"In all cases, the need for better coordination and collaboration across the sector was emphasised. The challenges brought about by an unregulated approach to the advertising market and private sector were also shared across the three countries [ = Lebaonon, Namibia and Tunisia]. There was a demonstrable need to develop responses to digital innovation and change and its effect on the media industry. It is clear from the three country studies that
local mainstream and traditional media are less than sophisticated in terms of digital advancements and platform convergence. In addition, big tech is unmistakably seen as an aggressive competitor in these reports. They are seen to dominate local markets with little by way of regulation to ensure a fair, transparent, and more stable business and content environment for the media. In these three cases, digital and platform regulation was seen as essential. The findings and experiences of specific contexts, such as those from the media markets included in these consultations, must be prioritised and acted upon in global conversations on the regulation of Big Tech. A discussion about the lack of public awareness of the current challenges facing the media also took place in all three countries. The Afrobarometer has indicated that journalists are viewed with as much suspicion as politicians, something that needs to be addressed by regaining the trust of the public. It was argued that this can only be done through sustainable delivery of quality and ethical journalism. In these country studies, there is a shift away from
focusing on donors as the main sources of funding for independent media. Developing national public policies that can support and enable the media to fulfil its role in democracy and be sustainable in rapidly evolving and
in some cases restrictive ecosystems was at the core of each set of recommendations and actions which emerged from the consultations. Consultations as a platform for national action." (Key findings, page 5)