International Fund for Public Interest Media’s Post

With rising authoritarianism and rampant disinformation, independent journalism stands as a bulwark against the erosion of democracy. Yet, as a recent OECD Development report highlights, global support for public interest media remains woefully inadequate. OECD's analysis reveals that in 2022, less than 0.2% of global foreign aid goes to supporting media, despite the vital role of free press in combating disinformation and upholding democracy. The International Fund for Public Interest Media offers a solution, providing a multilateral approach to funnel resources to newsrooms worldwide while maintaining their editorial integrity. Learn more from IFPIM's Nishant Lalwani, Maha Taki, and James Deane for Project Syndicate: 💡 "The world has changed drastically in the last ten years, and a shift in donor strategy is long overdue. Now is the time to save independent journalism. The longer we let disinformation thrive, the less likely it will be that democracy survives."

🇧🇦 Above all of this, there is the US and the EU, who disagree about the reforms. While the US gave their approval, the EU criticised the top-down approach of the German politician. A delicate matter such as electoral reforms shouldn’t be decided above the heads of the citizens. This kind of approach conflicts with the plans of Bosnia’s accession to the EU, especially just one week after the decision of the European Council to proceed with the negotiations for accession. 🗞️ Alessandro Cinciripini in today’s newsletter. https://buff.ly/3PR2QqM #BosniaAndHerzegovina #Politics #EuropeanCorrespondent

Last Friday, I participated in the very interesting discussion at the OECD regarding effective support to media partners in a rapidly evolving information environment. Access to fact-checked, independent journalism is one of the best and most effective bulwarks of democracy, and so, increased media support to protect journalists, support independent media and provide counter-narratives to disinformation needs to be a top donor priority in countries where authoritarian tendencies are rife.

Where is EU's journalism funding going? Yes, to those already privileged. "It seems a lot of the money is flowing to some of the richest EU countries, where the press is the freest, rather than to the places where it’s needed most, with Greece being a notable exception. This imbalance perpetuates existing inequalities and stifles the growth and independence of media outlets in regions where free press is under greater threat." More in this week's Media Finance Monitor: https://lnkd.in/dXqhdyci

It can be easy to take for granted what New Zealand can contribute to the international intelligence community due to our small size. However, the article below describes a great example of how quality of assessment product matters more than resources. The focus of the article is the US State Department’s Bureau of Intelligence and Research. Key points that it makes are: - The Department's success at producing accurate geopolitical and thematic assessments is down to the quality and experience of its people. - Dissent against other agencies assessments has been a recurring theme over the years. - They make good use of limited collection resources, focussing on the information that cannot be collected by other means. https://lnkd.in/eFch4JbR

🇷🇸 Even though Serbia is adapting its legal structure in a bid for EU membership, the decline of press freedom in Serbia is clear. The country now ranks 98th on the Global Press Ranking published by Reporters without Borders. This is Serbia's worst ranking in 22 years. The environment for independent journalists, especially those exposing corruption and election fraud, is outright hostile. Cases of online abuse, physical violence, death threats, and intimidation are not in short supply. According to the Independent Journalist Association of Vojvodina, public institutions routinely stonewall journalists' requests for information, and the media's access to public information is often tightly controlled. The Independent Journalists Association of Serbia (NUNS) reported 11 physical attacks and 46 serious threats against journalists during 2023. In the first 3 months of 2024 alone, 38 such cases were reported – three times higher than in the same period in 2023. NUNS also highlights that this doesn't even include the many unreported cases where journalists stay silent out of fear of retaliation. 🗞️ Nevena Vracar in today's newsletter. https://buff.ly/4h89PaX #Media #Serbia #EuropeanCorrespondent

"What we’re seeing globally, with even more acuteness in low and middle income countries, is a lot of outlets shutting down, or being captured by private or political interests. Perhaps more frequent and less visible, but extremely important, is a slow degradation of the capacity of media organisations working in the public interest to maintain their coverage and to hold power to account. That slow degradation is deeply worrying for the future of our information ecosystems and for democracy." We recently interviewed Pierrick Judeaux at the International Fund for Public Interest Media (IFPIM) on the critical role of funding independent journalism in low and middle-income countries. Check out the full interview here! https://bit.ly/3YaaJer

A blog from James Deane and me about the new OECD - OCDE report on funding for independent media. We knew that Official Development Assistance levels in this space were too low - our previous estimates were that it was just 0.3% of all foreign aid - but it turns out it's even worse. According to the report: "When support to media and communications infrastructure is excluded, ODA for media has actually remained stagnant, at around USD 500 million a year since 2008 (representing 0.19% of total ODA in 2022)." In a world where disinformation is on the rise, election integrity is being compromised and mechanisms like the International Fund for Public Interest Media now exist to channel funding to independent journalism, there's no excuse for this shockingly poor response to the crisis in information integrity.

ZM: President Hakainde Hichilema writes.. On the occasion of World Press Freedom Day 2024, we highlight the crucial role of journalists in addressing Zambia's environmental crisis. Themed "A Press for the Planet: Journalism in the Face of the Environmental Crisis," we urge journalists to prioritise truthful and impactful reporting on the challenges posed by the ongoing drought emergency and extreme weather events in our region. It is imperative that journalists direct public discourse towards solutions and action, fostering greater awareness and understanding of the environmental issues affecting our country. Through responsible journalism, we can inspire positive change and collective efforts to safeguard our planet for future generations. Hakainde Hichilema President of the Republic of Zambia

The media has become nothing more than a tool for manipulation, a monopolistic force that controls what we see, think, and believe... Gone are the days of brave, independent journalism. Today, mediocrity is the new standard, serving the interests of the powerful while suffocating the truth. Journalists who dare to expose the realities on the ground, like the brave ones in Gaza, are silenced 😥 Over 134 murdered for revealing the brutal reality of the genocide. The media, once the supposed watchdog of democracy, now falsifies and manipulates the news, distorting the truth to fit the agenda of the oppressors. Instead of giving a voice to the voiceless, they broadcast lie after lie, protecting the powerful and complicit in the ongoing injustice.