Media for democracy assessment tool: learning, evaluation, and research (LER) activity
Key Guidance
Washington, DC; Landover, MD:
USAID; Cloudburst Group
(2021), 93 pp.
"The purpose of the Media for Democracy Assessment Tool (MAT) is to assist United States Agency for International Development (USAID) in producing media assessments to inform strategy on media and democracy programming, help inform potential media development programming goals, and help provide an informed understanding of where USAID investment is most feasible and needed and will have the best chances for impact. The MAT provides a standardized methodology to answer the key question: How do media connect to democracy and how can media support democracy promotion and civic space?" (Introduction, p.6)
Contents
Introduction, 6
Tool Overview, 11
STEP 1: MEDIA ASSESSMENT DESK REVIEW, 13
STEP 2: MEDIA ECOSYSTEM ROUNDTABLE (MER), 15
STEP 3: MEDIA FOR DEMOCRACY ASSESSMENT DIMENSIONS, 19
Planning the MAT.20
Dimension 1. Media and Information Ecosystem Mapping, 23
Dimension 2: Enabling Environment for Free and Independent Media, 27
Dimension 3: Cross-Cutting Issues-Gender, Youth, Disabled, and LGBTQ+ in Media Programs, 35
Dimension 4: Newsroom Professionalization, 38
Dimension 5: Business, Sustainability, and Market-Based Capacity, 43
Dimension 6: Media, Community, and Social Influence, 49
Dimension 7: Media and Information Literacy, 53
Dimension 8: Practices Around and Access to Training on Journalism Safety/Security, 57
Dimension 9: Education, Universities, and Professional Development Training, 61
Dimension 10: Donor and Peer Analysis, 63
STEP 4: SYNTHESIZING STEPS 1-3, 66
Step 1: Analyze the Findings From the Desk Review, 67
Step 2: Analyze the Findings From the MER, 67
Step 3: Analyze the Findings of the 10 Dimensions, 67
Step 4: Identify the Convergence of Priorities for Media Sector Development, 67
Step 5: Select the Programming Indicators, 68
Step 6: Draft Findings, Conclusions, and Recommendations That Can Be Taken Into Consideration by USAID, 68
APPENDICES
Appendix A: Compilation of Key Media and Press Freedom Resources, 69
Appendix B: Expanded List of MER Topics and Questions, 76
Appendix C: Synthesis of Data and Report Writing, 81
Appendix D: Exemplars of Media Development Indicators, 84
Tool Overview, 11
STEP 1: MEDIA ASSESSMENT DESK REVIEW, 13
STEP 2: MEDIA ECOSYSTEM ROUNDTABLE (MER), 15
STEP 3: MEDIA FOR DEMOCRACY ASSESSMENT DIMENSIONS, 19
Planning the MAT.20
Dimension 1. Media and Information Ecosystem Mapping, 23
Dimension 2: Enabling Environment for Free and Independent Media, 27
Dimension 3: Cross-Cutting Issues-Gender, Youth, Disabled, and LGBTQ+ in Media Programs, 35
Dimension 4: Newsroom Professionalization, 38
Dimension 5: Business, Sustainability, and Market-Based Capacity, 43
Dimension 6: Media, Community, and Social Influence, 49
Dimension 7: Media and Information Literacy, 53
Dimension 8: Practices Around and Access to Training on Journalism Safety/Security, 57
Dimension 9: Education, Universities, and Professional Development Training, 61
Dimension 10: Donor and Peer Analysis, 63
STEP 4: SYNTHESIZING STEPS 1-3, 66
Step 1: Analyze the Findings From the Desk Review, 67
Step 2: Analyze the Findings From the MER, 67
Step 3: Analyze the Findings of the 10 Dimensions, 67
Step 4: Identify the Convergence of Priorities for Media Sector Development, 67
Step 5: Select the Programming Indicators, 68
Step 6: Draft Findings, Conclusions, and Recommendations That Can Be Taken Into Consideration by USAID, 68
APPENDICES
Appendix A: Compilation of Key Media and Press Freedom Resources, 69
Appendix B: Expanded List of MER Topics and Questions, 76
Appendix C: Synthesis of Data and Report Writing, 81
Appendix D: Exemplars of Media Development Indicators, 84
