Media Viability Survey: Finding a Common Language for Joint Action

Media outlets worldwide are facing a common and urgent problem: their traditional business models are no longer feasible. This poses an immense challenge that transcends borders, affecting media outlets in the so-called Global South and North alike.

To protect independent media and safeguard our fundamental right to freedom of expression, we need a systemic change that involves journalists, media freedom advocates, regulators, big tech platforms, political actors, and media developers.

But here’s the thing: collective action can only succeed if we speak a common language. Only by establishing common conceptual ground can we ensure that media development makes a meaningful impact, that advocacy finds fertile ground, and that donors are convincingly informed about the purpose and significance of their funding. Until now, terms like viability, sustainability, and resilience are often used interchangeably without conceptual clarity.

And this is where we need your opinion!

We invite you to participate in this survey, which aims to explore the terminology and understandings used by different actors concerned with Media Viability across various contexts. The results will be incorporated into a Media Viability Manifesto, which expands research into the use cases of this terminology and includes an overview of Media Viability approaches. The survey consists of 15 questions and will take approximately 15 minutes to complete. Your responses will be treated with strict confidentiality and while we appreciate your open participation in the survey, you are given the option to provide your answers anonymously.

Let’s bring Media Viability forward – together!

This survey is a collaborative effort by DW Akademie, International Media Support, Free Press Unlimited, Sembra Media, FT Strategies, BBC Media Action, and the Global Forum for Media Development. If you have any questions, or feedback, or require support regarding the survey, please do not hesitate to contact us using the contact details provided below. Thank you for your valuable time and contribution.

Dr. Clare Cook
Head of Journalism and Media Viability
International Media Support

Dr. Laura Moore
Head of Research and Evaluation
DW Akademie

Elena Koehler
Policy and Learning
DW Akademie
Kurt-Schumacher-Straße 3
53113 Bonn, Germany
elena.koehler@dw.com
+49 228 429 2982

Fill out the survey here.