorism – in an attempt to censor them. In Egypt, pre-trial detention is becoming a new weapon used by the regime to muzzle those who report and debate, through the abuse of anti-terrorism laws. Türkiye is not spared from the growing criminalisation of the media and journalists. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has made clear his desire to silence all dissenting voices, and political cartoonists are being directly targeted. While we are sadly familiar with the list of regimes long-known to be most repressive (Russia, China, Uganda, Nicaragua, etc.), others are shifting towards what some political scientists refer to as competitive authoritarianism’. These hybrid regimes are characterised by the coexistence of democratic institutions and authoritarian practices that violate democratic rules (Türkiye, Hungary, India, the United States, Israel, etc.). On the African continent, cartoonists are increasingly seen less as commentators and more as activists, with political leaders perceiving the visual codes of editorial cartoons as incorporating forms of mobilisation. As youth social movements organise themselves online, cartoons often become rallying symbols, making cartoonists early and visible targets of repression." (General overview, pages 7-8) more

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Macro-Economic Inequality and National Stereotypes in 45 Non-Western Countries

Vukašin Gligoric, John T. Jost, Jessica V. Schaaf et al.

Social Psychological and Personality Science, volume 17, issue 4 (2026), pp. 492-509

"The assumption that people favor ingroups and disfavor outgroups is based largely on theory and research from Western countries. However, groups subjected to economic exploitation and inequality might come to favor more advantaged outgroups. The present large-scale study (N = 12,339) involving 45 n ... more

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Navigating risks and rewards: How South African journalists use AI in the newsroom

Karen Allen, Herman Wasserman, Nande Mbekela

Johannesburg; Stellenbosch: Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung (KAS), Media Programme Sub-Saharan Africa; Centre for Information Integrity in Africa (CINIA) (2026), 33 pp.

"This study demonstrates impressively how widely AI is already used in South African newsrooms – often, however, without systematic training, without editorial guidelines, and without tools adapted to African languages and contexts. The interviews make it clear that journalists stand between curio ... more

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Occupational Trauma and PTSD in Afghan Journalists: Resilience as a Mediator and Lifetime Trauma as a Moderator

A. Z. Elham, A. W. Rahimi, R. Haand, Z. Shah

Journalism Studies (2026), 24 pp.

"Journalists operating in conflict zones are at a heightened risk for psychological distress due to exposure to potentially traumatic assignments (PTA). Although considerable research has explored occupational trauma among journalists, there remains a crucial gap regarding the interplay between resi ... more

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2026 Edelman Trust Barometer. Global Report: Trust Amid Insularity

Edelman Trust Institute (2026), 49 slides

"The 2026 Edelman Trust Barometer reveals a world retreating towards insularity. As economic anxiety, geopolitical tension, and technological disruption intensify, people are narrowing their world to smaller, familiar circles that reflect their views, and this hinders economic and societal progress ... more

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Journalism and Media Funding in Europe

Brussels: Philea - Philanthropy Europe Association; Journalism Funders Forum (2026)

"Based on a sample of 36 philanthropic organisations from 12 countries, the report shows that while funding for the field remains relatively limited, it is diverse, evolving and increasingly shaped by concerns around democracy, misinformation and the long-term sustainability of independent journalis ... more

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The Local News Playbook: Creating Value for a Sustainable Future
Deep Insights

London; Miami: FT Strategies; Knight Foundation (2026), 105 pp.

"Drawing on global interviews with newsroom leaders, a cross-market survey of exemplary organisations, and FT Strategies’ work with more than 1,000 media businesses worldwide, the playbook identifies the core drivers that distinguish financially sustainable, community-rooted local news. It reframe ... more

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Bridging digital gaps in a mobile device age: Evidence from community telecentres in Ghana

Daniel Azerikatoa Ayoung, Frederic Naazi-Ale Baada, Oswin Aganda Anaba, Augustine Aduko Alu

African Journal of Empirical Research, volume 6, issue 3 (2025), pp. 776-792

"This study explores the usefulness of Community Information Centres (CICs) amidst growing ubiquity of mobile phones. It examines how CICs can play a complementary role to personal mobile phones, specifically in facilitating access to information that translates into social and economic progress. Th ... more

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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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Mapping of media assistance and journalism support programmes in the Levant region
Deep Insights

Brussels: Global Forum for Media Development (GFMD) (2025), 30 pp.

"This report presents a mapping of 326 media assistance and journalism-support programmes implemented across Sub-Saharan Africa between 2020 and 2025. It provides an overview of how bilateral donors, philanthropic foundations and international and local organisations are supporting the region’s me ... 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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Impact of U.S. Government Funding Suspension on Independent Media in Lebanon

Widad Jarbouh

Beirut: Samir Kassir Foundation (2025), 9 pp.

"The January 23, 2025 suspension of U.S. government funding has placed Lebanon’s independent media outlets under significant strain. Although some organizations were unaffected, many face heightened financial uncertainty, reduced operational capacity, and the potential for layoffs. The Samir Kassi ... r Foundation conducted a survey of 18 outlets to assess the scope of this impact, examining factors such as organizational size, primary funding sources, financial losses, and the specific measures being taken to address budget shortfalls. Key Findings: Mixed impact: Of the 18 organizations surveyed, 6 reported no adverse effects, 8 indicated direct financial and operational challenges, and 4 did not respond. Funding sources: Government grants remain the most common revenue source; however, 4 outlets also rely on advertising, subscription fees, or other production-related streams. The overall decline in available grant opportunities has intensified competition for funding and increased uncertainty. Operational challenges: 7 outlets have scaled back content production and restructured operations (e.g., implementing remote work, reducing salaries or benefits). 4 outlets project potential layoffs, albeit affecting fewer than five employees each. Short-term needs: Participants identified employee salaries and essential operating costs as top priorities. Many emphasized the importance of pursuing new grants, forging partnerships, and exploring revenue-generating activities (e.g., marketing services or AI-based tools). Psychosocial support for employees and enhanced security measures also surfaced as pressing concerns. Conclusion: The abrupt funding cut, compounded by Lebanon’s broader economic and political turbulence, has left smaller outlets especially vulnerable, limiting their ability to diversify revenue and threatening their long-term viability. Without adequate replacement funding, the diversity of Lebanon’s media landscape could shrink, and politically affiliated outlets may gain greater influence. This underscores the need for alternative financial avenues and supportive frameworks to preserve the independent voices essential to media freedom in Lebanon." (https://www.skeyesmedia.org) more

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The Impact of Generative AI on Critical Thinking: Self-Reported Reductions in Cognitive Effort and Confidence Effects From a Survey of KnowledgeWorkers

Hao-Ping (Hank) Lee, Advait Sarkar, Lev Tankelevitch, Ian Drosos, Sean Rintel, Richard Banks, Nicolas Wilson

Proceedings of the ACM CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (CHI25) (2025), 23 pp.

"The rise of Generative AI (GenAI) in knowledge workflows raises questions about its impact on critical thinking skills and practices. We survey 319 knowledge workers to investigate 1) when and how they perceive the enaction of critical thinking when using GenAI, and 2) when and why GenAI affects th ... more

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AI With Purpose: How Foundations and Nonprofits are Thinking About and Using Artificial Intelligence

Elisha Smith Arrillaga, Seara Grundhoefer, Christina Im

Center for Effective Philanthropy (CEP) (2025), 39 pp.

"While AI is widely used by nonprofits and foundations alike — most often for internal productivity and communications purposes — leaders share common concerns about AI in their work. They also agree that foundations do not currently have a strong grasp of nonprofits’ AI-related needs. Perhaps ... more

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Where publishers are seeing AI’s real value – so far

Frankfurt am Main: WAN-IFRA (2025), ?? pp.

"Based on a Q2 2025 survey of more than 100 media leaders and 10 detailed case studies, the report explores how publishers are applying AI to workflows, products and audience engagement – and where its value is proving hardest to measure. Our findings show that AI’s impact is strongest behind th ... e scenes. While only 9 percent of publishers can point to direct revenue gains, 75 percent report efficiency improvements, 64 percent better content production, 55 percent faster publishing times, and 44 percent improved resource allocation. In other words, AI is already changing how news is produced and delivered, even if the financial payoffs are still emerging. “Revenue generation gets all the attention, but it’s often the wrong metric for AI in media. Cost reduction, quality improvements, speed gains, and better resource allocation deliver value faster and more measurably,” noted Ezra Eeman, Director of Strategy & Innovation at NPO, and Strategic Advisor for WAN-IFRA’s AI Initiatives. Here is a summary of the case studies in the report: The Hindu, India, Hard ROI: AI-driven recommendations for content, push notifications, and newsletters boosted CTRs, session durations, ad impressions and subscriptions. Schibsted, Norway, Hard ROI: A machine learning model for real-time personalisation lifted front-page subscription sales by 75 percent, while scaling across multiple newsrooms. United Daily News, Taiwan, Hard ROI: AI optimisation of ads, curation, and recommendations, drove 200 percent growth in ad performance, subscription conversions, and engagement. Financial Times, UK, Soft ROI: FT’s Storyfinding team applies AI to surface patterns in large datasets, streamlining investigative workflows and supporting scalable newsroom tools. NTM, Sweden, Hard and Soft ROI: Toppnyheter, an AI-powered audio news service, delivers real-time summaries while extending editorial oversight and audience reach. La Nación, Argentina, Soft ROI: A custom AI pipeline analysed President Javier Milei’s speeches, structuring 739,961 words to track rhetorical patterns. Legit.ng, Nigeria, Hard and Soft ROI: AI halved translation times, expanded Hausa-language coverage, boosted output, and improved fact-checking and distribution. “For us, AI is not about replacing journalists – it’s about giving them more time to do real journalism,” noted Rahaman Abiola, Editor-in-Chief. Gannett, USA, Hard and Soft ROI: Gannett, the parent company of USA Today, is transforming its 200-plus publications into an AI-ready organisation by embedding the technology across workflows, training and tools. “The real risk isn’t AI replacing you. It’s someone using AI replacing you,” remarked Jessica Davis, Vice President of News Automation and AI Product at Gannett. AsiaOne, Singapore, Hard ROI: An AI classification model improved ad targeting, boosted revenue by 20 percent, cut sales staff by 40 percent, and freed resources for higher-level strategy, while also providing shared insights across editorial, analytics and business teams. South China Morning Post, Hong Kong, Hard ROI: AI summarisation, editing, translation, and investigative tools save 300+ hours monthly while enhancing accuracy and reach." (https://wan-ifra.org) more

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Gesellschaftliche Teilhabe und Meinungsbildung auf Twitch: Von einer reinen Gaming-Plattform zum Ort für politischen Austausch?

Viola Carolina Granow

Media Perspektiven, issue 15 (2025), 16 pp.

"42 Prozent der 14- bis 40-Jährigen in Deutschland nutzen Twitch mindestens selten. Die Twitch-User sind überwiegend männlich und zum größten Teil zwischen 21 und 30 Jahren alt. Gaming ist meist der erste Berührungspunkt mit Twitch. Auf der Plattform stehen Content-Creator und ihre Livestreams ... more

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Au Togo, la radio résiste encore à la croissance des médias sociaux comme source d’information

Victor Emmanuel Ekwa Bebe III

Afrobarometer (2025), 9 pp.

"Selon la récente enquête Afrobarometer, la radio, média classique, demeure néanmoins en tête des sources d’information au Togo. La majorité des citoyens s’y informent régulièrement, loin devant les réseaux sociaux, la télévision et la presse écrite. Cependant, les usages évoluent : ... more

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Ugandans support free media that holds government accountable

Jane Mercy Muthoni Kamunyi

Afrobarometer (2025), 10 pp.

"Findings from the Afrobarometer Round 9 survey (2022) show that a strong majority of Ugandans supported media freedom and believed the media should play a watchdog role by investigating and reporting on government mistakes and corruption. Most citizens said the public should have access to governme ... more

The State of Media Development 2026: Funding, local ownership and adaptation in international media development New

The Local News Playbook: Creating Value for a Sustainable Future Deep Insights

Mapping of media assistance and journalism support programmes in the Levant region Deep Insights

The State of Media Development 2026: Funding, local ownership and adaptation in international media development
New

The Local News Playbook: Creating Value for a Sustainable Future
Deep Insights

Mapping of media assistance and journalism support programmes in the Levant region
Deep Insights