mediadev library

Press freedom under threat: Learn three ways USAID is ensuring free and independent media

Shannon Maguire

Medium;USAID (2024), 8 pp.

[...] Based on decades of evolving research, testing, and learning, USAID has expanded its understanding of the multiple intersecting threats media practitioners face - legal, physical, economic, and digital - and how necessary it is to work from many sides to build and reinforce media sectors that ... are as resilient as possible against the forces that would seek to shut them down. A major demonstration of this approach comes through USAID's Summit for Democracy commitments, a series of initiatives to address these threats and advance free and independent media. The first one is the Media Viability Accelerator (MVA), which was announced at the first Summit for Democracy in December 2021. The goal of the MVA is to preserve fact-based news and information media by providing access to the data they need to build strategies to survive, thrive, adapt, and grow as businesses. Through a public-private partnership with USAID, Microsoft, and Internews, MVA is a unique data platform using artificial intelligence and other digital tools to enable media outlets to better understand markets, audiences, and strategies that will maximize their odds of profitability. Second, USAID's $20 million contribution to the International Fund for Public Interest Media (IFPIM) is helping to boost global support through grants to develop and sustain a wide range of independent news organizations. To date, IFPIM has committed nearly $9 million through 32 grants across 16 countries to media outlets in urgent need of financial assistance and to strengthen their long-term sustainability. USAID's initial seed funding has leveraged an additional $30 million from 15 governments, philanthropies, and corporate entities. The third initiative is Reporters Shield, an innovative program that helps protect investigative media outlets and civil society organizations from strategic litigation against public participation lawsuits, or other legal threats meant to silence their reporting. Prior to the launch of Reporters Shield, such help was inconsistent, ad hoc, reactive, and, often, expensive. USAID Administrator Samantha Power launched the next phase of USAID's Reporters Shield, at the United Nations Headquarters last World Press Freedom Day on May 3. Reporters Shield is now providing legal support services and capacity development for 12 media outlets and civil society organizations doing investigative reporting, with more than 100 applications still under review during the launch phase alone." (Pages 4-6) more

Download (1)

Freedom of Afghan Media: Challenges facing Afghan journalists in Afghanistan and abroad

Mujtaba Haris

Journalists for Human Rights (JHR) (2024), 38 pp.

"Erosion of Media Freedom in Afghanistan: Since the Taliban regained power in August 2021, media freedom in Afghanistan has drastically declined. Over half of the country's media outlets have closed, leading to widespread unemployment among journal ... ists. The Taliban's media policies enforce strict censorship, resulting in self-censorship and threats to journalists still working. As one journalist in Kabul said, "The media in Afghanistan is dead; we were forced out of our jobs, and those who remain face daily threats." Severe Content Censorship: The Taliban has imposed strict regulations on media content, banning any reports that contradict their interpretation of Islamic values or Afghan national interests. As a result, 95% of journalists surveyed in Afghanistan reported facing restrictions when attempting to document and broadcast their work. "We are no longer allowed to report on incidents involving the Taliban, especially when it comes to conflicts within their ranks," shared a journalist from Badakhshan. Gender-Based Discrimination and Exclusion: Female journalists have been systematically targeted, leading many to leave the profession. Women working in the media are subjected to strict limitations, such as being required to cover their faces while on air and being denied opportunities to work. This has effectively silenced female voices in Afghan media. Arbitrary Detention and Physical Abuse: The Taliban have used arbitrary detention and physical abuse as tools to suppress independent journalism. Journalists are often detained without charge, held in poor conditions, and subjected to physical abuse. "Many of us live in fear of being arrested without cause," said one journalist who had been detained. The report found that 73% of detained journalists reported experiencing physical abuse during their detention. Self-Censorship as a Survival Tactic: The pervasive atmosphere of fear and intimidation has led to widespread self-censorship among journalists, both within Afghanistan and in exile. This has resulted in a homogenized media landscape, with many journalists avoiding sensitive topics to protect themselves from potential repercussions. A journalist in Afghanistan said, "Many of us live in fear of being arrested without cause." (Key findings, page 6) more

Download (1)

Hispanic American Catholic Networks: Survey 2023

Guillermo Ares, Gabriel Palermo

Rosario: Buena Nueva Comunicación (BNC) (2024), 26 pp.

"This survey aims to provide valuable information for the creation of potential initiatives and policies that promote, foster cooperation, and offer support to Catholic networks in Hispanic America. At BNC, we leverage our longstanding relationships with the personnel of these networks and the effec ... tive mechanisms of communication and fraternal dialogue we have established with them. This allows us to speak confidently and responsibly about the information we have collected. Building upon our initial study conducted years ago [= 2013], we have chosen to maintain the same approach in terms of the topics to be evaluated and the questionnaire used. The survey is designed to collect quantifiable data to help us identify variables and trends in the ongoing operation and development of these networks over time [...] We would like to thank everyone at the 39 networks from 13 different countries who took the time and courtesy to respond to our communications and take part in this survey [...] We present the reader with a brief overview of the data we consider important to provide a quick insight and general perspective based on the information collected through this survey: - The positioning of the mixed entity (private capital + ecclesiastical institution) as the legal form of networks ownership. - Seventy-six per cent of broadcasters claim to own the premises from which they operate. Small local private donations provide the main funding, followed by selling advertising or space to third parties. - Small local private donations provide the main funding, followed by selling advertising or space to third parties. - Twenty-six point forty-seven percent (26.47%) of networks broadcast for 12 hours, closely followed by those that broadcast continuously for 24 hours, representing 20.59%. - Forty-five point ninety-five percent (45.95%) of the surveyed network have between 1 and 4 studios. - The distribution of the number of cameras among the networks surveyed shows that the majority (30.77%) have 4 cameras. - When it comes to camera brands, Sony leads with 53.85% of the cameras used by networks. - The editing systems are mostly comprised of between 3 and 2 per network. - Most members of networks are between 26 and 45 years old, and the majority have been in their positions for over 5 years. - Salary payments, investment in infrastructure, satellite rental costs, and purchase of production equipment are the top priorities in terms of urgent material needs to be met. - 90.6% would like to receive some kind of training. - In terms of training, advice and information needs, raising funds through partnerships/donations, creating new content and programmes, and transmission technology are the top three training needs identified by broadcasters. - There is a need for a specific and specialised study in each network to assess both the potential and actual audience, as the methods currently used produce results that are far from conclusive at a professional level. - According to the estimated analyses carried out by networks, 78.1% of the audience is between 36 and 60 years old. Around 57% of the audience are Catholics, while 38% are from the general public. - Thirty-four percent of programming are networks' own productions. - Sixty percent of the content has a religious message, while 40 percent has a general message. - The purchase of third-party programming represents only 10% of the total broadcast programming. - The programming received as donations increased from 6% to 23% compared to the first statistical study. - Devotional content, followed by Church-related topics explored in documentaries, educational programs, interviews, mass events, etc., are the primary components of the programming. - There is a significant lack of content for young and child audiences. - Upgrading equipment for DTT (Digital Terrestrial Television) presents both economic and technical challenges for broadcasters. - It's important to clearly delineate the boundaries between what is web TV and what is a streaming service, and to provide training on the different types of legal regulation regarding programming licenses in relation to cable and over-the-air TV." (Page 4-6) more

External Link (17)

Google Scholar (11)

WorldCat (14)

Community Media Ownership in the Context of Donor Funding

Rose N. Kimani

In: Media Ownership in Africa in the Digital Age: Challenges, Continuity and Change

Winston Mano; Loubna El Mkaouar (eds.)

London; New York: Routledge (2023), pp. 237-247

"Although it is a community broadcasting station with a small radius, Koch FM conceptualises itself as part of a national and global civil society network and acts as such. Specifcally, it sees its role as promoting democracy and Good Governance. The station has consequently decided to stay away fro ... more

Download (1)

Digital Ecosystem Country Assessment (DECA): Bangladesh

Mohammad Ashrafuzzaman, Raiyan Kabir, Connor Mackenzie, Olga Morawczynski

USAID, Digital Frontiers Project (2023), 116 pp.

"The Bangladesh Digital Ecosystem Country Assessment (DECA) report presents the findings and recommendations of the Bangladesh DECA. It outlines the key aspects of Bangladesh's digital ecosystem and provides 10 recommendations for creating a more i ... nclusive, safe, and enabling environment. Guided by three USAID/Bangladesh priorities, which include i ) improved democratic systems that promote transparency, accountability, and integrity; ii) enhanced opportunities for an inclusive, healthy, educated society, and a robust economy; and iii) strengthened resilience to shocks and stressors, the DECA process included desk research, consultations with USAID/Bangladesh technical offices, and 81 key informant interviews with stakeholders from civil society, academia, and the private and public sectors. Key findings include: Bangladesh’s digital ecosystem has steadily evolved over the last decade; the Government of Bangladesh (GoB)'s Vision 2021 and Vision 2041 underscore the importance of Digital Bangladesh and have been drivers for digital transformation across the country. However, undefined roadmaps and uneven knowledge of digitalization among government officials undermine GoB’s efforts; limited digital literacy is a key barrier across all aspects of the ecosystem; connectivity is affected by poor quality of services and lack of affordable data; a growing ecosystem of locally relevant content is key to closing the usage gap; barriers in terms of funding and understanding user needs remain; Bangladesh ranks Number One in South Asia on the e-government academy’s National Cybersecurity Index (NCSI) in terms of the availability of necessary laws and policy, but there is significant room for improvement when it comes to the strength of implementation across the ecosystem; misinformation and disinformation are widespread in the digital sphere; mobile financial services are expansive in Bangladesh and increasingly inclusive; e-commerce and the tech startup environment have grown quickly due to an increase in international and domestic investments and an active private sector; an expansive digital talent pool exists, but they are not trained to their fullest potential, hindering their income potential and Bangladesh’s growth trajectory." (https://www.usaid.gov/digital-development) more

Download (0)

Journalism, Media, and Technology Trends and Predictions 2022

Nic Newman

Oxford: Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism (2022), 46 pp.

"The report shows that 2022 will be a year of careful consolidation for a news industry that has been both disrupted and galvanised by the drawn-out COVID-19 crisis. Both journalists and audiences have, to some degree, been 'burnt out' by the relentless intensity of the news agenda, alongside increa ... more

Download (2)

How to conduct a participatory evaluation workshop: Harvesting outcomes

Barbara Klugman

Manchester: Women in Informal Employment: Globalizing and Organizing (WIEGO) (2022), 20 pp.

"A great way to find out if WIEGO’s interventions – trainings or other kinds of supports to Nets and MBOs – have worked well, or if people have used our tools and materials, is to engage them in a follow-up evaluation workshop. This Tool 5 takes you through the process of supporting participan ... more

Download (1)

Freire and the Perseverance of Hope: Exploring Communication and Social Change

Ana Cristina Suzina, Thomas Tufte (eds.)

Paulo Freire (honoured person)

Amsterdam; London: Institute of Network Cultures;Loughborough University (2022), 146 pp.

"The Brazilian educator Paulo Freire (1921-1997) is one of the most important thinkers of the 21st century, figuring among the most quoted authors in the fields of education and social sciences all over the world. He is also a core reference to an infinite number of grassroots and activist initiativ ... more

External Link (11)

Google Scholar (12)

WorldCat (12)

Religion's Sudden Decline: What's Causing It, and What Comes Next?

Ronald Inglehart

New York: Oxford University Press (2021), xii, 191 pp.

"Secularization has accelerated. From 1981 to 2007, most countries became more religious, but from 2007 to 2020, the overwhelming majority became less religious. For centuries, all major religions encouraged norms that limit women to producing as many children as possible and discourage any sexual b ... more

Download (0)

Broadcasting and National Identity Construction in Qatar: The Case of Al-Rayyan TV

Noureddine Miladi, Moez Ben Messaoud, Jamel Zran

Journal of Arab & Muslim Media Research, volume 14, issue 2 (2021), pp. 189-220

"This research sought to study the contents of Al-Rayyan TV programmes and their relationship to the construction of national identity in Qatar, a task this channel has taken as an editorial line since its inception in 2012. In this article, we present findings of an audience-based exploration of Al ... more

Download (1)

Marginalized Religious Communities in Indonesian Media: A Baseline Study

Muhamad Heychael, Holy Rafika, Justito Adiprasetyo, Yovantra Arief

Remotivi;International Media Support (IMS) (2021), 68 pp.

"This study finds that the Indonesian media ecosystem is not a safe space for marginalized religions. As explained in the conclusion to the content analysis, the space given by the media for news coverage of marginalized religious groups is still very small. Although non-Islamic official religions e ... more

Download (0)

Impact of COVID-19 on Media Freedom, Journalist Safety and Media Viability in Southeast Asia

Tess Bacalla, Jasmine Chandler, Laxman Datt Pant (eds.)

Public Media Alliance;UNESCO;Asia Democracy Network (ADN) (2021), 141 pp.

"This Situation Report on the “Impact of COVID-19 on Media Freedom, Media Business Viability, and the Safety of Journalists in Southeast Asia” offers an insight into the key impacts of the pandemic on the media across nine countries. The report proposes recommendations for enabling sustainable a ... more

External Link (10)

Book Industry: Special Issue [on Children's Literature]

Moscow: Book Industry (LLC) (2020), 71 pp.

"The Russian book industry is actively preparing for the Bologna Book Fair and the 37th IBBY International Children’s Book Congress, which Moscow will host for the first time this year. How is children’s book publishing developing in Russia? What support does it need from the government?" (Page ... more

External Link (9)

Google Scholar (9)

WorldCat (9)

Arab Resistance in the diaspora: Comparing the Saudi dissident and the Egyptian whistleblower

Sahar Khamis, Randall Fowler

Journal of Arab & Muslim Media Research, volume 13, issue 1 (2020), pp. 31-49

"While much research on Arab and Muslim diasporas in the West focuses on the War(s) on Terror, in this article, we explore how two particular diasporic groups, Egyptian and Saudi activists, work to shape public perceptions of the authoritarian regi ... more

Download (0)

The Book Dash Manual

Book Dash (2020), 38 pp.

"We believe every child should own a hundred books by the age of five. In South Africa, that means giving 600 million free books to children who could never afford to buy them. Every day we lose, more children grow up unable to read and write well, and to enjoy the worlds that books open up. Every o ... more

External Link (13)

Independent Media Depend on You: Research Report

CESID

USAID;IREX;Agency Communis (2020), 19 pp.

"The research on audience behavior and the effects of Free Media Advocacy Campaign was conducted on a sample of 1,000 respondents, 25 to 55 years of age, and focused on the citizens’ viewpoint towards paying for media content (with the possibility of comparison to 2019 research) and evaluation of ... the campaign “Independent Media Depend on You” (IREX and Agency Communis). In terms of media consumption, respondents from 2019 generally spent more time with media than in the 2020 research. In addition, it is noticeable that respondents in both research cycles spent more time watching television and listening to the radio. The average time respondents spent per day watching television in 2020 was 108.6 minutes, while in 2019 the average time spent watching this media was 161.4 minutes. The average time respondents spent listening to the radio in the research conducted in 2020 is the same as the time spent watching TV (108.6 minutes), while in 2019, radio was the media respondents spent the most time listening to – 166.8 minutes. Social networks are the third most used media in terms of time spent on them per day (average time for 2020 – 87.6 minutes; average time for 2019 – 126.6 minutes). In fourth place are informative online portals and sites, while fifth place is print media with which respondents spend the least time per day (average time – 27 minutes). When it comes to citizens’ trust in media, it is evident that in both research cycles there is a greater distrust than a trust in the media, and this fits in the broader picture of citizen’s distrust in all civil society institutions. A total of 43% of respondents generally do not trust the media in Serbia at all – in 2020, while in 2019 the percentage was lower by two points (41%). On the other hand, a total of 22% of respondents stated that they have full confidence and that they mostly have trust in Serbian media, which is one percentage point more than in the research conducted in 2019. About a third of respondents had a neutral stance about trust in media (31% in 2020, 33% in 2019). A large percentage of respondents were not willing to pay for online content, however, when compared with 2019’s findings, SMS noticed that the willingness to pay for online content is more noticeable in 2020." (Summary) more

External Link (13)

Media and Information Literacy Index. Country Report Côte D’Ivoire

Luise Krumm, Dennis Reineck

Bonn: Deutsche Welle DW Akademie (2020), 27 pp.

"Young Ivorians are adept at using digital media. They are creative when it comes to using digital media and many have developed strategies to cope with media malpractices such as cyberbullying or hate speech. These are two significant, indicative ... findings from the present MIL INDEX country study. Both seem very impressive considering the challenges of high illiteracy rates and the strongly politicized national media landscape in Côte d’Ivoire. The results of the study are drawn from eight focus groups conducted in the beginning of 2019 in Abidjan and Bouaké and interviews with eight local experts. They confirm that young people are very good at using and creating content on social media but urgently need better critical, analytical, and reflective skills. This MIL INDEX study is aimed at obtaining a concise picture of media- and information-related skills amongst youths under the age of 35 in Côte d’Ivoire. It addresses five dimensions of Media and Information Literacy (MIL) according to DW Akademie’s MIL model: access, analysis, reflection, creation, and action. In terms of access the focus groups conducted for this study reveal that young urban and semi-urban Ivorians use a variety of different media for purposes such as consuming information, communication, entertainment, education, or business information. Digital media, particularly social media platforms and instant messengers, are the most used and most popular among this age group and are generally preferred over traditional media. Nonetheless, radio and television are still valued for their auditory and visual input which are significant characteristics considering the high illiteracy rates of about 40,4 % present in Côte d’Ivoire (UIS, 2018). A divide between more urban and more rural regions is visible in the case of radio programs, which are more popular in more rural settings. The focus groups suggest this is due to the fact that local radio stations are often the only media which provide news relevant to more remote areas. Most other media show a tendency to focus only on news from the capital. Printed media are widely regarded as too costly and outdated by Ivorian youths. The results of the analysis dimension indicate that most focus group participants possess a good digital and media knowledge while at the same time many lack awareness of their rights to freedom of expression and access to information. Striking was that youths generally consider content provided by traditional media to be more trustworthy, but mainly consume social media content. This and often very loose definitions of what media quality means showed that there is still room for improvement when it comes to the young people’s analytical skills. Overall, urbanites seem to question the trustworthiness of media content slightly more than youths from more rural regions. Results from the reflection dimension confirm that Ivorian youths are constantly exposed to malevolent forms of communication and media malpractices such as cyberbullying, hate speech, sexual harassment, and disinformation. Most young people show strong abilities when it comes to recognizing media problems and using prevention or coping strategies to handle them. Exceptions are politically motivated disinformation and biased reporting which are taken as normal in the Ivorian context. Due to this tendency towards normalization only very few young people reflect critically upon this media malpractice. Reflection on a deeper level such as on the impact of media messages or motivations of news outlets is often missing among young people." (Executive summary) more

Download (1)

Comparing Gender and Media Equality Across the Globe: A Cross-National Study of the Qualities, Causes, and Consequences of Gender Equality in and Through the News Media
Top Insights

Monika Djerf-Pierre, Maria Edström (eds.)

Göteborg: Nordicom (2020), 338 pp.

"Comparing Gender and Media Equality across the Globe addresses longstanding questions in the study of gender equality in media content and media organisations across countries and over time. Drawing on data from the Global Media Monitoring Project (GMMP), European Institute for Gender Equality (EIG ... more

External Link (13)

Media and Information Literacy Index. Country Report Uganda

Dennis Reineck, Luise Krumm

Bonn: Deutsche Welle DW Akademie (2020), 25 pp.

"Young Ugandans are reluctant to voice their concerns and take part in public discussions according to indicative findings from the MIL INDEX country study presented here. The eight focus groups conducted for the study in Kampala and Bugembe early in 2019 revealed that youths are using both traditio ... nal and social media extensively, but discussions of political and public issues take place mainly in closed circles on platforms like WhatsApp. “It is a suffocated environment,” says media expert Gerald Businge. This MIL INDEX study is aimed at obtaining a concise picture of media- and information-related skills amongst youths under the age of 35 in Uganda. It addresses five dimensions of Media and Information Literacy (MIL) based on DW Akademie’s MIL model: access, analysis, reflection, creation, and action. The focus group participants see themselves living in the “the dot-com era” though access to the Internet and even television is far from universal in Uganda. The smartphone is the most popular device and it serves as a benchmark when judging more traditional media (radio, television, and newspapers). Social media are used alongside traditional media, but there is a feeling that traditional media, especially radio, are losing touch with the Ugandan youth of today. There is a general neglect of printed media, based on an aversion to long reads and often also difficulties in understanding them. Some participants feel they are addicted to social media and online messengers. When it comes to analytical skills, the Ugandan youths in the focus groups are not very critical of the media environment they live in despite the overwhelming evidence that state control, intimidation, and media concentration are problems in Uganda. But they do pick up on news bias and sensationalism. They are also aware of the fact that online sources and social media information should not be trusted blindly. Participants can differentiate between quality and tabloid-type media, but an alarming proportion does not know their constitutional right to freedom of expression. The level of reflection on the part of focus group participants is medium to low. They can render many cases of cyberbullying/hate speech, disinformation and cybercrime, though they are not always aware of the difference. Especially the examples of cyber-harassment that are recounted in the focus groups reveal that female youths are primarily targeted. At the same time there seems to be little in the way of counselling for victims and there was not enough reflection of the background to such malevolent forms of communication. Strategies in coping with them are not very elaborate, though some groups did mention methods of verification in the context of disinformation several times. There is considerable potential for support when it comes to dealing with cyberbullying, cyber-harassment, hate speech and cybercrime." (Executive summary) more

External Link (15)

Cross-Border Playbook

Berlin: N-ost Netzwerk für Osteuropa-Berichterstattung (2020)

"This collections of case-studies, best practices and learnings provided by cross-border practitioners of Europe wants to help everyone who is interested in the cross-border method, who wants to start cross-border projects or wants to gain more cross-border skills." (Publisher description)

Comparing Gender and Media Equality Across the Globe: A Cross-National Study of the Qualities, Causes, and Consequences of Gender Equality in and Through the News Media Top Insights

Comparing Gender and Media Equality Across the Globe: A Cross-National Study of the Qualities, Causes, and Consequences of Gender Equality in and Through the News Media
Top Insights