Research papers

The time to prepare for crises is now!

DW Akademie's new discussion paper "Weathering Crisis. Ensuring Media Viability, continuity and resilience" is a call to action for media organizations to assess risks and prepare for crises.

COVID-19 and the global media sector: Developments and ways forward

COVID-19 has taken a heavy toll on freedom of expression, access to information, and media freedom. But functioning media are a precondition for an inclusive recovery. How can development actors address the challenges? (17.11.2021)

Discussion Paper: Media Viability in the digital age

This paper presents a new model for Media Viability at a time when media outlets face enormous difficulties delivering quality reporting while staying financially afloat. (08.03.2019)

Discussion Paper: The Media Viability Indicators (MVIs)

What stops a country's media sector from producing high quality journalism and being sustainable? DW Akademie offers media practitioners, activists, and scholars a new framework to assess media viability. (19.05.2020)

Discussion paper: Measuring media viability

The publication presents DW Akademie's suggestion for new indicators to measure media viability around the world. The criteria were developed as an amendment to UNESCO's Media Development Indicators. (11.01.2017)

Discussion Paper: Considering the Dark Side of the Media

Many media act as mouthpieces of the powerful and advance polarization in society. This dark side of the media and its interaction with other parts of society is the focus of a new DW Akademie discussion paper. (19.06.2015)

Discussion Paper: Media and Information Literacy

Media and information literacy (MIL) is linked to access to information, free expression and education. A new DW Akademie discussion paper analyzes several MIL projects and the issue of stakeholder involvement. (20.10.2015)

Displacement communication: “Let it be as local as possible”

For years, DW Akademie has encouraged discussions on freedom of expression and information access for displaced people. These discussions have now been distilled into eight recommendations.

"No newspapers here" – Three studies on the information needs of people in and around refugee camps in East Africa

The number of people affected by displacement has been growing for decades – so has their need for information. Assessments in Ethiopia, Kenya and Tanzania show that this need is very different depending on the location.

Study: Media, migration and displacement in the Middle East and North Africa

DW Akademie commissioned field studies in six Middle Eastern and Northern African countries in 2019/20 to understand the communication challenges posed by migration and displacement. Available in English and French.

How close should we get? Media and conflict

DW Akademie’s publication collects stories from around the world exploring various roles media play with regard to conflict.

Handbook: Greater female participation in Cambodia

The EU-funded project "Women into politics! Greater female participation in Cambodia" took a multi-pronged, multimedia, participatory approach to getting more women involved in the political process (2018-12-06)

Tips for creating public awareness campaigns for Africa

This DW Akademie booklet profiles eight public awareness campaigns conducted in African countries. It gives an overview of how the campaigns were designed and implemented, and outlines the lessons learned. (16.10.2018)

Study: Audience Research in Media Development

The study summarizes the state of the art regarding audience research in media development. It tests innovative methods in three case studies, providing inspiration for research, monitoring, and evaluation. (07.11.2017)

Publication: How to support the media in conflict regions

The DW Akademie publication explores the role media development can play in supporting a free, pluralistic and safe media landscape in conflict zones and fragile states. (13.09.2016)

Study: Advancing Freedom of Expression in the digital age

DW Akademie's publication explores the potential of using digital technologies to advance freedom of expression and access to information. (15.03.2016)

Research paper: Strands in media development

Donors are often interested in strengthening the media as a way of speeding up governance reform. An alternative approach is to focus on the communication needs of the poor, argues scholar Linje Manyozo.  (05.10.2016)

In the Service of the Public - Transforming state media

The study analyses the transformation process of state media towards public service media (PSM). It looks at individual cases of former government mouthpieces being turned into media that operate on behalf of the people in their country. (07.01.2015)

Using media freedom indices in media development

The publication gives insight into how the top five media freedom rankings are produced, and how media development organizations can use each index to inform their work. (25.10.2016)

Internet Governance - Media freedom in a connected world

How the Internet is governed in the future will shape global communications, development and human rights. The Internet governance guidebook is written for, and by, stakeholders in the Global South. (10.06.2016)

Guidebook: Analyzing media freedom indices

While press freedom rankings determine national and international media policies, it is not always clear as to how objective these rankings really are. This DW Akademie study takes a closer look. (25.07.2014)

Content analysis - Measuring journalism quality

Measuring journalism quality as it relates to media development projects is the focus of this new briefing paper. Using examples, it looks at how content analysis can improve the impact of trainings and consultations. (14.11.2014)

More DW Akademie publications

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