(August 7, 2009) Internews Network, a leading international media development organization, will work with former journalist and media assistance expert Mark Nelson, of the World Bank Institute, and leading specialist on governance Daniel Kaufmann, of the Brookings Institution, to gather empirical evidence and research on media development.

The study, supported by a $660,000 grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, will provide guidance to donors and non-profit organizations on how investments in local media might serve to advance governance and development objectives. It will go beyond measuring tactical outcomes such as the number of journalists trained and programs produced to examine how the information environment as a whole impacts progress towards development goals such as reducing poverty, raising educational levels, combating corruption and improving health.

“We are thrilled that the Gates Foundation is providing this visionary grant,” said David Hoffman, President of Internews Network. “By pinpointing strategies that work, I expect this research will help to give media development practitioners a deeper understanding of how best to leverage the power of the media for social change.”

The research team will compile and analyze a wide range of data, from studies of freedom of the press, to economic indicators and literacy rates, to the reach and affordability of different information sources both domestic and external. This data will be compared over both developed and developing nations in Central and Eastern Europe, Asia, South America and Sub-Saharan Africa. This analysis will be complemented by in-depth qualitative research into a variety of media-focused development efforts implemented by international and local organizations. Finally, several country-level case studies will use the resulting analysis in the context of a specific news and information environment.

“We have lots of evidence that media and development go hand in hand,” said Mark Nelson, Practice Leader at the World Bank Institute. “What we need to understand better is what kinds of donor support are the most effective in achieving these positive outcomes.”

The two-year study will compare and contrast data and information dating back as far back as 20 years. Researchers will aim to identify how media development interventions such as management or journalism training, support for legal and regulatory reform, external broadcasting and investments in media messaging around development issues change the media environment. Looking at the media economy and the accessibility of various media forms, including networked digital media of all kinds, all within the context of political, social, and economic development, researchers will look for patterns that demonstrate the effectiveness of specific projects in various situations.

The research team will make its work available online as the project evolves, encouraging complementary and collaborative work by other researchers. An international advisory board for the project will provide feedback and guidance from multiple perspectives. The project will culminate in a summary paper and several other publications to be published by The World Bank Institute and Internews.

“It is well-accepted that independent media and quality journalism make positive contributions to society. But we need to better understand what kinds of media matter in particular, and what types of interventions help or hinder the media’s impact on social and economic development,” said Daniel Kaufmann, senior fellow at the Brookings Institution. Kauffmann is the former director of Governance and Anti-Corruption at the World Bank Institute and will serve as senior advisor for the project.

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