The World Bank's Communication for Governance and Accountability Program addresses this gap with Developing Independent Media as an Institution of Accountable Governance: A How-To Guide. The toolkit provides advice for donors, foundations, and other stakeholders who are interested in media development, but who need help assessing relevant institutions and actors.

Independent media play a crucial role in underpinning good governance, and many development organizations are increasingly interested in supporting media programs. While stakeholders use the media to communicate development messages, they are sometimes less knowledgeable about how to strengthen the media sector itself as an instrument of accountability. Moreover, governance advisors are often unfamiliar with how best to provide media assistance within various political and economic environments and within a project's budget. As a result, this fundamental piece of the governance reform agenda is sometimes neglected. The World Bank's Communication for Governance and Accountability Program addresses this gap with Developing Independent Media as an Institution of Accountable Governance: A How-To Guide. The toolkit provides advice for donors, foundations, and other stakeholders who are interested in media development, but who need help assessing relevant institutions and actors. It helps users understand what drives or blocks reform in the media sector and identify the most promising entry points for an independent media development program. The toolkit is the result of a multi-year process of consultations with experts from international organizations, bilateral donors, and media development organizations, including the Center for International Media Assistance.

Click here to read the study