> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://impact.gfmd.info/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://impact.gfmd.info/meetings/2022/wpfd-may-2022/principles-media-assistance.md). # Principles for effective media assistance {% embed url="" %} ## World Press Freedom Day Consultation: Principles for Effective Support of the Media Sector (May 2, 2022) The GFMD, the Center for International Media Assistance (CIMA), and UNESCO's International Programme for the Development of Communication carried out a consultation on principles for effective support to the media sector. The consultation was opened by Gerardo Sotelo of Uruguay's Education and Culture Ministry and Guy Berger of UNESCO. There was participation from representatives from different nations, in addition to those from 25 media development and journalism organizations. There was particular conscious inclusion of organizations and representatives from the Global South. > *"Put yourself in the shoes of the organisations that you are funding."* -Guy Berger #### Participants * Gerardo Sotelo, Uruguay Education and Culture Ministry, * Guy Berger, UNESCO. * Swaray Rahman, Sierra Leone Minister of Information and Communications, * Nicholas Benequista, CIMA, * Mijal Iastrebner, SembraMedia, * Cristina Zahar, Abraji, * Idriss Mamoud Tarawallie, BBC Media Action. {% hint style="info" %} The following initial recommendations were made: * Don't instrumentalize media through transactional relationships. * Principles on aid to the media development field should be long-term, agile, flexible, needs-based, and bottom-up. * Aid should be done through core-funding (not just programmatic assistance). * Reporting requirements should be realistic. {% endhint %} ## Developing Principles for Effective Media Assistance (May 3, 2022) In this panel, the GFMD and CIMA engaged and brought forward regional media practitioners for a discussion, seeking to further understand the topic of best practices for media assistance. Furthermore, this panel responds to the rising call from different international and regional stakeholders of the media sector for the adoption of a set of principles that recognize a need to ensure better responses to the crisis within the independent media sector. These principles will ensure that media development efforts are effective in addressing the root causes of the crisis, donor strategies, and digital governance, and recognize that the support for media development has significantly changed since the last principles for media support were articulated in 2014 by the OECD. The panel was moderated by Nick Benequista, Senior Director for the Center for International Media Assistance at the National Endowment for Democracy (NED). #### Panelists * **Mijal Iastrebner,** Co-founder and Executive Director of SembraMedia. SembraMedia is a non-profit organization dedicated to helping digital media entrepreneurs to build more sustainable and independent news organizations. * **Guy Berger,** Director for Policies and Strategies regarding Communication and Information at UNESCO. * **Cristina Zahar,** Executive Director at the Brazilian Association of Investigative Journalists (ABRAJI). ABRAJI monitors attacks against journalism in partnership with the Voces del Sul network, as well as gender bias attacks in partnership with UNESCO. {% hint style="info" %} More information on GFMD's work on renewing the Principles for Effective Media Development is available [here](https://impact.gfmd.info/activities-services/mediadev-principles). {% endhint %} --- # Agent Instructions This documentation is published with GitBook. GitBook is the documentation platform designed so that both humans and AI agents can read, navigate, and reason over technical content effectively. Learn more at gitbook.com. ## Querying This Documentation If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question. Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter, and the optional `goal` query parameter: ``` GET https://impact.gfmd.info/meetings/2022/wpfd-may-2022/principles-media-assistance.md?ask=&goal= ``` `ask` is the immediate question: it should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language. `goal` is optional and describes the broader end goal you are ultimately trying to accomplish on behalf of the user. GitBook uses it to tailor the answer towards what is most useful for that goal. The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation. Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.