Welcome to MediaDev Insider, GFMD’s roundup of major policy news and initiatives from the world of media development and journalism support.

🇪🇪 The 3rd Global Conference for Media Freedom takes place next week in Estonia!

Read on to find out about: 
📅 the GFMD/CIMA sessions in Tallinn on 9 February.
📋 our new  survey on effective media development.

Tom Law, head of policy and learning - on behalf of the GFMD Secretariat

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A sustainable and viable future for journalism – designing effective interventions - 12:30-14:00 (EET, Tallinn time)
This session will bring together media development donors, practitioners and academics to review the latest evidence on how donor support to journalism and media can effectively respond to the evolving challenges of media sustainability and viability. (Agenda here)
 
Renewing the principles for effective media support - 14:15-15:45 (EET, Tallinn time) 
International donors, key implementing agencies, and civil society organisations concerned with the protection of press freedom, freedom of expression, and the sustainability of independent media are calling for the adoption of principles for effective media support. This session will build on the consultations that CIMA and GFMD began last year to provide recommendations on support to media to the Summit for Democracy. As outlined in this draft Concept Note, developing these principles can guide and inform the international response to the crisis in the independent media sector. (Agenda here)

➡️ More details, literature reviews, and background briefings will be shared via the GFMD IMPACT newsletter. Sign up here.
ℹ️ For background on GFMD IMPACT see: impact.gfmd.info

To inform the process of collaboratively developing renewed principles for effective media development and support journalism (see above ☝️), GFMD has launched a survey to gather perspectives from across the field.

➡️ Please answer the survey on effective media support here.

Why take this survey? It has an impact on our work, our members and the wider community! For example, the results of the last major GFMD survey on these subjects in 2019 A) informed GFMD's strategy and advocacy efforts, B) has been widely quoted by donors, researchers and policymakers, and C) triggered the creation of two major GFMD initiatives:
1️⃣ GFMD IMPACT - the International Media Policy Advisory Centre
2️⃣ The MediaDev Fundraising Guide

⏳The whole survey should take around 15-20 minutes to answer.
🙏It would be particularly helpful if you could add suggestions and ideas in the comment boxes provided.

➡️ Please answer the survey on effective media support here.

A meeting of the 🇱🇧 Joint Coordination Mechanism for Lebanon in December last year discussed a report commissioned by GFMD on Funding Landscape for Media Development Actors in Lebanon. The report identifies 📈positive trends, ⚠️ areas of improvement, and provides ✅ recommendations for donors and implementing agencies.  

The meeting also heard perspectives from donors and implementers on effective programme design and the structure of media support. 

➡️ Download the full report on Lebanese MediaDev funding here.
➡️ Read the highlights of the coordination meeting here.