The Drum Beat 472 - Media Development and Press Freedom
This issue of The Drum Beat includes a focus on media development and freedom of the press across the world. There is an opportunity for you to engage in discussion about "media development" and "media for development" through a recent policy blog, a highlight of the upcoming Global Forum for Media Development in Athens, information about a press freedom award, and recent articles highlighting the state of press freedom.
Please send additional information about projects, evaluations, strategic thinking, awards and funding opportunities, and materials on media development, the right to information, and freedom of the press at any time. Contact Deborah Heimann at dheimann@comminit.com
- MEDIA DEVELOPMENT/MEDIA FOR DEVELOPMENT BLOG feature.
- New MEDIA DEVELOPMENT THEME SITE.
- Featured articles on the STATE OF PRESS FREEDOM.
- An opportunity to nominate someone for a PRESS FREEDOM AWARD.
- Vote in our current MEDIA DEVELOPMENT POLL.
- GLOBAL FORUM FOR MEDIA DEVELOPMENT World Conference.
PLEASE READ THE BLOG EXCERPTED BELOW (full text - click here) AND CONTINUE THE CONVERSATION THROUGH THE ONLINE COMMENT FUNCTION RELATED TO THIS BLOG ENTRY!
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Media Development or Media for Development?: wrong question - but what's the right one? by James Deane
The conversation might go something like this:
"We need to be clear that media is important in its own right, it is intrinsic to democracy. It needs to be supported as such, without reference to development agendas. We are talking about media development, a media that is free and independent. We are not talking about media for development".
"Yes, I agree. But aren't you talking about a certain type of media - a media that serves the public good, which holds governments to account, which is plural and acts in the interest of all citizens. Aren't you actually talking about media that serves a set of social objectives which development organisations share. You aren’t talking about a media that just serves a political or economic elite...so in effect you are talking about media in the context of a certain kind of development outcome - something that could be called media for development".
"No, absolutely not. We are not talking about media that persuades people to use condoms...we are talking about freedom of the media allied with issues of freedom of information, access to information and an informed citizenry."
"Hang on, I wasn't talking about condoms - or persuasion for that matter. I was trying to say that nearly all media development organisations have a framework of values, an objective that goes beyond simply seeing lots of functioning and sustainable media. They want a certain kind of media. China has lots of very sustainable media but they aren’t serving a public function."
"Oh please! Of course we're talking about media that is free, and yes if you like, it is media that exists to underpin a plural functioning democracy. But that's not the same as media that is used by development organisations to achieve specific development objectives"....
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Media Development
...where media rights, freedoms, capacities, and diversity are central to humanity...
This is a new space, developed in collaboration and with support from CI Partner Panos London, which includes recent media and media development initiatives including programme activities, awards, evaluation and research results, networks, books and other materials, planning ideas, change theories, and other information recently placed on The Communication Initiative website.
Please visit the new Media Development Theme Site click here.
1. Limits on Press Freedom and Regime Support
by Pippa Norris and Ronald Inglehart
This paper intends to examine the power of state propaganda which silences dissent by manipulating the news. It analyses individual-level attitudes and media habits in what it describes as restrictive media environments, such as China, Viet Nam, Iraq, and Russia, and in pluralistic media environments, exemplified by Finland, the Netherlands, and Trinidad and Tobago. It compares the attitudes of consumers of radio and television to those of internet users. It is part of a compendium of workshop papers for a workshop on "The Role of the News Media in the Governance Reform Agenda".
by Sheila Coronel
This document is about the renewed interest in "watchdogging" by the media caused by recent events and trends such as globalisation, the fall of authoritarian and socialist regimes, and the deregulation of the media worldwide. It examines the desirability of the watchdog role, its impact, and its dark side, as well as its relationship to government, the market, and the profession of journalism. The document is also part of the publication of papers for a conference on "The Role of the News Media in the Governance Reform Agenda".
3. Broadcasting, Voice, and Accountability
by Steve Buckley, Kreszentia Duer, Toby Mendel, Sean O'Siochru, Monroe E. Price, and Marc Raboy
This World Bank publication presents a framework for the purpose of analysis of existing policies and for supporting the development of a vigorous media sector, with a particular emphasis on broadcasting. It focuses on broadcasting because of its potential to reach and involve society at large, including the disadvantaged and illiterate segments of society in developing countries. This book is written to provide development practitioners with an overview of the key policy and regulatory issues involved in supporting freedom of information and expression and enabling development of a pluralistic, independent, and robust broadcasting sector.
4. So This is Democracy? State of Media Freedom and Freedom of Expression in Southern Africa
This is an annual publication, from the Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA), which records incidents of media freedom violations monitored by MISA in the previous year. The book is intended not only for media activists but also for scholars and others interested in plotting the trends and identifying the various devices used to undermine media freedom and the free flow of information.
RECENT MAGAZINES FROM SOUL BEAT AFRICA RELATED TO PRESS DEVELOPMENT AND FREEDOM
The Soul Beat 105 - The Role of Journalism in Development
The Soul Beat 61 - Media Development in Africa
5. UNESCO World Press Freedom Prize
Deadline Date: January 15, 2009
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) invites member states, regional and international organisations, and professional and non-governmental organisations working in the field of journalism and freedom of expression to nominate candidates for the UNESCO World Press Freedom Prize. The US$25,000 award honours a journalist or organisation that has made a notable contribution to the defence and promotion of press freedom anywhere in the world, especially if this involved risk.
Please VOTE in our Media Development POLL!
Is the growth of citizen journalism positive or negative for media development?
- Positive
- Negative
- Irrelevant
- Unsure
VOTE and COMMENT click here.
GLOBAL FORUM FOR MEDIA DEVELOPMENT (GFMD)
6. The Global Forum for Media Development (GFMD)
This is a long term practitioner-led process open to all sides of the community involved in media development around the world. It constitutes a network of non-governmental media assistance organisations operating in about 100 countries across Asia, Africa, the Middle East, Europe, Eurasia and the Americas, which supports the development of independent media at the community, national, and regional level. Please see this summary on the CI website for more information.
Some 500 media experts from over 100 countries will be invited to attend the 2nd Global Forum for Media Development (GFMD) in Athens on December 7-10, 2008 to develop common strategies for media development and to ensure that free, independent, and pluralistic media are at the core of development programmes. Please see GMFD website for more information.
RECENT ISSUES OF THE DRUM BEAT RELATED TO PRESS DEVELOPMENT AND FREEDOM
The Drum Beat 467 - Women Journalists: The State of Their Art
The Drum Beat 439 - International Media Development Reports
The Drum Beat 434 - Media, Democracy, Governance, Accountability
The Drum Beat 403 - Media Development
The Drum Beat seeks to cover the full range of communication for development activities. Inclusion of an item does not imply endorsement or support by The Partners.
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