Literature Review & Case Studies
This page features literature, case studies and mapping documents relevant to the regional meeting of GFMD members and partners across the Latin America and Caribbean region on 4 May 2024.
Last updated
This page features literature, case studies and mapping documents relevant to the regional meeting of GFMD members and partners across the Latin America and Caribbean region on 4 May 2024.
Last updated
On 22 March 2024, the Development Assistance Committee (DAC) of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) adopted the Development Cooperation Principles on Relevant and Effective Support to Media and the Information Environment.
The Principles are the culmination of over two years of advocacy led by the Global Forum for Media Development (GFMD) and the Center for International Media Assistance (CIMA) in cooperation with the DAC secretariat and representatives from the United Kingdom, Sweden, Switzerland, the United States, France, and others.
The Principles seek to reinvigorate international support to media and the information environment, uniting the vital role of media and journalism in development and democracy, the severity of the crises facing public interest media and information integrity, emerging initiatives to improve innovation and coordination, and growing understanding of aid and development effectiveness and the impact of assistance.
The six Principles aspire to encourage development co-operation providers to improve the relevance and effectiveness of their support to preserve, protect, and promote public interest media and information integrity in the following ways:
1. Ensure that assistance does no harm to public interest media.
2. Increase financial and other forms of support.
3. Take a whole of system perspective.
4. Strengthen local leadership and ownership.
5. Improve coordination of support.
6. Invest in knowledge, research, and learning.
Document Type: Guide
Language: Spanish
SembraMedia recommends creating a business model when launching an entrepreneurial media outlet. This guide presents materials such as the Business Model Canvas, which will help you better understand the concept and apply it to your project.
Authored by: Jonathan Heawood
Document Type: Analysis
Language: English
PINF's Executive Director, Jonathan Heawood, reflects on the Journalism Funders Forum and discusses their goal of raising £50,000 for the Indie News Fund.
Document Type: Report
Language: Portuguese
This resource provides tips for creating and maintaining ties with potential funders, as well as a mapping of potential philanthropic investors. \ Recurso traz dicas para criar e manter laços com possíveis financiadores, além de um mapeamento de potenciais investidores filantrópicos
Document Type: Guide
Language: Spanish
This guide analyzes the terms, conditions, community standards, and policies of the five most widely used digital platforms currently: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube. Additionally, it identifies the authorities and institutions with the authority to request content removal and the mechanisms they use to do so. All of this with the aim of strengthening the tools that journalists and human rights defenders use to address potential content removals during electoral contexts in Mexico.
Authored by: Gregorio Salazar
Document Type: Analysis
Language: English
The analysis explores the media landscape in Venezuela since 1999, revealing a landscape heavily influenced by government control and censorship. It highlights challenges to journalistic independence, including manipulation of ownership, suppression of dissenting voices, and limited enforcement of ethical standards. Amidst these obstacles, the concept of self-regulation emerges as vital yet elusive. The analysis underscores the urgent need for a renewed commitment to ethical journalism and pluralism in Venezuela.
Authored by: Suhelis Tejero
Document Type: Analysis
Language: English, Spanish
With their campaigns against independent media, governments in several countries of Latin America are beginning to threaten press freedom. Could the extreme measures of Nicolás Maduro and Daniel Ortega, such as media blockades and closures, be replicated?
Document Type: Press release
Language: Spanish
The Articulation Desk for the Protection of Journalists (MAPP) was presented on September 7, 2023, to the public and media as a voluntary union among civil society actors, media outlets, and communication workers, aimed at creating effective networks to address cases of imminent risk against the lives and freedom of journalists in Ecuador in the exercise of their profession.
Document Type: Report
Language: Spanish
The Foundation for Freedom of Expression and Democracy (FLED) presents its Quarterly Report (January-March 2024) on violations of Press Freedom in Nicaragua, highlighting the fear among journalists of reprisals, the closure of information spaces, and the lack of coverage of religious activities due to the persecution of the Catholic Church. Additionally, it highlights the criminalization of journalism and notes that in 7 departments of the country, there is no independent journalistic practice. It is recorded that around 251 journalists are in exile due to repression as of March 2024.
Document Type: Guide
Language: Spanish
In the four chapters of this publication, readers will be able to journey through the most notable corruption scandals of recent decades, learn about tools for investigating corruption, and discover how to ask the right questions to detect "red flags" that can lead to investigative leads. They will also learn about methods and insights from the authors, who have uncovered corruption cases.
Document Type: Study
Language: English, Spanish
This study, divided into four parts, has set out to map Latin American digital native media. In the first part, a database was created with media outlets from 12 countries in the continent (Argentina, Chile, Mexico, Peru, Ecuador, Bolivia, Colombia, Venezuela, Guatemala, El Salvador, Nicaragua, and Cuba). In the second part, these media outlets were profiled using a questionnaire to help get to know them better, investigate their identity, their potential for sustainability and growth, how they are managed, their publication and distribution tools, and their relationship with their audiences. The third section focused on what these media understand by the quality of journalism, and finally, the fourth section provides a detailed analysis of cases that showcased diversity.
Authored by: Fundación Gabo & Proyecto Desconfío
Document Type: Guide
Language: Spanish
Drawing on examples of best practices and specialized projects that are at the forefront against disinformation, this guide proposes a necessary and urgent conversation based on a selection of what happened at the 2023 edition of the Global Summit on Disinformation. During the summit, presentations, analyses, and project rounds provided insights into how to address this challenge.
Authored by: André Duchiade
Document Type: Analysis
Language: English, Spanish, Portuguese
The article highlights the growing concern over disinformation worldwide, prompting legislative responses from governments, particularly in Latin America. LupaMundi, an initiative by the Brazilian fact-checking agency Lupa, maps out the current state of disinformation laws globally, revealing the presence of specific regulations in only 35 countries. Despite efforts to combat disinformation, concerns linger about potential threats to freedom of expression and democracy, particularly in authoritarian regimes like Nicaragua and Cuba. In Latin America, initiatives such as Brazil's Fake News Bill aim to address disinformation challenges, though debates over the bill's potential impact on freedom of expression persist. The discussion revolves around finding a balance between regulating harmful content and upholding democratic principles, underscoring the complexities surrounding disinformation legislation in the region and beyond.
Document Type: Report
Language: English, Portuguese
LupaMundi - Map of legislation on disinformation is an interactive map showing national laws to counter disinformation. The map allows different views, with filters by category, country and topic. The legislation presented may deal with the issue in a specific way, or more generally. LupaMundi also presents bills that are relevant to the geopolitical landscape. Browse and learn more about laws to combat disinformation.
Authored by: Public Media Alliance, UNESCO Cluster Office for the Caribbean, the Media Institute of the Caribbean (MIC), and the Association of Caribbean Media Workers (ACM)
Document Type: Action plan
Language: English
The plan incorporates the key points raised by regional media stakeholders as part of PMA’s research and feedback. The plan not only benefited from consultations from both media professionals and media owners/managers, but also from months-long research conducted in several Caribbean territories.
Key points include:
• The need for strengthened and increased collaboration amongst regional journalists, media associations, and media houses.
• The importance of launching a public awareness campaign aimed at empowering audiences on how to spot misinformation and disinformation.
• A commitment to train and develop the region’s journalists.
Document Type: Report
Language: English, Spanish, French
Rising disinformation has far-reaching consequences in many policy areas ranging from public health to national security. It can cast doubt on factual evidence, jeopardise the implementation of public policies and undermine people's trust in the integrity of democratic institutions. This report explores how to respond to these challenges and reinforce democracy. It presents an analytical framework to guide countries in the design of policies, looking at three complementary dimensions: implementing policies to enhance the transparency, accountability, and plurality of information sources; fostering societal resilience to disinformation; and upgrading governance measures and public institutions to uphold the integrity of the information space.
Document Type: Toolkit
Language: English
The Media Institute of the Caribbean launches its yearlong Freedom of Information Project from January to October 2023. Through five stages, it aims to set a regional standard for FOI legislation, supporting journalists and civil society while promoting transparency and accountability in the Caribbean.
Document Type: Document
Language: English
The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) has officially adopted the Development Cooperation Principles on Relevant and Effective Support to Media and the Information Environment. The adoption by the OECD’s Development Assistance Committee (DAC) at a meeting on March 22 in Paris follows the Principles’ approval by the DAC’s Network on Governance earlier this month. The Principles are the culmination of over two years of advocacy led by the Global Forum for Media Development (GFMD) and the Center for International Media Assistance (CIMA) in cooperation with the DAC secretariat and representatives from the United Kingdom, Sweden, Switzerland, the United States, France, and others.
Authored by: María Fernanda Cruz Chaves
Document Type: Analysis
Language: Spanish
In a hostile Central American environment for the press, independent media outlets demonstrate brave resistance against overwhelming challenges. Despite the risks stemming from political pressures, economic limitations, and threats to journalistic integrity, these outlets persist in collaborative efforts, defy attempts to silence them, and navigate adversities to uphold the principles of press freedom and truth-seeking.
Document Type: Report
Language: Spanish
This report aims to echo its findings and the voices of journalists in Guatemala, while also providing relevant recommendations. To achieve this, it presents the findings and conclusions obtained during this observation mission. It also details the challenges faced by journalists and communicators, as well as the underlying causes of the current state of freedom of expression in the country.
Authored by: Pedro Vaca Villarreal
Document Type: Report
Language: Spanish
The Special Rapporteurship for Freedom of Expression (RELE) of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) publishes the Special Report on the Situation of Freedom of Expression in Peru, following the visit conducted between May 16 and 20, 2022. The report compiles, analyzes, and systematizes the information received before, during, and after the visit to the country, addressing various complaints about violations of freedom of expression, challenges to the guarantees of this right, and recognizing progress.
Document Type: Report
Language: Spanish
The Chapultepec Index shows a concerning decline in freedom of expression and press freedoms in the Americas region. Countries like Nicaragua, Venezuela, and Cuba stand out for their restrictions, while others like Honduras, El Salvador, and Bolivia show worrying trends. Although some countries like the Dominican Republic have improved, the overall situation is concerning. It is crucial that measures are taken to protect these fundamental freedoms, as they are essential for democracy and development.
Document Type: Press release
Language: Spanish
The Argentine Journalism Forum (FOPEA) rejects President Javier Milei's criticisms of the press and warns that they only exacerbate hostility and intolerance towards journalism.
Authored by: Brenda Medina
Document Type: News Report
Language: English
ICIJ spoke with member Paúl Mena Mena about his concerns that the worsening security crisis could silence Ecuadorian journalists.
Document Type: Report
Language: Spanish
The report provides an account of the state of freedom of expression in the year 2023 and those rights associated with it, such as manifestation, information, and assembly, addressing both the actions of the State and those of journalists, activists, and the general citizenry, amidst an increasingly profound economic, political, and social crisis.
Document Type: Press release
Language: Spanish
Reporters Without Borders and seven other human rights organizations observe a serious deterioration in freedom of information in El Salvador in the context of the presidential elections held on February 4th, during which there were at least 80 violations of press freedom. National authorities must put a stop to this trend and restore genuine freedom of information.
Document Type: Report
Language: Spanish
Over the last four years, the main city councils and governorships spent over 650 million Colombian pesos, often without proper care for public resources and blurring the purposes of official advertising. In this initial phase of their mandates, the authorities of incoming city councils and governorships will face a crucial dilemma for democracy: whether to use official advertising funds to inform citizens about their management or to spend it promoting their own image and personal interests. This choice entails risks for public interest information, transparency in state spending, and the reputation of the media.
Document Type: Briefing
Language: English
The briefing represents the findings of a team constituted by the Association of Caribbean Media Workers (ACM) to investigate the state of press freedom in Haiti in the face of ongoing violent conflict and instability. It follows a series of consultations with key Haitian operatives and agencies with an interest in press freedom. There is a need for a far more comprehensive and detailed study, but it is believed that the findings have captured most of the main issues at this time.
Authored by: ADEPA & Infociudadania
Document Type: Report
Language: Spanish
The report analyzes the impact of COVID-19 on mass media in Argentina, Chile, Brazil, Uruguay, Paraguay, Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Venezuela, Costa Rica, Panama, Mexico, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Spain. During the pandemic, the whole world came to a halt, but the journalistic industry operated with extraordinary intensity. Media professionals not only had to respond to an unprecedented demand for information but also faced additional challenges associated with lack of funding, precarious physical and job security, restructuring of working conditions and modes, and phenomena such as misinformation, among other aspects.
Authored by: Agustín Espada
Document Type: Report
Language: English, Spanish
This study investigates the impact of the pandemic on the business models and sustainability strategies of Latin American media. It analyzes the sources of income, the challenges faced by the advertising market, and the adaptive measures undertaken by commercial private media to engage their audiences amidst significant shifts in social behaviors. Additionally, the study examines the roles played by state and community media in ensuring accessibility to essential information. Concluding with an assessment of the policies implemented by Latin American countries, the study evaluates their effectiveness in addressing the evolving needs of the media industry.
Document Type: Study
Language: English, Spanish, Portuguese
A study of the impact, innovation, threats, and sustainability of digital media entrepreneurs in Latin America, Southeast Asia, and Africa.
Document Type: Study
Language: English, Spanish
Project Oasis is a year-long research project on the sustainability, innovation, and impact of independent digital native news organisations in more than 40 countries across Europe. Its goal is to bring greater visibility to digital native media organisations, and to uncover new insights about the trends, opportunities, and challenges in this growing market sector.
Document Type: Study
Language: English, Spanish
This report focuses on entrepreneurial journalism education in Latin America. It delves into how new skills are being taught to address current challenges. It may stray slightly from the topic, but I believe it helps paint a contextual picture. It was funded by UNESCO.
Authored by: Nazima Raghubir
Document Type: Report
Language: English
The State of the Caribbean Media Report reflects on the growth of regional media since The Looming Storm in 2005, marking the 20th anniversary of the Association of Caribbean Media Workers (ACM). Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, this edition explores the challenges faced by the media industry while highlighting its crucial role in public life. Authored by media practitioners in collaboration with regional colleagues, the report offers insights into key issues like election coverage and climate crisis reporting. It aims to stimulate dialogue and engagement in shaping the future of Caribbean media, recognizing their significance in advancing democracy and regional development.
Authored by: Abigail Hernández & Brisa Bucardo
Document Type: News Report
Language: Spanish
Community-based indigenous press issues a call to Central American journalism to work against inequalities among the peoples of the isthmus and to unify journalism in defense of freedom of expression in the region. Seven indigenous journalists share from their realities what it means to be indigenous and a journalist in Central America.
Authored by: Periodismo de barrio & Afrocubana
Document Type: Guide
Language: Spanish
This manual, focused on the Cuban context, brings together concepts and examples of best practices, as well as explanations that will guide you in your professional actions to contribute to the eradication of discriminatory practices and the construction of fairer and more equitable worlds.
Authored by: Ricardo Corredor Cure
Document Type: Working Paper
Language: Spanish
The document is the result of consultancy work and interviews with 51 national and international experts, aimed at presenting a diagnosis and stimulating discussions and concrete proposals to address current challenges in the media ecosystem. It also proposes to develop actions for media literacy and digital citizenship, in collaboration with governmental entities and civil society organizations, to expand the impact of these initiatives. It also suggests the creation of spaces for dialogue among sector actors to discuss and agree on essential aspects related to journalistic ethics, quality and transparency standards, and measures for protection against threats and pressures.
Authored by: Public Media Alliance, UNESCO Cluster Office for the Caribbean, the Media Institute of the Caribbean (MIC), and the Association of Caribbean Media Workers (ACM)
Document Type: Report
Language: English
This situation report analyses media and information literacy (MIL), disinformation, and trust in news across the Caribbean. It contains country reports from eight researchers, covering eight Caribbean nations: the Bahamas, Barbados, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, St. Vincent & the Grenadines, Suriname, and Trinidad & Tobago. In each country, research was undertaken over a period of five months. The methods varied across the countries, and included surveys, desk research, and expert interviews. Separately, research was undertaken to determine the feasibility of a regional trusted news network.
Authored by: Naimid Cirelli
Document Type: Analysis
Language: Spanish
SembraMedia has been engaged in thoughtful consideration regarding how to effectively assist leaders of digital media outlets across the region, identifying shifting variables and addressing current needs. Whether you represent an organization, serve as an educator, or lead a media enterprise, you can benefit from their insights and learnings.
Authored by: María José Salcedo Campos, Alexandra Patricia Arévalo Muñoz & Alfredo Alejandro Suárez García
Document Type: Study
Language: English
This paper presents the results of a Friedrich Naumann Foundation investigation of press freedom in Latin America and its relationship to the financial security of journalists in Mexico, Chile, Argentina and Ecuador. The study highlights the complex interplay between financial security and press freedom, underscoring the importance of an environment where journalists can work independently and addressing the challenges they face in the pursuit of a free press in Latin America. The Friedrich Naumann Foundation contributes to this debate for democracy and human rights in the region.
Authored by: Kiran Maharaj
Document Type: Analysis
Language: English
This analysis addresses the pressing challenges confronting independent media and investigative journalism in the Caribbean. The paper stresses the importance of international donor support while advocating for tailored legislative reforms to safeguard press freedom and promote transparency. It calls for economic assistance, regulatory measures, and collaboration among stakeholders to break the cycle of media vulnerability. Without concerted action, the viability of media in the region, essential for democracy, remains at risk.
Authored by: Wesley Gibbins
Document Type: Analysis
Language: English
This analysis delves into the challenges facing Caribbean media, including declining revenues and market share due to the dominance of online platforms like Facebook and Google Ads. Traditional outlets across the region struggle with layoffs and closures, exacerbated by the rise of tech giants and the preference of domestic advertisers for cheaper online options. While policy interventions are proposed, including fiscal regulations and recognition of intellectual property value, the region faces significant hurdles in adapting to the digital age, necessitating urgent action to ensure the sector's viability.
Authored by: Monica Lopez-Golan & Nancy Ulloa Erazo
Document Type: Study
Language: Spanish
This paper shows that the trend in Latin American public television experiences is marked, in general, by a diversification of financing where the public initiative receives both public and private funds. However, there are exceptions to models of public television stations with a self-financing system, which allows them more independence from the government and impartiality in the programming design.
Authored by: Alejandro Felix Linares
Document Type: Study
Language: Spanish
"The article reconstructs the financing mechanisms, related regulations, and trends in the budgets managed by state-owned media in Argentina, Colombia, Chile, and Brazil. From there, trends and comparisons are drawn, contrasting with the experiences of Canada and the United Kingdom. The central period selected spans from 2014 to 2017, but it seeks to recognize regularities or ruptures over time by retrieving figures from 2004 and 2009. The methodology includes conducting interviews, evaluating accounting documentation, reviewing public documents, and analyzing specific literature.
It is concluded that limiting sources of funding to the national budget or commercial advertising undermines the predictability of these projects. Therefore, the advantages of incorporating a variety of economic supply mechanisms are proposed."
Document Type: Report
Language: Spanish
The news agency Télam's offices were sealed and surrounded by police, and its website was shut down. According to Reporters Without Borders (RSF), the decision by the recently elected president, Javier Milei, to close the country's main public news agency deals a severe blow to the right to information and sends an alarming signal for media pluralism. The suspension of Télam could be just the first stage of a long chain of attacks against the media by a president openly hostile to the press.
Document Type: Analysis
Language: English
The article talks about the uncertain future of public media in Argentina during the recent elections. One candidate wants to get rid of public media altogether. There's not much trust or interest in media among the public, and the upcoming election could decide what happens to public service media. Javier Milei's far-right party wants to get rid of public services like media. Public media is closely tied to the government, no matter who's in charge. Financial problems and the possibility of privatization make things even harder for public media. Nobody knows what will happen next, but some people are trying to protect public media's role in democracy and making sure everyone can get information.
Document Type: Report
Language: Spanish
From 2000 to the present, ARTICLE 19 has documented 163 murders of journalists in Mexico, possibly related to their work. Of these, 43 have occurred during the current government of Andrés Manuel López Obrador, and 47 during the previous administration of Enrique Peña Nieto. The government of Javier Duarte, which began in December 2010 and ended on November 30, 2016, in Veracruz, has been the deadliest for journalists: 18 journalists murdered (including photojournalist Rubén Espinosa). This state has the highest record of journalist murders, with 31.
Document Type: Report
Language: English, Spanish
The report addresses the complex challenges media professionals face in the region. It provides an analysis of the needs of displaced journalists as well as recommendations for the implementation of a comprehensive response programme encompassing short-term policies and long-term actions across legal, psychosocial support, media sustainability, and safety domains.
If your organisation is working in the LATAM region, please view the third tab of this spreadsheet.
If you'd like access to edit the spreadsheet, please send an e-mail to communications@gfmd.info
Information from the spreadsheet will be used to:
Inform the GFMD regional summit on 4 May.
Identify gaps in funding and areas for collaboration/coordination.
Further advocacy for donors, funders and policymakers.
