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This month's briefing looks at the emergence around the world of ‘national funds for journalism’ (NFJs) as a particular instrument for providing strategic, long-term financial support to independent public interest media and media sectors and ecosystems.
It builds on recent research and consultations undertaken by GFMD IMPACT which show that, in a wide range of places, different actors are exploring or actively advocating for NFJs as a key pillar in the use of public and private funds to respond to the widely acknowledged financial crisis faced by independent public interest media.
While there have been examples of NFJs in the past, there is a range of important factors driving the current wave of interest, including:
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Growing international recognition that journalism and media represent a powerful and strategic sector that contributes to democracy, economy, and community - and that, as a public good, should be supported in part by public funding
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Increasing clarity that past paradigms of media support and media markets are not sufficient to counteract or fix widespread market failure
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Stronger demands across the Global South for more resources and more decision-making powers to be put directly in Global South hands, alongside pressure on Global North actors to go through processes of decolonisation
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The need to create stable, long-term funding structures that can unlock funding at scale from governments, ODA, philanthropies, and tech companies, while clearly demonstrating funding sources have no influence over how funds are spent
Take a look below to see how you can contribute
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🔍 Definition: A National Fund for Journalism (NFJ) is a dedicated structure that is designed with a strategic sectoral purpose to provide long-term funding to an independent journalism ecosystem in a particular country, region or place. It can take different forms, but in essence is designed to redress shortcomings, barriers or imbalances in a particular media market, or to incentivise, catalyse or accelerate new entrants or transformative processes in that market.
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Discussion paper: Based on recent research and consultations, GFMD IMPACT has produced a discussion paper that attempts to answer the following questions:
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What kinds of objectives do NFJs have? NFJs are likely to have a public interest perspective and need to express their objectives clearly and transparently and explain how they plan to measure the public value (including social, economic, community or commercial value) and the public benefit they enable.
What is driving increased interest in NFJs as a strategic solution? The research and consultations identified at least seven important factors driving the current wave of interest.
What systemic challenges can NFJs address? Each media market around the world will face particular systemic challenges - such as information inequality - that a National Fund can be a key part of seeking to address (alongside media policy reform, fiscal or financial measures, investment incentives, or other forms of intervention). In some places, this can be as part of a formal wider national plan, and in others, it may be less formally coordinated. Read the full paper for 9 examples.
What design questions do those setting up a fund need to ask? While each fund is created in a specific context in which arrangements vary hugely, GFMD IMPACT has identified 17 key questions that need to be considered.
Which approaches are used to establish NFJs? There is no single or best practice approach and no single stakeholder that is best suited to developing the concept for or leading the establishment of a National Fund for Journalism. A range of different scenarios and approaches can be observed showing different pathways through which a National Fund for Journalism could be established, depending on who might be the most appropriate stakeholder in a particular country or context. Read the full paper for descriptions and examples of six different approaches.
What practical steps and lessons learned about good practice can be observed from existing or proposed NFJs? The concept of an NJF may be initiated by a government department, an independent inquiry, industry bodies, bilateral or philanthropic funders, civil society groups, private citizens, or another party, but across all these types of funds, there are certain steps and approaches that they have in common and that others considering establishing a fund could also learn from.
The paper also outlines a number of considerations for the media development community.
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💬 READ AND COMMENT ON THE DISCUSSION PAPER
The discussion paper will remain open for suggestions until end of August. The findings and recommendations will be presented at a number of fora to inform the creation, development, and design of planned, ongoing and future national journalism funds.
If you wish to use this paper and/or invite GFMD IMPACT to take part in discussions, working groups, or conferences related to national journalism funds please contact the GFMD IMPACT help desk:
helpdesk-impact@gfmd.info
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OTHER GFMD IMPACT INSIGHTS ON MEDIA VIABILITY
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✍️ JournalismAI Global Survey 2023: JournalismAI is a project of Polis – the journalism think-tank at the London School of Economics and Political Science – developed in collaboration with the Google News Initiative.
More context: By completing the survey, you will be providing invaluable insights that will be of critical importance to the development of our research and training efforts. If you wish, you will also become part of a global community of innovators interested in building a sustainable and ethical future for the use of AI technologies in journalism. More details here.
How to engage: Fill out the survey here. For questions and/or queries, please send an email to the JournalismAI manager, Tshepo at tshepo@journalismai.info
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📄 Big Tech and Journalism - Principles for Fair Compensation: The Big Tech and Journalism – Building a Sustainable Future for the Global South conference hosted by the GIBS Media Leadership Think Tank was held from 13-14 July 2023 at the Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) in Johannesburg.
More context: The conference culminated in the adoption of ‘Big Tech and Journalism: Principles for Fair Compensation’. The Principles are intended to be universal, serving as a framework for any country seeking to address media sustainability through competition or regulatory approaches, while enabling adaptation to the unique context. It is hoped that the Principles will represent an important step forward in addressing news media sustainability in the tumultuous era of Big Tech. More details here.
How to engage: If you or your organisation wish to endorse these principles, please send your name, designation and organisation to markovitzm@gibs.co.za.
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📑 Call for Applications - Support to Organisations Setting Up Press Councils: The Dutch-speaking Press Council in Belgium (Raad) and the Council for Mass Media in Finland (MGCCM) are launching a project to support organisations that want to set up new press or media councils in countries or regions where one does not yet exist.
More context: The project aims to provide specific organisational and substantive support based on the needs of the particular country/organisation. The approach will depend on the development of the organisations in becoming a press or media council. More details here.
How to engage: Applications must be written in English and must be submitted by e-mail by September 15, 2023, at the latest. Applications should be addressed to Pieter Knapen (pieter.knapen@rvdj.be), Secretary General of the Raad and to Laura Juntunen (laura.juntunen@jsn.fi), Complaints Analyst at the MGCCM.
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📌 AI Charter in Media: Reporters Without Borders (RSF) and its partners are launching an international committee to develop a charter aimed at regulating the use of AI in media. The committee is chaired by Nobel Peace Prize laureate, Maria Ressa.
More context: The initiative will be managed by Reporters Without Borders (RSF) in partnership with major NGOs defending journalism (FPU, EJN, CPJ, IPI, GFMD), media representative organisations for the press (WAN-IFRA) and TV (ABU, EBU) as well as investigative journalism consortia (ICIJ, OCCRP). The reputation of the members and the diversity of the partner organisations should make this text a reference in the media industry.
How to engage: Learn more here.
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Eight practices lead to revenue sustainability for these statewide nonprofit news outlets (July 2023). The Institute for Nonprofit News article outlines eight practices that contribute to revenue sustainability for statewide nonprofit news outlets. These practices aim to help these organizations maintain financial stability and effectively deliver important news to their audiences.
Chilling Legislation: Tracking the Impact of “Fake News” Laws on Press Freedom Internationally (July 2023). The CIMA report examines the detrimental effects of counterterrorism laws on media freedom globally. It highlights how these laws have been misused to suppress journalistic activities, leading to a concerning decline in press freedom worldwide.
News publishers declare global principles for bargaining with Big Tech (July 2023). The Poynter article by Anya Schiffrin and Courtney Radsch explores a recent two-day meeting in Johannesburg, South Africa, which brought together journalists and scholars from around the world to discuss how to implement such codes and agree on principles that can help with the drafting of the laws.
Towards a Media Viability Manifesto (July 2023). At an IAMCR (International Association for Media and Communication Research) pre-conference in Lyon, media development researchers and practitioners came together to discuss new frontiers for media viability. DW Akademie and International Media Support (IMS) organized an interactive session to kick off discussions about a Media Viability Manifesto, which offers opportunities for collaboration to facilitate more effective support.
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WHAT DO YOU NEED TO KNOW?
Our HELP DESK uses a network of experts and resources brought together by the GFMD IMPACT team to respond in a timely fashion to requests from donors, media development and journalism support practitioners and policymakers.
Email helpdesk-impact@gfmd.info for more information and to submit a request.
ABOUT GFMD IMPACT
GFMD's International Media Policy and Advisory Centre enables informed, evidence-based decisions about media development and journalism support strategies, programming, funding, and advocacy.
Learn more about GFMD IMPACT.
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