This digest has been produced in cooperation with the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ)
Donors provide assistance to the media sector by backing projects that aim to strengthen the contribution of media to good governance in certain way. This kind of funding is consistent with recent declarations made by the international community on the importance of protecting independent media for the sake of democracy and development. Yet, donors still commit only a tiny fraction to this section and appear to be slowly responding, if at all, to the challenges of press freedom in the digital age.
Key findings of the report:
- Between 2010 and 2015, media assistance represented just 0.3% on average of total official development aid
- Donor flows to media are small, but steady
- Media assistance is mostly channeled through governments
- Media is perceived as a pillar of governance democracy by donors
- Sustainability is a major challenge, with many donor-supported media outlets relying only on funding and have to close down after the support ends
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