"• Public Service and Consumer-centric Media: Simple economic sustainability does not automatically guarantee good journalism. The media have a public service mission: producing high-quality, consumer-centric journalism.
• Situation-specific Programs: Media sustainability is not always attainable, but should be a major element of media assistance. In some places, laws or the marketplace may render sustainability impossible for independent media, but even in those cases donors should include capacity-building programs. There is no one-size-fits-all solution for sustainability—donors must tailor their programs to adjust to specific economic conditions.
• Business Skills: Donors and implementers should support training in business skills. When equipped with management and financial skills, media owners can develop creative solutions for making their outlets more sustainable even in the least developed economies. While business knowledge and skills are essential to the sustainability of any media enterprise, they are often overlooked in the promotion of independent media. The business aspects of media development should not be ignored.
• Media Beyond Democratization: Many in the private sector view media development as a politically sensitive issue, because it has often been part of democracy and governance programs. Media development practitioners should broaden their appeal to donors and raise awareness of how free and independent media contribute to social and economic development. Certain niches of media, such as local or health news, hold promise for future development in many countries. The benefits of media development are abundant and wide-ranging, and donors should be more aware of the sector’s potential to address their areas of interest.
• Increased Awareness: The growth in private sector philanthropy over the past ten years is expected to continue in the future and represents the best opportunity for media development organizations to expand their resource base. Education and advocacy will be required to inform Americans of the powerful and positive impact that independent media can have in developing countries. Donors should also understand that media development is a long-term project that requires sustained support; donors should not expect a program to become completely sustainable in an unreasonable period of time." (Executive summary)