"The purpose of this ITP and this reference book material, is to look at ways to strengthen independent journalism with a “public interest” mission, both through voluntary self-regulation and a better un derstanding of official oversight and legal safeguards for the news media, in all its differ
...
ent forms and po litical environments." (Introduction)
more
"This report examines the myriad ways that the agencies and bodies of the United Nations support the development of healthy media systems. Author Bill Orme highlights the role of four UN organizat
...
ions in particular—UNESCO, UNDP, UNICEF, and DPO—and makes recommendations targeted to these agencies, as well as to UN member states and donors. The UN should promote greater coordination among the UN agencies active in the media sector, following on the successes from the UN Action Plan for the Safety of Journalists. UNESCO and UNDP, in particular, have untapped synergies in this field. In post-conflict states, the UN’s mandate should explicitly include support for public access to information and the protection of journalists and independent media in those countries. In their support for 2030 Agenda implementation, member states should prioritize a broader and freer flow of public information on both the national and global levels on progress toward every 17 SDGs and their 169 associated targets. Bilateral and multilateral development programs should help accelerate the implementation of the SDG 16.10 (which commits all UN members to “protect fundamental freedoms,” including press freedom) by supporting voluntary national assessments of the status and effectiveness of access-to-information laws and the overall enabling environment for independent media." (Key findings)
more
"The Guide shows how support for the principle of public access to information and the practical implementation of access to information (ATI) laws reinforce the EU’s work around the world in promoting participatory democracy, good governance, freedom of expression and other fundamental rights, an
...
d human development overall. Among other things, it notes regional agreements and instruments relevant to the practical application of access to information principles which are invaluable references, both for the policy guidance they provide to EU Delegations and as potential models for such regulations and systems in other regions where the EU supports progress in this area. There is much to be done – and much that EU Delegations can do to help. These are some of the practical, effective steps that EUDs have already taken to improve public access to information in developing countries: training journalists in the use of access to information laws; providing technical IT aid to state agencies running online ATI systems; supporting public information campaigns about citizens’ ‘right to know’; aiding in the drafting of ATI laws, with expert advisers in the field; sponsoring cross-border consultations of ATI systems specialists; collaborating in legal training programmes for judges and prosecutors; assisting countries in measuring local ATI progress in accord with the commitments of SDG16-10, in conjunction with media and civil society. This Practical Guide overall provides tools and hands-on examples for EU Delegations to study and perhaps to emulate, including a review of the EU’s own policy guidance and recent history in this area." (Purpose of this guide, page 6)
more
"This report examines self-regulation in challenging times. Journalism is increasingly a single stream of information disseminated simultaneously across different platforms of media, but its regulation remains dominated by old-fashioned notions of how media work. Usually there are two ways of regula
...
ting journalism at national level: a voluntary system for the press and legal controls over broadcasting. These structures were created for yesterday’s media landscape and are increasingly out of date. Today’s digital journalists work on video, print and audio simultaneously. That’s why it makes sense to have only one national regulator, and one that covers all platforms of journalism. Another testing issue is the question of funding. Ideally, journalists and media should pay the bills for press councils, but in these cash-strapped days can media continue to afford it? Increasingly, the answer is no. So who will pay in future? Perhaps we should think about using public funds, after all, independent regulation of media is a public interest activity. But if we use taxpayers’ money how do we ensure it won’t compromise editorial independence? Finally, as this report shows, making self-regulation work at enterprise level is perhaps what counts most. Building trust with the audience should be an issue in every newsroom and the growth in the number of in-house ombudsmen or readers’ editors is a welcome sign that more media are taking the issue seriously. However, in the face of editorial cuts some managements still question money being channelled into cleaning up the mistakes of the newsroom. But as this report illustrates, keeping journalism honest is money well spent for media and, for the public at large, it’s a good investment in democracy." (Introduction, page v)
more
"We asked writers and researchers to examine the quality of coverage and to highlight reporting problems as well as good work. The conclusions from many different parts of the world are remarkably similar: journalism under pressure from a weakening media economy; political bias and opportunism that
...
drives the news agenda; the dangers of hate-speech, stereotyping and social exclusion of refugees and migrants. But at the same time there have been inspiring examples of careful, sensitive and ethical journalism that have shown empathy for the victims. In most countries the story has been dominated by two themes – numbers and emotions. Most of the time coverage is politically led with media often following an agenda dominated by loose language and talk of invasion and swarms. At other moments the story has been laced with humanity, empathy and a focus on the suffering of those involved." (Introduction, page 5-6)
more
"The inclusion of a clear commitment to access to information in the SDGs [Sustainable Development Goals] – including factual “indicators” to monitor compliance – could have a profound impact on freedom of expression and media globally, advocates contend. Yet it remains uncertain whether any
...
provision on access to information will survive the remaining months of negotiations before the final set of SDGs is agreed at the UN’s Sustainable Development Summit in September 2015. Some developing countries oppose an access to information target, along with other proposed commitments to human rights and democratic governance in the SDGs. But others are strongly supportive, and UN debates on the new goals are likely to continue until the September deadline." (Abstract)
more
"For almost twenty years, United Nations peacekeeping missions have set up local radio stations in conflict-prone countries - 14 to date, seven of which remain in operation. According to this report, some of the fourteen peacekeeping radio stations implemented by the United Nations contributed more
...
to democratisation and media development in certain post-conflict countries than any other media assistance programmes. Surveys have confirmed their popularity and credibility with national audiences, and local journalists have lauded their contributions to media diversity and journalism standards. Nevertheless, Bill Orme states that the UN radios were created without long-term planning. Upon disappearance of UN peacekeeping missions the stations were simply closed, therefore losing their positive effects on democratisation and plurality. Only in Sierra Leone and the Democratic Republic of Congo (Radio Okapi) were there serious attempts to continue the stations after the exit of the UN missions. Based on detailed description and analysis of the different experiences, Orme formulates a number of policy steps that would help UN radios to become lasting contributions to press freedom and peacekeeping." (CAMECO Update 2-2010)
more