In 2024, the media development sector has achieved an important milestone under the leadership of the Center for International Media Assistance (CIMA) and the Global Forum for Media Development (GFMD): The Organization for Co-operation and Development (OECD) published the Development Co-operation Principles for Relevant and Effective Support to Media and the Information Environment.
Against this backdrop, DW Akademie's State of Media Development Report provides evidence on how the sector is faring. It drew on the six principles for relevant and effective media support outlined by OECD, such as: How well is the media development sector fulfilling these principles? Where is it making important contributions? And what points are in need of further improvement? You can download the full report here.
Insights based on 76 interviews and a sector-wide survey
To gather insights, an online survey was sent to all 203 GFMD member organizations and to additional partner institutions from the 11 largest international media development organizations. In total, representatives from 77 bodies took part (from 16 international, 21 regional and 40 national/local organizations).
Additionally, key informant interviews were conducted with 76 individuals who work in the sector. Interviewees included representatives of organizations based in countries across the globe as well as non-affiliated consultants with a good overview of the sector. Further details on the methodology can be found in the report's annex.
DW Akademie’s report team sincerely wishes to thank the seven regional researchers who conducted, transcribed and translated interviews and boosted survey participation in partner countries: Jean Claude Bitsure, Giorgi Jangiani, Emy Osorio Matorel, Robi Koki Ochieng, Umesh Pokharel, Samar Sabry and Jean-Pierre Uwimana.
The media development sector at a juncture
The empirical base for this report was laid between December 2024 and February 2025. Data was gathered at the brink of the current shifts in the media development sector, prior to and at the beginning of US President Donald Trump’s second term in office.
Hence, the findings should be read as a baseline describing the state of media development prior to the withdrawal of US funding. However, this report does take into account recent developments: Regional experts affiliated with the GFMD provided contributed their assessment in additional interviews. Nick Benequista from the National Endowment for Democracy's Center for International Media Assistance kindly provided an introductory article.
