Future of Journalism Conference Debates Effects on Media Development
28.05.10Conclusions of a panel moderated by the GFMD at an international conference on the future of journalism highlighted the need for more engagement with civil society by media and more support for media development.
“More support for media development is one way to ensure quality journalism worldwide”, said GFMD Director Bettina Peters. “Many GFMD members are already carrying out activities engaging with civil society, such as media literacy programmes, media law reform or campaigns on access to information.”
“More media outlets does not necessarily mean more quality”, said GFMD member Sevanti Ninan of thehoot.org in India. “We are now the second largest newspaper market in the world with some 100 million circulation daily but our media landscape is characterised by corruption. The Press Council of India published a study this year, which showed that newspapers have so called rate cards where they offer positive coverage of politicians or companies for a price and for slightly more money they will write negative pieces about the competition. Media development programmes addressing this problem are sorely needed in India.”
The panel concluded that more action was needed by media companies and donors to promote quality.
A useful tool in the campaign for quality journalism is the ISAS system developed by the Media and Society Foundation (http://www.media-society.org). Through promoting ISAS standards in their own country, media development NGOs can establish minimum standards of transparency and accountability within media companies.
The panel took place at the Journalism: In Touch with the Future conference held in Cadiz, Spain on May 25. The event was attended by 250 media professionals from 90 countries.