The Drum Beat 798 - Information as a Public Good: World Press Freedom Day

• 1.Saving Journalism: A Vision for the Post-Covid World
  by Dr. Anya Schiffrin, Hannah Clifford, and Kylie TumiattiThe report explains how, even as the need for clear reliable and accurate information has increased, media across the globe have been negatively impacted by COVID-19: Journalists have been laid off or their salaries cut, print editions have been suspended, and shrinking revenue (particularly advertising revenue) has crippled newsrooms, forcing many to close completely. The urgency of the financial troubles hitting journalism in 2020 has led organisations around the world to come up with creative solutions. The report shares some of these initiatives. [Jan 2021]
   
• 2.Income Models of Independent Media in Difficult Contexts
  by Evaline SchotThis Free Press Unlimited (FPU) research explores income models of media operating in difficult contexts, focusing on which environmental factors, such as the income level of audiences and the country's press freedom level, and which characteristics of media outlets influence these income models. The goal of this research is to support independent media working in challenging environments in their efforts to strengthen their business models. [Oct 2020]
   
• 3.More than Money: Rethinking Media Viability in the Digital Age
  by Peter Deselaers, Kyle James, Roula Mikhael, and Laura SchneiderCase study examples throughout this DW Akademie report - from Ecuador, Ukraine, and Uganda - demonstrate how media viability goes hand in hand with free expression and community connection. At the level of individual media outlets, the authors suggest that an important step for media viability is to broaden the perspective beyond the isolated search for new sources of income. A viable strategy, they say, finds a balance between the 5 aspects of media viability, which cover economics, politics, content, technology, and community. [Mar 2019]
   
• 4.Measuring Beyond Money: The Media Viability Indicators (MVIs)
  by Laura Moore, Ann Hollifield, Nadine Jurrat, and Gerwin De RoyDW Akademie's MVIs provide a tool that is meant to allow media managers, media development experts, donors, and academics to assess the viability of individual media outlets or entire information ecosystems in a practical, solution-oriented, and tailor-made way. This paper explains the challenge of media viability, outlines DW's media viability model, introduces the MVIs, and explains who they are for and how they can be applied. [Apr 2020]
   
• 5.The Membership Puzzle Project
  Launched in May 2017 and running until August 2021, Media Development Investment Fund (MDIF)'s Membership Puzzle Project (MPP) collects and shares knowledge and operational advice on how membership can help sustain independent media. In addition, MPP's Membership in News Fund finances innovative membership models to identify best practices. The objective of the project is to gather more tailored insights and advice that can be used to spur greater experimentation and progress in public service journalism through membership and audience engagement worldwide, with a focus on Eastern Europe, Latin America, Asia, and Africa.
   
• See also:
  United for News
  

• Temple University's Klein College of Media and Communication offers graduate programmes in topics such as communication and social change theory, citizen and community media, and solutions journalism. The application deadline is May 7 2021 for all Master's programmes that begin coursework in the autumn. For example, click here to learn more about the Master of Science in Communication for Development and Social Change. Click here for information about all of Klein College of Media and Communication's educational offerings.
  

• 6.Side-stepping Rights: Regulating Speech by Contract
  In this policy brief, ARTICLE 19 examines the compliance of dominant social media platforms - Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube (owned by Google) - with international freedom of expression standards, and offers recommendations on what companies should do to demonstrate their commitment to protecting freedom of expression. ARTICLE 19 puts forward that although social media companies are in principle free to restrict content on the basis of freedom of contract, they should respect human rights, including the rights to freedom of expression, privacy, and due process. [2018]
   
• 7.The Rise of Internet Throttling: A Hidden Threat to Media Development
  by Samuel WoodhamsThis report from the Center for International Media Assistance (CIMA) at the National Endowment for Democracy (NED) sheds light on internet throttling (the intentional slowing of an internet service by an internet service provider) by examining three cases in three unique contexts: India, Venezuela, and Jordan. These case studies demonstrate that, despite their many differences, throttling undermines local media development, threatens citizens' freedom of expression, and stifles individuals' right to information, often at critical sociopolitical junctures. [May 2019]
   
• 8.26 Recommendations on Content Governance: A Guide for Lawmakers, Regulators, and Company Policy Makers
  by Eliška PírkováThese recommendations on content governance have been published by Access Now, an organisation that seeks to defend and extend the digital rights of users at risk around the world. The document aims to reach decision-makers worldwide with the goal of putting human rights at the forefront of debates about content governance. As stated, "Doing so is the only pathway for creating a digital future that reinforces shared ideals of freedom, openness, and democratic values, with the potential for returning power to the users." [Mar 2020]
   
• 9.UNESCO's Internet Universality Indicators: A Framework for Assessing Internet Development
  by David Souter and Anri van der SpuyThe Internet Universality Indicators (IUIs) framework is a set of indicators for assessing how well national stakeholders, including governments, companies and civil society, are doing in ensuring a transparent, technologically neutral, accessible, and affordable internet. Developed by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) over a 3-year process of global, open, and inclusive consultations, the framework is intended to help governments and other stakeholders to assess their national internet environments and develop appropriate policy approaches and improvements. [2018]
   
• 10.Tackling the Information Crisis: A Policy Framework for Media System Resilience
  In light of changes in the United Kingdom (UK) media system that have resulted in an "information crisis", this report recommends actions aimed at addressing systemic problems and at creating conditions that will help sustain democratic processes of deliberation and consensus building in the UK. Engaging with a wide range of practitioners, policymakers, researchers, politicians, civil society organisations (CSOs), and members of the public, the London School of Economics (LSE) Truth, Trust and Technology Commission (T3) has been grappling with questions such as: How can we protect democracy from digital damage? How can we help people make the most of the opportunities of the internet while avoiding the harm it can cause? [Nov 2018]
   
• See also:
  Media Influence Matrix Reports
  

• Stay tuned for initiatives and documents that will likely emerge on or around World Press Freedom Day. We welcome you to send your information along to us (mediadev@comminit.com) and encourage you to keep an eye out for summaries on The CI's Media Development theme site and in future editions of the Media Development Click (to subscribe to this e-magazine, email mediadev@comminit.com with the words "Subscribe: MediaDev").
  

• 11.The Perception of COVID-19 Communication in West Africa (Non-Sahel): Report
  In response to the "infodemic" around the COVID-19 pandemic, the UNESCO office in Abuja, Nigeria, launched a survey on the perception of COVID-19 communication in West Africa (non-Sahel). It was designed under the overarching framework of UNESCO's flagship area of MIL, which focuses on empowering citizens to understand the functions of media and other information providers, to critically evaluate media content, and to make informed decisions as users and producers of that content. [2020]
   
• 12.Keeping It Real: An Exploratory Study of How 13-14-Year-Olds Critically Engage with Online Content
  by Tim Schoot Uiterkamp and Lucy GoodchildThis report shares the findings of an exploratory study conducted by FPU to provide insights into young people's critical engagement with online social media content in different country contexts. The study focused on children aged 13-14 from diverse socioeconomic backgrounds in Mexico, South Africa, and the Netherlands. Based on the findings, the report offers several sets of recommendations: for educators seeking to improve media literacy skills; for media and media development organisations seeking to engage with youth on the importance of reliable information; and for further research. [Jul 2020]
   
• 13.African Media and Information Literacy (MIL) INDEX Study
  Conducted by DW Akademie, this study seeks to find out how young people in six African countries access, use, create, and engage with media and digital sources of information. MIL is an "important prerequisite for putting one's rights of access to information and freedom of expression into practice. It involves both using one's skills at the individual level for one's own benefit, but also being an active part in society and contributing to and shaping an informed community." [Oct 2020]
   
• 14.Learn to Discern: Media Literacy Trainer's Manual
  The curriculum outlined in this manual is based on IREX's Learn to Discern approach to MIL, which focuses on building the agency and skills of those who interact with information. As explained in the guide, it is not about prescribing a list of "good" or "bad" information sources or criticising participants' choice of news outlets. Instead, it seeks to equip people with the skills and tools to judge the veracity of the content they read and to independently draw accurate conclusions about outlets' reliability. [2020]
   
• 15.Media and Information Literacy in Journalism: A Handbook for Journalists and Journalism Educators
  by Nozima Muratova, Alton Grizzle [Editor], and Dilfuza MirzakhmedovaFrom UNESCO Uzbekistan, this handbook advocates for increased cooperation between MIL and journalistic work and offers guidance on how to integrate MIL into journalistic practice and learning. It is based on the belief that this integration will: lead to better and more ethical journalism; build trust in media through citizen, government, and media partnerships; and stimulate civic engagement. [Mar 2020]
   
• See also:
  News Literacy in Bangladesh - National Survey
  

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