The media is a crucial pillar of any free, fair and informed society. Media outlets are facing unprecedented economic and technological challenges and there is an alarming increase in attacks on journalists around the world.
An independent and thriving media holds governments and businesses to account and empowers citizens to make better decisions for themselves and their communities.
Societies in which journalists are able to report freely and professionally are safer and more inclusive. Institutions are more transparent and accountable, and power and resources are distributed more justly.
The vital role that journalists play is increasingly under attack around the world. The profession faces unprecedented economic and technological challenges. Rising government control of the news industry, disruption of traditional business models, rapid changes in how people consume news, growing competition from alternative media, proliferation of misinformation and disinformation, and the resulting erosion of public trust in news sources undermine accurate and impartial journalism. At the same time, there has been an alarming increase in attacks on journalists globally.
We work with journalists, media managers, legal practitioners, policymakers, regulators, technologists, academia and businesses to foster a free and prosperous media ecosystem that can play a vital role in supporting democracy and development.
Our media freedom work combines our unique blend of expertise in the journalism, media development and legal fields, with the aim of:
Our Media Freedom work centres on the following pillars:
We support local media to produce accurate, impartial and reliable journalism that bolsters government and business accountability and ensures public access to information.
Training and mentoring for journalists
We train reporters around the world, promoting integrity, independence, and freedom from bias in news reporting. The core of our training is focused on:
Cross-border journalism networks
We connect and support journalists in different countries to exchange perspectives, share best practice and collaborate on investigative stories and other projects.
We work to create a positive environment for media to operate independently and safely, and to improve the professional and business standards of independent media in countries at risk.
Legal research and guides to promote media freedom
We work with media professionals and law firms to research media laws and regulation, to strengthen the media ecosystem and to guide journalists and media managers seeking to produce free and independent journalism.
We provide a host of resources, including tools, guides and country-level research for lawyers, media professionals and regulators.
Convening initiatives to share best practice and strengthen the media ecosystem
We regularly bring together media practitioners, media freedom NGOs, lawyers and academics to provide practical collaborative opportunities – including partnerships, alliances, networks and events – to share best practice and develop tangible solutions to strengthen media freedom and the independent media ecosystem generally.
Advisory support to independent news outlets
We provide bespoke support to media organisations on all aspects of their operations, from editorial standards and operational management to business sustainability, with the aim of strengthening independent media voices in countries where free and independent media is at risk of shrinking.
We work with journalists, editors and media executives to ensure they face the opportunities and challenges of a changing media environment from a position of strength and to help them build better and more sustainable journalism for tomorrow.
Training the next generation of journalists
Since 2018, we have been partnering with the Arab Youth Center to deliver innovative training solutions as part of theYouth Arab Media Leaders Programme, an initiative aimed at educating future media leaders in the MENA region on topics ranging from media literacy to video journalism – all of which are fundamental pillars in the work of sustaining a positive media ecosystem.
We also work with academic institutions to strengthen professional development opportunities for journalists.
Building on our solid track record in the media development and legal fields, we will continue to expand our work to advance and defend media freedom.
Currently, we are working towards: