New IMS governance structure
Coinciding with its 25th anniversary, IMS (International Media Support) this week marked a fundamental change in its governance.
As chair of the outgoing IMS board, it is heartwarming to see this transformation underway.
On 14 September, the inaugural meeting of the newly-established IMS Association convened to constitute the fundamental layer of IMS governance. It appointed a new board and provided strategic insights for the future of the organisation.
The Association appointed Henrik Preuthun Berggren, Head of Journalism Department at the Danish School of Media and Journalism, as Chair, and Olesia Kholopik, Director of CEDEM – Centre for Democracy and Rule of Law in Ukraine, as Vice Chair.
This new governance structure strengthens IMS in terms of the legitimacy and guidance of 11 unique institutions (see list below).
A shared thread at the Association meeting is the importance of joining forces in a time of unprecedented global fragility for journalism as a public good.
Participants flagged geopolitical changes and the growth of government and private services fostering disinformation, as well as the role of tech companies undermining information integrity.
This is the changing context of IMS’ work with 236 partners across two dozen countries in crisis, conflict, oppression and transition.
The meeting heard that independent evaluations of a range of IMS activities over the past two years have highlighted positive impacts through its local partners on both audiences and authorities.
However, new stresses are arising from international declines in official development assistance.
The Association urged that IMS grapple further with changes in news consumption, the rise of people doing journalism outside of media institutions and the challenges of business models for formal newsrooms.
The importance of IMS acting as both a funding intermediary as well as facilitator of media development was underlined.
Later this year, the newly elected Board will convene to do its duty of oversight and support for the IMS secretariat as it navigates its way in producing solutions to problems.
The IMS Association comprises:
- Founding members: Danish Union of Journalists, Danish Institute for Human Rights, Danish School of Media and Journalism.
- Partner members: 7amleh (Palestine), Asia centre (Singapore), Gender and Media Connect (Zimbabwe), Centre for Democracy and Rule of Law (Ukraine).
- Ordinary members: International Fact-Checking Network, Association for Progressive Communications, Danish Refugee Council, International Association for Media and Communications Research.
