Good journalism

Citizens need information they can trust to make important life decisions and hold their decision makers to account.

In a time where trust in media is declining around the world it has become even more important to support good, accurate journalism – which is defined as content that is ethical, independent, critical and of public interest.

IMS works with local media in countries with conflict and political instability to provide such content and making it accessible to all sections of society including marginalised groups.

We seek to support local media and the content it produces by e.g.:

  • Providing training in good reporting and journalism genres such as investigative journalism;
  • Developing training materials, including handbooks and trainers’ guides on best practice models;
  • Developing the business structures around a healthy, sustainable media business through e.g. capacity building of management and staff, income generation through advertisement and sales, and development of intelligent distribution techniques.
  • Strengthening the links between media, civil society, humanitarian organisations and academiato expand media’s access to information;
  • Supporting production of documentary film as an alternative platform for marginalised voices and views upon issues seldom covered in mainstream media.

Investigative journalism

Investigative journalism holds governments and vested interest groups to account and uncovers abuse of power and human rights.

Support to investigative journalism initiatives has always been a cornerstone in IMS’ work. By improving the professional skills of journalists within the field of investigative journalism, we enable the media to act as a watchdog and fulfil its role as the fourth estate, promoting good governance, accountability and transparency.

We support:

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Contact

Henrik Grunnet
Henrik Grunnet

Media Adviser, IMS

hgr@mediasupport.org

Public interest journalism

IMS works to support freedom of expression and access to information through the development of independent public interest journalism that is factchecked and guided by internationally accepted ethical standards.

We work with public interest media that seek to inform public debate with content that is inclusive and diverse to question discriminatory societal norms, stereotypes and taboos. The journalism we support makes it possible for people to make informed decisions and hold those in power to account. This includes coverage of public interest issues such as equality, climate and environment, justice, rights and corruption and includes a strong focus on efforts that promote gender equality.

IMS is committed to using good journalism to counter political disinformation, low-quality sensationalist news and poor journalism, alongside incitement to violence from extremist groups and narratives that seek to radicalise individuals and suppress progressive voices.

We capacity build public interest content production through a collaborative approach in which our programmes are driven by local needs and are anchored in the local contexts through the partners. This ranges from supporting rural community radio and journalists in exile, to those pioneering new content types and digital formats or ways of working such as investigative, constructive and cross-border collaborative journalism. IMS also applies a catalytic approach, bringing together partners and stakeholders for local, national and regional cooperation where it does not already exist. We also offer solidarity, advice, connections and networking: building bridges between the technological and media development worlds, and between partners and the agencies that can support them.

Contact

Clare Cook
Clare Cook

Head of Journalism and Media Viability, IMS

cck@mediasupport.org

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Business viability

The sustainability of journalism is important for better societies, not just those who are working in news media. Business viability is necessary to help media outlets protect their editorial independence and remain part of plural, diverse media landscapes. IMS works with media partners around six pillars of business viability to strengthen their skills, resilience and organisational capacity.

IMS offers a holistic approach andsupport tailored to local contexts, following an effectuation theory approach of making do with what is available. We createmeaningful actionsthat maximise digital technologies so that our media partners feel more confident in the business side of their operations.

We take a lifecycle approachfrom inception to growth or digital transition and consolidation. IMS’ support can help independent media become progressively more self-reliant through income diversification, new products and formats, better audience knowledge and data usage. We work with partners to leverage relationships they’ve built with their audiences and find products and services that ultimately strengthen those relationships.

IMS works to reduce the digital dividefor those operating in fragile or politically pressured environments. This relies on local expertise.With digital front runners, we work on agile solutions through action research for future-oriented responses that leverage technological advances and data-informed decision making.

IMS supports feminist perspectives to business viability and the development of inclusive workspaces, free from discrimination and harassment by creating the space for women to organise both internally in organisations, as well supporting women’s media organisations to engage in dialogues in an enabling environment.

Contact

Clare Cook
Clare Cook

Head of Journalism and Media Viability, IMS

cck@mediasupport.org

Read bio

Public interest tech

Defending and enabling public interest media and journalism in a data-driven world

Changes in our digital environments have had detrimental effects on public interest media and journalists’ ability to work. We have witnessed the exponential growth in disinformation and online hate speech, societal polarisation, undermined business models for local news production, the Cambridge Analytica scandal, the Rohingya genocide in Myanmar – fostered by the monopolisation and privatisation of data, knowledge and moderation among a few American and Chinese companies.

Our long-term vision is that our digital environments are enabled and upheld by public interest infrastructures – a set of digital tools that are explicitly designed to serve the public interest rather than any political, commercial or factional interest.

With our partners, we develop and test innovative solutions for content production and distribution. We generate data and knowledge about how the current digital infrastructures affect societies and local communities, in particular those who are most marginalised. And we gradually build momentum for developing locally anchored digital alternatives built to serve quality journalism and the public interest.

This is an emerging area of work within IMS. Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have ideas, comments or see potentials for synergies or collaborations.

Contact

Magnus Ag
Magnus Ag

Head of Public Interest Tech, IMS

maag@mediasupport.org

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Audience engagement

IMS encourages growing and engaging audiences who are critical of information they receive in a way that builds the audience’s trust in the media.

IMS seeks to help our partners to inform members of the publicand foster dialogueabout issues that shape their lives in ways that serve the public rather than any political, commercial, or factional interest. Our work is linked to international human rights standards related to media and free expression.

We work to provide better access to quality journalism through improved reach and user experiences leading to steady growth in engagement. To achieve this, we encourage user gratification modelsand audience research in editorial strategy development.

We are keen to learn about audience discovery and new audience engagement techniques – amplifying content outside of existing echo chambers.

IMS applies an intersectional gender equalityperspective. We support work to reach vulnerable and marginalised communities – including children and youth.. We  use public interest journalism to enable participation in public life by closing the information gap often seen in the media access of marginalised groups and underserved communities.

Together with partners, we work to ensure the participationand empowermentof remote populations and rural communities, low income-earners, the unemployed, youth, ethnic and religious minorities, LGBTQIA+ communities, internally displaced people (IDPs), and people affected by humanitarian crises.

Media can help amplify the voices of marginalised groups and encourage participation, with specific emphasis on giving audiences the opportunity to shape their own narratives through the use of popular media tools at their disposal.

Contact

Clare Cook
Clare Cook

Head of Journalism and Media Viability, IMS

cck@mediasupport.org

Read bio

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