National journalism funds: A GFMD Impact discussion paper

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The briefing: ?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:

• 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?
• Increasing clarity that?past paradigms of media support and media markets are not sufficient to counteract or fix widespread market failure
• 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
• 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

???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.

Discussion paper:?Based on recent research and?consultations,? GFMD IMPACT has produced a?discussion paper ?that attempts to answer the following questions:?

What are the ideal characteristics of a national journalism fund?

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 .?

HOW CAN YOU CONTRIBUTE?

???READ AND COMMENT ON THE?DISCUSSION PAPER

The discussion paper will remain open for suggestions until the 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: [email protected]

???ADD MORE CASE STUDIES AND LITERATURE TO OUR EVOLVING MAPPING OF NATIONAL JOURNALISM FUNDS

OTHER GFMD IMPACT INSIGHTS ON MEDIA VIABILITY

• Media viability: the global versus the local (June 2023).? Market reforms, rebuilding trust, and digital regulation and innovation were key themes to emerge from a series of consultations on media viability in?Lebanon ,?Namibia , and?Tunisia ?organised by GFMD IMPACT in partnership with UNESCO's?International Programme for the Development of Communication (IPDC) ?to stress-test and contextualise global policy recommendations?for supporting journalism and independent media in these countries.?
• The consultations built upon the previous?UNESCO?policy brief -?Finding the funds for journalism to thrive: policy options to support media viability ?-?along with?other relevant reports and literature .

???Check out the?full version of the newsletter?here ?to find out more about?a?global survey on journalism and AI , a new?Information and Democracy Forum working group on AI , GFMD IMPACT briefing on?National journalism funds . as well as our round-up of the best resources and media policy engagement opportunities.