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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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Innovation as the Driving Survival Force: The State of the Russian Independent Media in Exile

Berlin: JX Fund (2025), 46 pp.

"Exiled Russian media persist as resilient voices for truth despite repression and funding cuts. Over the past year, the exiled media sector has faced several new restrictions in form of legal pressure on media teams, their audiences and advertisers. As YouTube traffic dropped significantly with abo ... ut 60%, following the last year’s slowdowns, the Russian authorities put pressure on other platforms, for example, WhatsApp, requiring them to share users' data with FSB. Introduction of the state messenger MAX marked another step towards an attempt to reroute the consumers towards state-allowed content only. Despite unprecedented repression, financial hardship, and isolation, the Russian independent media in exile have demonstrated remarkable resilience, continuing to expose state abuses, inform audiences inside Russia, and strengthen democratic discourse abroad. Sustained international support and recognition of their role as part of Europe’s broader security and information ecosystem are now essential to ensure their survival and impact. The abrupt withdrawal of U.S. funding in 2025 has severely undermined the stability of Russian independent media in exile. With the abrupt cuts in major U.S. funding sources, exiled Russian outlets have lost on average 6% of the funding as compared to the last year (when an average annual budget for a medium to large media was €902,778). This is a significant drop. However, comparing to the consequences faced by other countries, it is a smaller funding cut than expected. The media sector faces stronger competition as the media development intermediaries are themselves under the shutdown. Many media have been forced to downsize, cut projects, and rely on unstable ad-hoc grants, revealing both their extraordinary resilience and the fragility of their dependence on external support. The Kremlin’s toolbox expands with growing investment into propaganda, censorship automation and sanctions against information consumers. As the Kremlin censorship has expanded to target content consumers, independent outlets lost about 22% of readership on their webpages. Additionally, the censors continued to introduce new legal restrictions for the advertisers collaborating with independent media, as well as to recognize the independent media as “foreign agents”, “undesirable organizations” and even “terrorists.” Meanwhile, the Kremlin increased its investments into propaganda machine with 7%, including the additional $65 million to Russia Today that targets foreign audiences; as well as innovated automated means of identify and flag an undesired content. Against this backdrop, supporting secure access to information and amplifying independent media must remain central to countering authoritarian disinformation and defending the right to alternative independent information. Independent media innovate to maintain trust and engage audiences. Amid censorship, audience fatigue, and shrinking online space, the 63 Russian independent media in exile continue to reach millions by diversifying platforms, introducing more personalized content, and rebuilding trust through human-centered personalized journalism. Over the last year, the media have compensated the loss of audiences on their webpages via Instagram (+108%), TikTok (90%) and YouTube (+11%). AI empowers exiled newsrooms while exposing new ethical and security challenges. As Russian independent media in exile navigate scarce resources and digital insecurity, artificial intelligence emerges as both a lifeline and a liability. AI currently empowers most of the media teams in exile, and assists in transcription, content creation, data collection for investigative reporting, data analysis, and audience engagement. Yet, AI also exposes the media to new challenges, such as security & privacy, verification & accuracy. Building collective AI literacy, shared standards, and secure innovation support would allow strengthening media resilience. " (Executive summary) more

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Privacy Scorecard Review 2024: Rwanda, Tanzania, Mauritius, Zimbabwe, Kenya, Uganda
Deep Insights

Kampala: Unwanted Witness (2025), 117 pp.

"The evolving digital landscape across East Africa and beyond underscores the critical need for robust data protection and privacy frameworks. While countries like Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, Mauritius, and Zimbabwe have made significant progress in establishing legal and institutional mechanisms to sa ... feguard personal data, challenges remain in enforcement, compliance, and public awareness. Kenya, despite being a leader in the region’s digital economy, continues to grapple with regulatory gaps, non-compliance, and weak enforcement of its Data Protection Act. The rise of emerging technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), blockchain, and the Internet of Things (IoT) necessitates stronger regulatory oversight, aligning with international best practices, including the GDPR and the African Union Convention on Cyber Security and Personal Data Protection. For Rwanda, ethical data governance is paramount in its rapidly digitalizing economy. Ensuring that privacy, dignity, and autonomy are upheld requires the active participation of government, the private sector, civil society, and citizens. This report has evaluated Rwanda’s Data Privacy and Protection Law, identifying both strengths and areas for improvement, particularly in compliance and enforcement across different sectors. Tanzania has demonstrated a commitment to data privacy through its Personal Data Protection and Privacy Act, but challenges in its legal and institutional frameworks hinder full implementation. Strengthening these frameworks by incorporating international legal obligations, particularly through the Malabo Convention, would enhance Tanzania’s data protection regime. Mauritius has taken commendable steps in aligning its Data Protection Act (DPA) 2017 with international standards, but translating this framework into effective protections remains a challenge. Inconsistencies in data collection, lack of transparency, and insufficient public awareness have impeded progress. To address these gaps, Mauritius must focus on legislative refinements, institutional strengthening, enforcement mechanisms, and public education. A comprehensive data breach response framework and active engagement in global data protection forums would further solidify its position as a regional leader in data protection. Zimbabwe’s Data Protection Act, though relatively new, has introduced significant measures to protect data subjects. There is an increasing recognition of data privacy rights across various sectors, with businesses and government agencies adopting privacy policies. However, challenges persist, including the lack of transparency reports and weak internal data breach resolution mechanisms. Strengthening compliance frameworks and promoting greater accountability are essential to fostering a more secure digital ecosystem. As digital economies continue to expand, cross-stakeholder collaboration is essential to ensuring that data protection is not just a legal requirement but a practical reality. Governments must strengthen regulatory oversight, businesses must prioritize compliance and transparency, and civil society must demand accountability and advocate for user rights. The protection of personal data is not just a legal obligation but a fundamental human right. Countries in the region have the opportunity to enhance digital trust, drive innovation, and foster economic growth by continuously refining their data protection laws and enforcement mechanisms. Moving forward, sustained efforts in policy development, international cooperation, and public engagement will be crucial in shaping a secure and privacy-conscious digital future." (Conclusion) 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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Klassisches Radio ist gut in der Region verankert: Ergebnisse und Methodik der ma 2025 Audio I

Karin Gattringer, Sabine Jaeger

Media Perspektiven, issue 9 (2025), 10 pp.

"Knapp 93 Prozent der deutschsprachigen Bevölkerung ab 14 Jahren hören der ma 2025 Audio I zufolge regelmäßig Audioangebote. Fast drei Viertel schalten täglich mindestens ein Radioprogramm ein und dies über vier Stunden lang. Der Radiomarkt fragmentiert weiter – die Anzahl der genannten Send ... more

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Why do people spread fake news? Modelling the factors that influence social media users’ fake news sharing behaviour

Yan An, Yinan Huang, Ndonima Uhwe Danjuma, Oberiri Destiny Apuke, Elif Asude Tunca

Information Development, volume 41, issue 1 (2025), pp. 48-60

"This study modelled the factors that influence fake news spreading behaviour among social media users. To gather our data, we used an online survey to sample 385 social media users in Nigeria, using a chain referral approach. Smart PLS structural equation modelling was used to analyse the data (SEM ... more

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Challenges of Journalists Across All Continents in the Coverage of the COVID-19 Pandemic

Rut Gomez-Sobrino, Daniel Catalan-Matamoros

Journalism Practice, volume 19, issue 9 (2025), pp. 2019-2040

"During the COVID-19 crisis, journalists doubled efforts to keep societies informed, safe, and disease-free. The study examines and compares specific challenges that journalists, based in diverse world regions, confronted during the COVID-19 pandemic. A survey was conducted with 215 journalists work ... more

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La alfabetización mediática en Colombia: Una propuesta para la creación de conciencia crítica en los estudios formales y no formales de comunicación

Ricardo Gordo Muskus

Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, Tesis Doctoral (2025), 275 pp.

"El concepto de alfabetización mediática (AM), para quienes participaron en el Grupo ComunicArte, ha sido un concepto que ha estado en su formación a partir de las herramientas de aprendizaje y análisis que les ha dotado para construir conocimientos y capacidad crítica al momento de afrontar la ... información de los medios de difusión. Han podido generar habilidades para acceder, analizar, evaluar y crear mensajes a través de diversidad de medios; así, la AM es entendida por esta población como la capacidad que habilita para expresar puntos de vista, pensamientos, opiniones, sobre cómo y lo que informan. El alumnado de la UDistrital, conciben la AM como una herramienta para pensar críticamente y emitir opiniones razonadas gracias a las habilidades, herramientas y conocimientos con los que pueden acceder, analizar, evaluar y crear mensajes a través de diversidad de medios. La AM en la formación de estas dos poblaciones ha sido una herramienta conceptual que les habilita para posicionarse crítica y discursivamente frente a la información de otros medios de difusión. Además, les permite generar contenido mediático de acuerdo a sus necesidades e intereses. No obstante, a estas generalidades, en las que se da a entender que sí hay procesos de AM en la formación, no es algo que se pueda afirmar de manera certera; por lo tanto, es importante que las instituciones colombianas que se dedican a la formación en comunicación profesional o empírica, fortalezcan los procesos de AM, pues tal y como plantea Simons (2017) el profesorado debe estar suficientemente alfabetizado. El estudiantado de la UDistrital cuenta con mayores conocimientos teóricos debido a los contextos de formación. Sus autopercepciones; sin embargo, cuentan con carencias para permitirse interactuar de una manera significativa con los discursos y contenidos mediáticos. Es un aspecto que la universidad debe solucionar, teniendo en cuenta que serán profesionales de la comunicación a futuro y les corresponderá hacer frente a los sistemas mediáticos actuales. Quienes participan de las estrategias comunicativas del Grupo ComunicArte, al preguntarles por la competencia mediática (CM), la entienden preconceptualmente como una capacidad para razonar e interactuar críticamente con y sobre la información que presentan los medios. En la escogencia de selección múltiple de la pregunta que refiere a la definición por CM, en su mayoría la relacionan con las habilidades, conocimientos y actitudes que se asumen para aprovechar de manera efectiva la tecnología comunicativa y así poder actuar frente a los problemas que emergen de la interacción con los medios, identificando estructuras mínimas que los mensajes deben contener y los intereses que hay en quién y cómo se emite. Mientras que, en la UDistrital el estudiantado ve el concepto de CM como una habilidad que les permite poner a prueba sus conocimientos y actitudes para aprovechar de manera efectiva la tecnología comunicativa. A su vez, ayuda a reconocer cuándo una información, creación o producto mediático no cumple con niveles básicos de producción lingüística, técnica, estética, etc. Para las dos poblaciones, los niveles de CM en sus procesos formativos son generalizados; es decir, se poseen algunos conocimientos, actitudes, capacidades, habilidades, etc. que les permiten acceder a una interacción con los distintos medios de difusión; sin embargo, también hay debilidades en la construcción de elementos conceptuales teniendo en cuenta las seis dimensiones que se establecen de CM (Ferrés y Piscitelli, 2012) en este estudio y que se pueden potenciar gracias a los procesos de AM. Las dimensiones de producción y difusión, estética y tecnología, por las respuestas dadas, son con las que estas poblaciones tienen mayores acercamientos; pero queda el interrogante por las otras tres (lenguaje, ideología y valores e interacción) en cuyas respuestas no aparecen de manera explícita. Es importante que la formación reconozca que la integridad de los procesos de la AM debe estar dirigidos hacia la comprensión efectiva de la producción de los mensajes; y esto se logra potenciando la CM a través de las dimensiones propuestas (Ferrés y Piscitelli, 2012). Al preguntar por el pensamiento crítico (PC), quienes participan en el Grupo Comunicarte entienden que es una herramienta que les ayuda a diferenciar tipos de informaciones, mensajes, noticias, que se dan a través de los medios de difusión. Teóricamente, en su mayoría ven al PC como una estrategia que ayuda en la toma de decisiones con el fin de mejorar como comunicadores y comunicadoras, fortaleciendo las habilidades cognitivas e interpretativas. La población estudiantil de la UDistrital, entienden el concepto como una herramienta que se compone de habilidades cognitivas de interpretación, análisis, evaluación, inferencia, explicación y auto regulación. También lo asumen como un ejercicio que permite tomar decisiones individuales y colectivas en relación a proponer y probar puntos de vista e interpretación. Las respuestas en términos generales obligan a que dentro de los procesos formativos se insista en el fortalecimiento en las CM para que estudiantes de comunicación social y periodismo vean la importancia de relacionarse con los sistemas y medios a través de PC; de esta manera la AM pueda estar asegurada en un contexto tecnologizado y mediatizado en los que poco se produce y divulgan contenidos propios, haciendo que los ámbitos de expresión estén por encima de los de análisis, lo que produce que en el estudio de las dimensiones, haya mayor injerencia de la aplicación y actuación sobre la comprensión e interpretación; o sea, se ve que hay formación en cómo se produce una pieza radial, televisiva, digital, etc. Ambas poblaciones ven al PC como un recurso que les permite posicionarse frente a los medios fragmentando los niveles nstrumentales con los cuales se han formado. La dimensión de lenguaje es la que más tiene competencia en estas poblaciones respecto a lo que tiene que ver con el PC; pues en las respuestas se ve el valor que se da a la construcción y producción de contenidos (particularmente en la formación del Grupo ComunicArte) se da importancia al uso cotidiano de palabras, dichos, vocabulario, etc. como aspectos centrales en el proceso de comunicación y, por lo tanto, sentidos. Así mismo en esta población hay entendimiento conceptual en lo que tiene que ver con los procesos de interacción, identificación de enfoques, perspectivas, puntos de vista, ideologías y valores de quiénes informan y cómo informan." (Conclusiones, páginas páginas 209-212) more

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Negotiating Journalism: The (In)congruences of Role Expectations and Evaluation of Media Performance Between Audiences and News Professionals in Chile

Alexis Cruz, Claudia Mellado

International Journal of Communication, volume 19 (2025), pp. 1893–1917

"Based on an online survey with 330 Chilean journalists and 4,615 media users, this study examines the discrepancies between the expectations of Chilean audiences and news professionals regarding journalistic roles and their evaluation of media performance. The findings reveal that audiences place g ... more

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Generative AI & Journalism: Content, Journalistic Perceptions, and Audience Experiences

T. J. Thomson, Ryan J. Thomas, Michelle Riedlinger, Phoebe Matich

Melbourne: RMIT University (2025), 39 pp.

"This report brings together six discrete research and engagement activities over a three-year period (2022-24), drawing on fieldwork in seven countries (Australia, Germany, USA, UK, Norway, Switzerland, and France), and focuses on AI in journalism within three broad domains: AI-generated content in ... more

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Basotho support media’s watchdog role, but many doubt that their media is free

Asafika Mpako, Stephen Ndoma

Afrobarometer (2025), 9 pp.

"According to the 2024 Afrobarometer survey, strong majorities of Basotho value media freedom and say the media should act as a watchdog over the government, constantly investigating and reporting on government mistakes and corruption. But on whether media freedom exists in practice in their country ... more

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Destruktive Diskurse: Digitale Verbreitung von klimabezogener Mis- und Desinformation

Hanna Börgmann, Dominik Hammer, Jan Beyer, Jonas Ziock, Fiete Stegers, Philipp Keßling, Felix Münch

Berlin; Hamburg: Institute for Strategic Dialogue (ISD); Hans-Bredow-Institut (2025), 52 pp.

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2025 State of Humanitarian and Development Cybersecurity Report: Continued progress, but more is needed to keep pace with rapidly evolving threats

Meheret Takele Mandefro, Ivy Gathu, Nino Hares, Daniela Weber, Dianna Langley

NetHope (2025), 37 pp.

"This report reveals a notable rise in perceived cybersecurity risk within the nonprofit sector, with 70% of organizations reporting an increased cyber risk profile in 2025, up from 51% in 2024. Encouragingly, confidence in managing these risks has also improved, with 56% of organizations feeling co ... more

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Determinants of institutional trust in sub-Saharan Africa: Does media exposure matter?

Nabilatou A. O. Bouraïma, Mamadou Abdoulaye Diallo, Sylvain Hekponhoue

Afrobarometer (2025), 35 pp.

"As the main channel for information about institutions and their performance, the media have the potential to influence citizens' perceptions of them. In recent decades, the media environment has undergone significant change, making different types of information readily available. At the same time ... more

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Künstliche Intelligenz in politischen Kampagnen: Akzeptanz, Wahrnehmung und Wirkung

Simon Kruschinski, Pablo Jost, Hannah Fecher, Tobias Scherer

Frankfurt am Main: Otto Brenner Stiftung (2025), 108 pp.

"Im ersten Teil geben wir einen Überblick über den Einsatz von generativer KI in der politischen Kampagnenkommunikation. Insbesondere die generativen KI-Tools ChatGPT und Midjourney werden zunehmend in politischen Kampagnen eingesetzt, um menschenähnliche Texte beziehungsweise fotorealistische Bi ... 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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Challenges and choices: Afghan women's media use and preferences amidst restrictions

London: BBC Media Action (2024), 2 pp.

"While most adult Afghans have access to some form of media platform, only around one in three have access to internet, with less than half of mobile users owning a smartphone. Men exhibit higher usage of radio and internet compared to women (52% male vs 43% female for radio and 36% vs 29% for inter ... more

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Azerbaijan digital skills assessment 2023-2024

Geneva: ITU (2024), ix, 83 pp.

"The survey findings reveal that 25 per cent of those aged between 15 and 74 have at least basic digital skills, with 7.8 per cent having above basic digital skills and 17.3 per cent having basic digital skills. The study also found that over a quarter (26.5%) of respondents below the basic level of ... more

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Influence of Malawi's Cybersecurity Act 2016 on Online Evangelisation among Young Catholics in Blantyre

Frank Mwinganyama

Nairobi: Daystar University, Master Thesis (2024), xi, 89 pp.

"The youth are ardent users of digital media and there is no much difference between virtual and real life for them. So, the Catholic Church has persistently invited the faithful, especially the youth who are the true natives of the digital world, to adopt online platforms for evangelization. Concer ... ns, however, arise from cyber security issues which are part of the online experiences of the users of digital technologies. The prevalence of abuses of digital technology generated a need for legislation to foster a safe environment for those who use online platforms. Malawi’s Electronic Transactions and Cybersecurity Act 2016 is one such legislation aimed at creating a free and safe online environment. Nevertheless, concerns arise regarding the influence and relevance of this Act in Malawi, with certain sections blaming its application for curtailing freedom of expression online. This study sought to investigate the influence of Malawi’s Cybersecurity Act 2016 on online evangelisation among young Catholics in Blantyre. The study had three objectives. First, to explore the motivations and experiences of young Catholics in Blantyre as they engage in online evangelisation. Secondly, to investigate the influence of Malawi’s Cybersecurity Act 2016 on online evangelisation efforts by young Catholics. Thirdly, to assess the perceptions of young Catholics regarding the relevance of Malawi’s Cybersecurity Act 2016 in fostering safe online evangelisation. The researcher employed two theories; Diffusion of Innovation and the Chilling Effects theory of social conformity to rigorously explore the purpose of the study. Participants in this study were purposively sampled and four focus group discussions (FDGs) comprising five and seven participants were chosen for the study. The findings have revealed that there is a significant presence of the youth online platforms that are adopting online evangelisation. It also discovered that there are chilling effects resulting from the political weaponisation of the cyber laws contained in the Act. Consequently, the relevance of the Act in fostering a safe environment was questioned as it is compromised. The researcher recommended further research on other demographics and using different research methods may give a more comprehensive picture of the influence of cyber law on online evangelisation." (Abstract) more

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Online Harassment, Psychological Stressors, and Occupational Dysfunction among Journalists Working in a Conflict Zone

Sayyed Fawad Ali Shah, Ivana Cvetkovic, Tamar Ginossar, Rahman Ullah, Danish Baber, Autumn Slaughter

Digital Journalism, volume 12, issue 6 (2024), pp. 735-752

"Amid increasing threats and assaults against journalists across the globe, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province in northwest Pakistan remains one of the most dangerous places in the world for journalists. Whereas online harassment is increasingly affecting journalists, experiences of online harassment ... more

Privacy Scorecard Review 2024: Rwanda, Tanzania, Mauritius, Zimbabwe, Kenya, Uganda Deep Insights

Privacy Scorecard Review 2024: Rwanda, Tanzania, Mauritius, Zimbabwe, Kenya, Uganda
Deep Insights