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Irrelevant inconvenience or inconvenient necessity?: how development agencies/policymakers approach media within the governance agenda James Deane (Research and Policy Programme on Role of Media and Communication in Development, BBC WS Trust IAMCR, Stockholm July 2008 Presentation Overview • Why development agencies value – in principle – the role of media and communication in development: • Challenging some assumptions among development agencies of why media play this role. • The development framework within which media and communication issues are considered. • How media sector is responding to these challenges. • Problems with the research base The Problems the Development System expects a Free Media to Help Solve Informing citizens of issues that shape their lives Holding Authority to Account (Governance) Amplifying Voices of Marginalised Groups (Democratic Citizenship) (Empowerment) Market transparency and checks and balances Fostering dialogue, preventing conflict (Conflict) (Economic Development) Changing behaviours Avoiding Famines Building Public Support for Development Action (e.g. Health) (Amartya Sen) (Advocacy) The problems media has in solving these problems • • A group of increasingly private actors expected to address increasingly urgent public interest problems Why should the media play these public interest roles under new conditions; – An exploding, liberalised, competitive media market; – New technologies - new models of journalism and erosion of existing models. • • New opportunities for solving these problems (e.g public debate/citizen journalism etc) but.. Market failures becoming more intense – Intense competition focusing media on advertising income; – Incentives to hold authorities to account e.g. through investigative journalism) declining, disincentives (attacks on journalists, political cooption) increasing. – Questionable market incentiies in focusing on development issues. – Urban/rural and rich/poor gaps widening • A paucity of research in this area: – We know little about the incentives and disincentives at work – Or about consequent effects of rapidly changing media and communication dynamics on state-citizen relationships or on lives of people living in poverty. Who is the policy audience? Policy audiences: Donors/Multilaterals/ Development Banks Governments Civil Society Media organisations Some Central Policy Questions Why should media and communication concerns and support be a priority in development strategies? What action is needed? What long term development objectives can expect to be met as a result? What is the current Development Policy Framework? • Myriad government, donor, foundation, civil society and other policy frameworks • BUT more consensus underpinning development policy than in the past founded on: – The Millennium Development Goals; – The Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness, rooted in principles of national ownership and enhanced accountability of governments to citizens; – Budget support to governments; – An increasing focus on governance, and a renewed focus on political realities and contexts (principally in the context of “Development and democracy” - and in economic debates). Current Development Policy Framework: is there a focus on media, information and communication? • A focus on improving accountability of governments to citizens; • Recognition that “ownership” of development strategies by governments of countries is insufficient – public understanding and opportunity to debate is also necessary (OECD); • Beginnings of a recognition of critical role of media and communication in shaping change (Drivers of Change studies; Experiences in Kenya, Nepal, Ghana, Nigeria etc.) • Alarm over lack of progress on MDGs (e.g. HIV) • Beginnings of an understanding that rapid changes in media and ICTs is not well tracked or understood (many UK Parliamentary Questions) • Beginnings of a recognition of what media and communication programmes can achieve Fairly catastrophic: The state of development policy regarding media and communication • Closure/downgrading of media/communication for development departments • Not on the “mainstream” development agenda (e.g Accra High Level Forum) • No champions/leadership within bilateral/multilateral agencies. • Decentralisation leading to fragmentation in approaches associated with rapid staff turnover • Many actors, but little coherence or coordination, particularly at country level; • Perception that the media and communication sector is weak; • Resources piecemeal, unstrategic and inefficient; • Research base very limited, especially in academic institutions Media and Communication in development: Policymakers perspectives and responses • It's fuzzy and unprofessional; • An increasingly organised and professional sector emerging; • There's no evidence of impact • An increasingly compelling evidence base; • It's too political and messy; • Increasing recognition that development is political and messy • What does research we trust tell us how it matters, what to do and how to do it? •? Current Policy Research Challenges (non US) Few acknowledged centres for policy research on media and communication in context of development; Research that does take place largely disconnected from practise; Research addressing peers (media and communication researchers), rarely addressing policy (especially development policy); Research on related themes (e.g. democratic citizenship/economic development) make assumptions without addressing media and communication; Very limited incorporation of media and communication concerns into mainstream development policy research agendas e.g drivers of change); Primitive policy discourse on media and communication within mainstream development policy (conflated with external relations) Some Research Questions that development agencies need better answers to Under what conditions should bilateral donors invest in media/communication support initiatives?; Defining parameters of when and when not to invest; Sensitivities and risks; What aid instruments have best worked in supporting media and communication?; Some currently unanswered (and possibly unasked) Research Questions What are the consequences of information poverty (lack of access to information on issues that affect lives) on: – livelihoods (economic engagement); – claiming rights/empowerment (political and social engagement); – health outcomes; security; etc. Some Research Questions What are the consequences of communication poverty (lack of capacity to communicate perspectives into public/community debate on: livelihoods (economic engagement); claiming rights/empowerment (political and social engagement); health outcomes; security; etc. Some Research Questions Access to information and communication opportunities among marginalised groups as determinants of empowerment and improved livelihoods in urban, peri-urban and rural settings: three case studies. Some Research Questions The consequences of media policy on government accountability: a longitudinal comparative study in three countries (Zimbabwe, Uganda, Nepal) with conclusions explaining under what conditions does media liberalisation lead to positive development outcomes? Some Research Questions The effects of media liberalisation in crisis states: a comparative study between Rwanda, Burundi and Nepal Transformation of state broadcasters into public service broadcasters: a review of the evidence Some Research Questions Correlations between exposure of people living in poverty to information on issues that affect their lives and citizen action: case studies from Nepal, Colombia and Italy;