Journalism, democracy & governance

Articles about the effectiveness of donor and foundation-supported journalism can support democracy & governance.

JFunders Conference 2022: Journalism & Civic Engagement

Media Impact Funders

Some highlights from the JFunders Conference on journalism and local democracy in the United States.

This session highlights two new collaborative initiatives working to elevate civic engagement and dialogue on the local level. Last year, Hearken launched the Democracy SOS program to serve 20 newsrooms investing in long-term change to their civic reporting. And the Lenfest Institute for Journalism recently launched a comprehensive effort in Philadelphia to catalyze broad community engagement ahead of the city’s 2023 mayoral election. The 19th’s Editor-at-Large Errin Haines moderates.

Curtailing media freedom in democracies (Oct. 2022)

DW Akademie - JAN LUBLINSKI

Curtailing media freedom in democraciesDeutsche Welle

In this interview for DW Akademie, Erich de la Fuente, professor at Florida International University, reveals the subtle ways in which journalists and media freedoms have been under increasing pressure in illiberal democracies:

What about individuals? In authoritarian states, individuals are being arrested or physically threatened. Are similar things going on in democracies?

In the more liberal ones, no. But non-physical harassment of journalists is the other part of this equation, which comes in the form of defamation or persecution online. Nobody is shutting down your media house. But there is a constant onslaught on journalists. Presidents in Latin America have been railing against the media for years — long before Trump did it.

Tunisian journalists fear erosion of press freedom (Oct. 2022)

Reuters

Tunisian journalists fear erosion of press freedomReuters

• Journalists union says government critics blacklisted

• New law imposes jail terms for 'false information'

• President defends changes, says he protects freedoms

• TV covers protests, satire survives, but fears persist

How we know journalism is good for democracy (Sept. 2022)

Democracy Fund- JOSH STEARNS, CHRISTINE SCHMIDT

How We Know Journalism is Good for DemocracyDemocracy Fund

This article summarises how journalism is good for democracy in the following points:

• Strong local journalism means more people turn out to vote.

• Thorough local journalism helps people be less biased when considering candidates.

• Every dollar spent on local news produces hundreds of dollars in public benefit by exposing corruption and keeping an eye on government spending.

• Quality local journalism can counter divisive national narratives that aim to stoke polarization.

• Weak local journalism means fewer people vote.

15 journalists, media worker jailed under pre-trial arrest in Turkey (June, 2022)

Committee to Protect Journalists

15 journalists, media worker jailed under pre-trial arrest in Turkey - Committee to Protect JournalistsCommittee to Protect Journalists

"A Turkish court in the southeastern Diyarbakır city ordered the arrests of the 16 on Wednesday, June 15, according to news reports. The specifics of the charges are unclear after another court issued a gag order on the investigation, but all 21 detained journalists and media workers were questioned about their journalistic activities, according to independent news website Bianet, which cited Resul Tamur, a lawyer representing the 16 arrested."

The Fight for Press Freedom is Local (May, 2022)

Project Syndicate- JOS MIDAS BARTMAN

The Fight for Press Freedom Is LocalProject Syndicate

"National leaders who attack independent media attract most of the attention. But powerful authoritarian subnational elites, and a local political milieu that all but guarantees them impunity, pose the deadliest threat to journalists."

How authoritorian governments are enlisting platforms for state censorship (April, 2022)

EUIdeas- GIDEON SARPONG

How authoritarian governments are enlisting platforms for state censorship | EUIdeasEUIdeas

"The increasing turn to social media platforms for news has not gone unnoticed by autocratic leaders around the world today, whose hold on power depends on the ability to silence dissent, muzzle truth-telling and censor independent news media. That is why content moderation policies must be designed with protection of human rights and press freedom in mind. Otherwise, such policies can have devastating consequences for democratic movements and media under autocratic regimes."

Belarus: 18 months of media repression (Feb. 2022)

International Press Institute - VEERA NIKKANEN, HELSINGIN SANOMAT FOUNDATION, JOURNALISM FELLOW AT IPI

Belarus: 18 months of media repression – ipi.mediaipi.media

Since the elections in Belarus, "over 130 journalists have been sentenced to detention for different periods of time, according to information gathered by the Belarusian Association of Journalists." Thus, the "international community must keep focus on the continuing crackdown on independent media in Belarus."

Do countries with better-funded public media also have healthier democracies? Of course they do (Jan. 24, 2022)

NiemanLab- JOSHUA BENTON

"Public broadcasters are part of a nation's media-political system- but they're also the result of it. More public funding of media would do some wonderful things on the ground to create more informed and engaged communities."

Tipping Point: Democratic Erosion and the Assault on Press Freedom (October 27 2021)

Tipping Point: Democratic Erosion and the Assault on Press FreedomCenter for International Media Assistance

CIMA- KATE MUSGRAVE

"Time and time again, would-be-autocrats seek to methodically dismantle press freedom and independence as an early step towards power. Analysis of this trend bolsters a growing international effort to support and safeguard independent media as a strategy for revitalizing democratic progress."

Community newspapers in Rio de Janeiro’s favelas fill information gaps, fight stereotypes to produce truly local journalism (November 6, 2021)

LatAm Journalism Review- LEONARDO COELHO

Community newspapers in Rio de Janeiro’s favelas fill information gaps, fight stereotypes to produce truly local journalismLatAm Journalism Review by the Knight Center

Radio: a key humanitarian response tool (September 2021)

ELRHA- DR. EMMA HEYWOOD (SHEFFIELD UNIVERSITY), DR LASSANÉ YAMEOGO (CNRST-OUAGADOUGOU) IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE FONDATION HIRONDELLE/STUDIO YAFA IN BURKINA FASO

"Humanitarian practitioners and policymakers should not simply use the radio to bombard top-down messages produced by outsiders. Involving the target listening community in the production and dissemination of messages, for example through interactive programmes, will improve the uptake and implementation of public health recommendations."

Turning the Tide on Autocrats Starts with Supporting a Free Press (October 14, 2021)

Center for International Media Assistance- DAMON WILSON, NICHOLAS BENEQUISTA

Turning the Tide on Autocrats Starts with Supporting a Free PressCenter for International Media Assistance

“At a moment of existential threat to independent media in many countries, the award of the Nobel Peace Prize to two of the world’s bravest and most committed journalists—Maria Ressa of Rappler, and Dmitry Muratov of Novaya Gazeta—sends an important message. For the sake of democratic societies, a free press and access to trustworthy information must remain sacred.”

Critical Information Consumption is Vital to the Future of Democracy: A Paradigm Shift from Media Development to Creating Vibrant Information (2017)

CIMA - ALEKSANDER DARDELI (IREX)

Critical Information Consumption is Vital to the Future of Democracy: A Paradigm Shift from Media Development to Creating Vibrant InformationCenter for International Media Assistance

Media and Communication in Governance: It's Time for a Rethink (2015)

Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development - JAMES DEANE

https://www.oecd.org/dac/accountable-effective-institutions/Governance%20Notebook%203.4%20Deane.pdfwww.oecd.org

"Governance strategies have been generally poor at integrating media and communication issues into their analysis, research and strategic plans. This article considers the reasons for this, some of which are rational. It argues that the impact of changing media and communication landscapes on governance outcomes is increasing, that the way in which the media is conceptualised in relationship to governance needs a rethink and that governance policy needs to find better ways of prioritising it."

Freedom of expression promotes democracy (2014)

Development and Cooperation - ALEXANDER MATSCHKE

Freedom of expression promotes democracy | D+C - Development + Cooperationwww.dandc.eu

Matschke sets the stage by breaking down the evolution of media development programs over the past thirty years, as the ad-hoc training of journalists approach has shifted to more systematic programs that deal with the media environment as a whole. (CIMA)

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