"In this study, we have seen that, in contrast to causal models, narrative and overview models of Theories of Change are mainly used by donors and implementing organisations. However, causal models offer a lot more information that would help improve project planning, as well as monitoring and evalu
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ation. That potential is still untapped, although all of the organisations involved in this study have already started to formulate concrete steps that could be parts of causal models. Our recommendation is to work on causal models of Theories of Change as a standard tool in project planning, as it will give clear context-related insights into what can be expected from projects, and what is feasible in the specific environment. In our view, media support would be much more understandable and realistic. Through formulating result chains, many hidden assumptions come to light, and additional elements that need to be tackled before outcomes can be expected will become obvious. It would also be a pre-condition to provide impact evaluations that are lacking in the sector of media support for governance." (Conclusions)
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"Our findings show that there is a viable future for investigative journalism (IJ) at all levels, local to international, if systematic, predictable, stable funding for networks, centers, journalists, technologies and collaborations can be found. Funders acknowledge that most manifestations of IJ ar
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ound the world will be non-profit, with remarkable, honorable exceptions. That said, all interviewees agree that IJ needs support for an infusion of skills in organizational management and development as a springboard for its future progress, especially if donors want to encourage IJ groups to develop greater revenue diversification as a route to viability." (Executive summary, page 6)
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"Las instituciones públicas subnacionales inciden directamente en la calidad de vida de los ciudadanos de todo el país, ya que cuentan con autonomía de gestión y administración de sus ingresos. En ese sentido, la transparencia es el principio por el cual los ciudadanos conocen la información b
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ásica de la información sobre la gestión pública, así como sus procedimientos y mecanismos de adopción de decisiones. La transparencia y el derecho de acceso a la información en el nivel subnacional, a pesar de la emisión de normativa general, no ha mejorado en los últimos años. Esta falta de información coarta una participación y control real y efectivo por parte de la ciudadanía. La implementación de políticas de transparencia y acceso a la información, al interior de las diferentes instancias departamentales y municipales, constituye no solo una demanda de la ciudadanía, sino una oportunidad para promover una administración más eficiente, confiable y legítima." (Conclusiones, página 14)
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"It is estimated that between 6,000 and 7,000 languages are currently spoken worldwide, of which approximately half, if not more, will disappear by the end of this century [...] Language plays a central role not only for the preservation of identity and culture, but also in matters of non-discrimina
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tion and access to a variety of rights [...] As a small number of dominant languages gain an increasing hold, the pressure on communities speaking minority and indigenous languages will grow [...] African states should revise their laws and policies, in line with current understanding of language rights, to ensure minority and indigenous language rights are respected ..." (Key findings)
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"[...] la Fundación Gabo, que él [Gabriel García Márquez] mismo fundó, diseñó el proyecto “La paz con los ojos abiertos: periodismo, comunicación y construcción de paz en Colombia”, que honra y recoge el legado de Gabo en estos tres ámbitos. La iniciativa, que contó con el apoyo de la
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organización holandesa Porticus y el Programa de Alianzas para la Reconciliación de la Agencia de Estados Unidos para el Desarrollo Internacional (USAID) y ACDI/VOCA, tuvo como objetivo propiciar un proceso participativo y colaborativo de reflexión sobre el rol que han asumido, y que podrían asumir, el periodismo y la comunicación, en un sentido amplio, en la construcción de espacios de diálogo, convivencia y reconciliación en Colombia después de la firma del acuerdo de paz con uno de los grupos alzados en armas del país. Para lograrlo, la Fundación Gabo priorizó seis sectores: organizaciones e instituciones públicas implicadas directamente en el período del posacuerdo (organizaciones civiles locales y medios comunitarios); community managers, gestores de contenido y estrategas digitales, medios de comunicación y periodistas; sector privado y empresariado; y sector educativo. Durante seis meses llevó a cabo siete talleres en Bogotá, Medellín y Cartagena (uno con cada sector y otro de carácter estratégico al inicio), en los cuales se exploraron las lecciones aprendidas en experiencias periodísticas y de comunicación pasadas y presentes, emanadas de esos sectores. Tras la reflexión conjunta, surgieron una serie de recomendaciones con las que se pretende proponer una hoja de ruta que permita trazar el camino hacia una comunicación con visión de país, que responda a los desafíos de la actual coyuntura. “La paz con los ojos abiertos” es una propuesta innovadora en su abordaje. Hasta donde se sabe, no ha habido iniciativas similares, en las que un abanico tan amplio y diverso de sectores sociales hayan analizado su aporte a la construcción de la paz desde el ejercicio periodístico o de la comunicación en espacios en los que, más que buscar consensos, se propicie el diálogo entre diversas concepciones de país. El presente documento contiene algunas de las reflexiones más importantes en este campo, así como las recomendaciones ya mencionadas. Así mismo, recoge el trabajo llevado a cabo por la Fundación Gabo alrededor de los temas relacionados con el proyecto en sus 23 años de historia, repasa el surgimiento de iniciativas de comunicación, periodismo y construcción de paz en su contexto mientras las enmarca conceptualmente, y analiza el camino que estas han recorrido hasta la actualidad. Muchas de ellas fueron destacadas por los participantes en los talleres y son brevemente caracterizadas. También se incluye una línea de tiempo con algunos acontecimientos relevantes de los últimos 70 años, que, sin embargo, no pretende ser un resumen histórico, sino que quiere ubicar al lector en el contexto al que se refiere el documento." (Introducción, página 7-8)
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"Las personas basan sus decisiones y participación democrática en la información de la que disponen y si dicha información es deliberadamente manipulada a través del uso indebido de sus datos personales, sus decisiones posteriores podrían no ser genuinas. En el presente documento, los analista
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s de estudios se adentran en los principales elementos que problematizan la relación entre Democracia y Protección de Datos Personales en la era digital, reflexionando acerca de las investigaciones que comenzaron a gestarse desde las ciencias sociales, pero que se traspasaron a los actuales asesores y consultores políticos para que -con evidencia científica- fuese más probable la elección de algún candidato. También analizan el rol decisivo que han asumido los datos personales para que, a través de algoritmos y la integración de un sinnúmero de bases de datos, puedan influenciar las decisiones políticas de los ciudadanos. También indagan en la transformación y adaptación que han asumido los partidos políticos frente a la digitalización para no perder el nexo con la ciudadanía, la identificación de sus necesidades desde el comportamiento social visible, sus deseos y motivaciones, lo que evidencia un cambio de paradigma del control ciudadano. Exploran las herramientas para lograr influenciar las decisiones de los ciudadanos y analizan estrategias para minimizar el riesgo que conlleva la digitalización, actualizando, por ejemplo, la legislación vigente, empoderando a la ciudadanía respecto al uso de sus datos personales y generando un mayor comportamiento ético por parte de organismos o empresas que tratan esos datos personales. Dada la utilidad y los riesgos que se observan en la relación que se establece entre Democracia y Protección de Datos Personales en la era digital, consideramos que es tiempo de ir subsanando los vacíos regulatorios e informar a la ciudadanía sobre los eventuales riesgos que conlleva el desarrollo digital, para que así cada cual pueda disfrutar de sus beneficios y aceptar conscientemente sus riesgos o evitarlos, en la construcción de una sociedad mejor." (Presentación, página 4)
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"[...] La Convención Internacional de los Derechos de las personas con Discapacidad es recepcionada por Argentina, Uruguay y Chile y debe ser considerada elemento transversal, junto a las regulaciones nacionales y los estándares del Consorcio World Wide Web (W3C), en el dictado de normas y el dise
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ño de las políticas públicas referidas al entorno digital. Los Estados, en sus distintos estamentos, deben responsabilizarse y comprometerse, destinando recursos a fin de fortalecer áreas existentes o generar nuevos sectores para desarrollar políticas activas promoviendo la accesibilidad Web. Ningún texto legal es, por sí solo, suficiente para transformar la realidad social, generar justicia social e inclusión. Los Estados deben elaborar y proporcionar datos estadísticos referidos al área de discapacidad, en particular en materia de tecnologías de la información y la comunicación. Los Estados deben definir y comunicar los entes auditores a cargo de los mecanismos de monitoreo y supervisión de la legislación vigente y las políticas públicas en la materia." (Resumen ejecutivo)
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"Three key cross-cutting priority areas for the civil society and media sectors emerge from this analysis: Civic Education: Without wide public understanding of and support for democracy, it is possible for public opinion to be manipulated, or frustrations exploited, and for public support for Armen
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ia’s nascent democracy to be diminished or reversed. Enabling Environment: In the context of the fragile political environment, it is critical that laws, regulations, and processes that provide protections to the civil society and media sectors, and that define relationships between government and sector actors, are developed and established. Advocacy: Support for sector advocacy initiatives and for follow up monitoring of implementation constitutes a priority focus for donor efforts." (Executive summary, page 2)
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"At the heart of the challenges to democracy posed by digital media are three core problems: 1. Platform monopolies: two or three corporations control not only our means of communication, but also the content which is distributed, both of which are core aspects of our democracy. Whilst the market po
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wer and global mobility of these companies make it possible for them to avoid national regulatory measures, either by moving operations elsewhere or simply ignoring them; 2. Algorithmic opacity: algorithmic engines are using huge quantities of personal data to make ever more precise predictions about what we want to see and hear, and having ever increasing influence over what we think and do, with little transparency about how they work or accountability for their impact; and 3. Attention economy: the dominant business model of digital media prioritises the amplification of whatever content is best at grabbing our attention, while avoiding responsibility for the impact that content has on our collective wellbeing and our democracy. The negative impact is brutally clear from both the literature and the world around us." (Introduction, page 14)
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"Based on an analysis of the use of AI-driven tools in the light of Article 10 EHCR, this report highlights a number of points for attention and the need for further initiatives. In particular, we signal that:
- There is an important role for member States to ensure that access to innovative technol
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ogies, training data, digital skills and education in the use of new data-driven means of producing and distributing news is also open to smaller, local players. This is important also in the light of the growing competition with new media players, such as internet intermediaries, and the need to protect and promote diverse media markets.
- While the use of AI-driven tools in the media is in principle covered by Article 10 ECHR, the protection afforded under Article 10 ECHR also comes with specific duties and responsibilities for the media. In particular, we signal the need to and make concrete proposals for the development of professional algorithmic ethics regarding the question of how to promote the use of AI-driven tools in a way that is compatible with human rights and fundamental freedoms.
- In addition to the development of professional algorithmic ethics, the positive obligations of member States include the need to identify clear conditions for the responsibility and (editorial) oversight regarding automated processes, be that AI-driven recommendations in the media, media intermediaries or robot journalism, but also for creating fair conditions for the media to flourish in data-driven media markets." (Executive summary, page 3)
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"With independent media around the world in crisis, what is the role of international donors and private foundations? And how can these international actors provide effective support when the driving forces behind independent media’s decline—simultaneously technological, financial, social, polit
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ical, and institutional—are so complex and difficult to disentangle? This report argues that complexity is no excuse for inaction. Solutions to this crisis will require that political agency rise to the daunting level of the challenge, and that the structures of international cooperation—forged as the global response to World War II—are now put into motion to safeguard the foundations of independent media. Based on input from media actors, freedom of expression activists, implementers, and donors, the report puts forward three interrelated objectives that, if achieved, would help to international cooperation in the media sector. 1. Build the high-level political will and donor capacity needed to increase support to the media sector; 2. Strengthen approaches to international cooperation focused on the development of media sector institutions; 3. Enhance the effectiveness of media sector support by making it more demand-driven and coordinated." (Key findings)
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"The aim of this document is mapping and assessing the existing support services for children who have suffered a form of violence in the digital environment, including the best national and international practices and models, in order to provide recommendations for future actions of institutions an
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d professionals in the Republic of Serbia. Mapping organisations and institutions that aim at providing support to children victims was done in order to make a comprehensive overview of protection for children victims of digital violence from victim identification, victim support and epowerment technique and the process of integration and reintegration into the society. The mapping focused on best practices in protection of victims of various forms of violence against children in digital environment." (Page 9)
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"A crowdfunding platform for movies is an alternative way of refunding movie production costs. Usually, such platform combines several types of funding, including sourcing the Internet community to gather small private donations, that is, a revenue stream which is typically named “crowdfunding”.
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In this chapter, we apply the framework of business model analysis to review this crowdfunding mechanism. We describe the business model characteristics of several industry cases. Next, we decide whether such a crowdfunding platform can sustain itself and whether it is able to collect sufficient funds for the production of movies. We argue that the platform could obtain enough funds from the general public for smaller-budget productions such as short films or documentaries. A movie crowdfunding platform could also collect enough income from advertising to make itself sustainable. Charging a premium membership fee to movie producers would yield negligible revenues and is hence not advisable. Further, we find that the platform will never amass the needed production budget in a small market, especially for the production of long feature films. However, a crowdfunding platform could be more valuable when combined with other means of financing smaller movie formats and could perform a marketing purpose alongside its central crowdfunding role." (Abstract)
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"For more than two decades, Uzbekistan has been a country with severe restrictions on free speech and media and some of the longest-imprisoned journalists in the world. There are now tentative signs of change in Central Asia’s most populous country. Opportunities for more open debate and independe
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nt reporting are increasing, but politically-motivated prosecutions and measures of state censorship still impose pressure and a chilling effect on media outlets, journalists and other government critics. “You Can’t See Them, But They’re Always There:” Censorship and Freedom of the Media in Uzbekistan examines the situation for journalists, media outlets, and the exercise of free speech since Uzbekistan’s second president, Shavkat Mirziyoyev, assumed the presidency in 2016. Although Mirziyoyev’s government has taken some positive steps including the release of long-held journalists from prison, it has more to do to demonstrate meaningful reform in the area of free speech. It should immediately end powers of censorship, drop ongoing prosecutions against journalists, and allow effective access to information, including online. Advances for media freedom will be fleeting unless the government fully embraces freedom of speech and sends a message that peaceful criticism of government policies will be respected and protected in Uzbekistan." (Back cover)
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"On 3 May 2016, the Declaration on Media Freedom in the Arab World (Declaration or Arab Declaration) was adopted at a groundbreaking event in Casablanca, Morocco, attended by over 100 delegates representing journalists’ unions, human rights campaigners and media groups from across the Arab World.
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The Declaration is historic for a number of reasons. Firstly, it represents the first comprehensive statement on media freedom rights in the Arab World. Secondly, the values it promotes reflect the highest international standards of media freedom and the protection of journalists’ rights. Thirdly and perhaps most importantly, since its adoption, a process has been underway to obtain formal recognition of the Declaration by Arab States, with the result that a growing number of these States are endorsing it. The Declaration, which includes a Preamble and 16 principles addressing different thematic issues relating to media freedom and the protection of journalists’ rights, is clear and self-evident. At the same time, declarations are, by definition, brief, focusing on setting out key principles and standards. This Explanatory Memorandum elaborates on the principles in the Declaration, providing background on the underlying international and regional standards from which they are drawn." (Page 1)
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"While the internal dynamics or the role of the state has had a significant bearing on how media systems evolve and change, both internal and external factors have contributed to the type of media that exists in Malawi today. Although Hallin and Mancini did not include at length the role of external
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forces, they did rightfully point out that “media systems are shaped by the wider context of political history, structure, and the culture” (ibid., 2004, page 46). This being said, media systems in aid-dependent contexts should start with a historical interrogation of foreign aid and its conditionalities; because if, as political realists claim, foreign aid is a coercive foreign policy tool that can be used to manipulate change, its ability to shape the type of media a country has emphasises the need for reassessing the way in which we, as media systems researchers, study media systems. In addition, we should not isolate the analysis of media systems through one theoretical lens, but approach international relations theory to challenge and reinvigorate the structural and ideological power arrangements that exist. While no broader generalisations can be made until further analysis is undertaken, it is hoped that the study will serve as a valuable starting point for highlighting the inherently faulty analysis of studying media systems through an internal lens only. This will become even more apparent with the rising economies of China, the United Arab Emirates, Brazil, Korea and India, which “are subtly changing the rules of foreign aid with profound consequences for the role of multilateral institutions and conditionality”." (Page 409)
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"In our increasingly digital environment, it is of paramount importance that citizens be in possession of a legal and digital identity if they are to access digital government services and participate fully in the digital economy. In 2018, of the 175 countries with a national ID (foundational or leg
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al identification) system in place, 160 have a system that is at least partially e-ID. However, even in these countries a significant portion of the population still do not have a national ID and over a one billion are still “invisible”, lacking all proof of legal identity. In some countries around the world, significant progress is being made to remedy this, building on established practices and often using the Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) registration, “Know-Your-Customer” (KYC) processes and mobile devices as a foundation. “Digital Identity in the ICT ecosystem: An overview” sets out clearly the different elements in this complex and unfolding landscape. It defines digital identity, provides an overview of the various types of digital identity systems, looks at different approaches taken and the range of challenges being faced, as well as opportunities that arise from using digital identity platforms." (Executive summary)
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"We propose to expand the boundaries of the news process by introducing and defining the interdisciplinary concept of constructive journalism — an emerging form of journalism that involves applying positive psychology techniques to news processes and production in an effort to create productive an
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d engaging coverage, while holding true to journalism’s core functions. First, we review the critical issues in journalism that highlight a need for this approach. Next, we define constructive journalism, discuss the history of news as it pertains to the development of constructive forms, and describe four branches of constructive journalism. Finally, we outline five techniques by which constructive journalism can be practiced, including the psychological frameworks supporting these applications." (Abstract)
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"As the number of people affected by humanitarian crises continues to rise and as crises become more prolonged, humanitarian stakeholders (including humanitarian agencies, NGOs, and others) are responding in different ways, by partnering with the private sector, integrating innovative approaches and
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using digital technology to increase accountability, efficiency and impact. These changes, among others, are laying the foundation for a digital ecosystem for humanitarian assistance. Though nascent, this digital ecosystem has the potential to increase the addressable market, leading to more scalable solutions and platforms that will improve or enhance humanitarian outcomes, both for stakeholders and for crises-affected people." (Executive summary)
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"In this report, we favour the word “disinformation” over “fake news.” Disinformation, as used in the Report, includes all forms of false, inaccurate, or misleading information designed, presented and promoted to intentionally cause public harm or for profit. Our main message is that the bes
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t responses to disinformation are multi-dimensional, with stakeholders collaborating in a manner that protects and promotes freedom of expression, media freedom, and media pluralism. Another key message is that effective action will require continuous research on the impact of disinformation, increased transparency, and access to relevant data, combined with evaluation of responses on a regular, ongoing basis. This is particularly important as disinformation is a multi-faceted and evolving problem that does not have one single root cause." (Foreword)
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