"The handbook presents key contributions from scholars worldwide, providing a comprehensive exploration of current trends in media industries from diverse perspectives. Within the framework of understanding contemporary and future trajectories in media markets and industries, the volume delves into
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their influence on media organization and delivery, along with broader societal and market implications. Encompassing research at the crossroads of economics, management, political economy, and production studies, the handbook emphasizes the necessity for a robust interdisciplinary dialogue. Beyond scrutinizing present and forthcoming industry developments, the handbook addresses pivotal issues pertaining to media economics research methods and pedagogy." (Publisher description)
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"Laure-Hélène Piron (The Policy Practice Director) undertook an analysis of official development assistance to media and the information environment for the Governance Network of the OECD Development Assistance Committee which was published in June 2024. The report shows that the rhetoric of gover
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nments which support freedom of expression and condemn disinformation is not matched by sufficient resources. ODA for media and the information environment has increased since 2002, reaching USD 1.5 billion in 2022, but this only represented 0.5% of total ODA in that year. When infrastructure support is excluded, ODA for media fluctuated around USD 500 million a year since 2008 (representing 0.19% of total ODA in 2022). This is despite the growth of threats facing media, such as the rise of censorship and the dominance of technology platforms.
And not enough aid directly reaches local organisations. Only up to 8% of ODA for media and the information environment (representing only 0.05% of total ODA) is directly channelled to media organisations in partner countries, such as journalists, media outlets or civil society organisations working with media or on access to information. To improve the quality and quantity of ODA for media and the information environment, the report recommends: increasing direct assistance for local public interest media; adopting a broader “information environment” lens; improving coordination between (i) digital transformation and ICT infrastructure and (ii) media and information policies and programmes; improving co-ordination and coherence between development partners (including global initiatives); strengthening the evidence base." (https://thepolicypractice.com)
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"This study content analyzed visual frames of Afghan refugees during the first six months of the Taliban’s second regime (from August 15, 2021, to February 15, 2022). A total of N = 1,948 images from the Associated Press were quantitatively analyzed for focal point, topic, tone, depiction, gender,
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and age. The findings indicate that Afghan refugees were predominantly the primary focal points of the AP images, with significantly more positive and active frames than negative and passive frames. In contrast to previous research on the framing of Afghan women in Western media before the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan, Afghan women were framed significantly as more positive and active than Afghan men in the photos." (Abstract)
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"Digitalization is fundamentally changing media ecosystems and posing ethical challenges for media and communication practitioners. One of the professions affected is public relations (PR), which today can analyze target groups based on their digital data traces or spread messages via paid digital c
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hannels. Although these practices are effective, they raise ethical concerns. However, it remains unclear whether PR practitioners around the world perceive such practices as morally challenging and whether their perceptions are shaped by individual dispositions or national backgrounds. This study analyzed data collected in 4 cross-national surveys involving 5,970 communication practitioners from 52 countries. Results from multilevel modeling indicate that individual predispositions, that is, personal values and beliefs and age, influence ethical perceptions far more than national context. These findings are interpreted as an indicator of the ongoing globalization of PR ethics, which presumably leads to similar perceptions in different regions." (Abstract)
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"Wie prägen Erfahrungen von Gewalt gesellschaftliche Diskurse? Mirjam Zadoff nähert sich der Frage, welchen Stellenwert kollektive Gewalterfahrungen im Gedächtnis verschiedener Gesellschaften einnehmen und wie diese Erfahrungen bewältigt werden. Sie gibt Einblicke in europäische und außereurop
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äische Erinnerungskulturen und Geschichtspolitiken und schlägt den Bogen in die Gegenwart: Wie gehen Gesellschaften mit den Spuren und sichtbaren Folgen von Gewaltgeschichte um und welche Erinnerungspraktiken entstehen im öffentlichen Raum? Wie entwickeln sich Formate des Erinnerns, wie globalisiert sich Erinnerungskultur? Die Autorin behandelt anhand von Beispielen aus aller Welt die Vielseitigkeit, Transnationalität und Transkulturalität von Gedächtnisprojekten. Zadoff porträtiert aktuelle Diskussionen um Erinnerung und benennt blinde Flecke im kollektiven Gedächtnis. Kulturen des Erinnerns, schlussfolgert die Autorin, dürften weder auf Rhetoriken der Ausgrenzung basieren noch ein beruhigendes Narrativ anbieten oder moralischer Kitsch sein."
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"The 2024 Edelman Trust Barometer reveals a new paradox at the heart of society. Rapid innovation offers the promise of a new era of prosperity, but instead risks exacerbating trust issues, leading to further societal instability and political polarization. In a year where half the global population
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can vote in new leaders, the acceptance of innovation is essential to the success of our society. While people agree that scientists are essential to the acceptance of innovation, many are concerned that politics has too much influence on science. This perception is contributing to the decline of trust in the institutions responsible for steering us through change and towards a more prosperous future." (www.edelman.com)
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"Interviews with 25 officials from development ministries and agencies and media experts, and a review of over 100 documents, confirmed that development partners are aware of the pressures faced by traditional and new media, and how the information environment can influence their wider democracy and
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sustainable development objectives. Despite this, the sector only receives a very small share of total ODA. While ODA for media and the information environment has increased since 2002, reaching USD 1.5 billion in 2022, this only represented 0.5% of total ODA in that year. When support to media and communications infrastructure is excluded, ODA for media has actually remained stagnant, at around USD 500 million a year since 2008 (representing 0.19% of total ODA in 2022). Only up to 8% of ODA for media and the information environment (representing 0.05% of total ODA over 2016-2022) is directly channelled to media organisations in partner countries, such as journalists, media outlets and civil society organisations. In contrast, 42% is directly delivered to recipient governments, especially for infrastructure programmes funded by the World Bank. A quarter (26%) of ODA for media and the information environment goes to organisations based in donor countries, and this figure excludes funding for international public broadcasters (such as Deutsche Welle and the BBC World Service). ODA can achieve important results. The case studies demonstrate that in worsening political contexts or under war conditions, international co-operation can help media sectors survive and keep citizens as well informed as possible, such as in Myanmar and Tanzania. Long-term and large investments can have a system-wide effect, such as supporting the transformation of Ukraine’s media sector. Thematic programmes can be effective, such as for shining a light on corruption and holding perpetrators to account through investigative journalism networks, as in the Western Balkans. Well-designed capacity development for journalists, media outlets and the wider media enabling environment can ensure larger audiences are reached with better quality and more engaging information." (Key findings, page 8)
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"This handbook critically analyzes cross-border news production and "transnational journalism cultures" in the evolving field of cross-border journalism. As the era of the internet hasfurther expanded the border-transcending production, dissemination and reception of news, and with transnational co-
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operations like the European Broadcasting Union and BBC World News demonstrating different kinds of cross-border journalism, the handbook considers the field with a range of international contributions. It explores cross-border journalism from conceptual and empirical angles and includes perspectives on the the systemic contexts of cross-border journalism, its structures and routines, changes in production processes, and the shifting roles of actors in digital environments. It examines cross-border journalism across regions and concludes with discussions on the future of cross-border journalism, including the influence of automation, algorithmisation, virtual reality and AI." (Publisher description)
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"The median price for a smartphone globally is US$92.59. The lowest regional median price is in Africa, at $60.23, while the highest is $101.88 in the Americas. The median global affordability (defined as price as a percentage of average monthly income) for a smartphone is 11%. Europe has the greate
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st regional affordability, at 4.5%, while Africa has the least, at 41%. The median smartphone price among low-income countries is $36.62, rising in line between price and income groups, with the median smartphone price among high-income countries at $121.49. Feature phones offer a lower price point. The global median price for an internet-capable feature phone is $25, at 5.53% affordability. This data is not a measure of all prices in all contexts. For example, we know that second-hand markets are thriving and typically offer lower prices than buying new devices. We also know that many retailers not affiliated with a mobile network will sell unlocked devices that are able to function on multiple networks. However, given the widespread and consistent nature of operators selling phones through their website, this data assumes that the prices set by operators are not without context: they will be responsive to the competitive pressures of other retailers in the markets in which they operate. While these prices are not definitive on what the cost of a smartphone is in each country, they are certainly indicative of the range of prices that customers have in several parts of the world.
[...] Across the three years of data collection, the median device price did not vary more than $15 between each period. At the same time, device affordability grew, with the highest median price – $92.59 in 2024 – corresponding to the greatest affordability at 10.99%. This is because average incomes rose globally across these four years, meaning that while the price of the device might be similar as before, it represents, on average, a smaller fraction of how much someone has to spend from their income to afford it. This trend, if it remains, will indicate continued progress towards greater affordability for all. However, the slow pace of progress means that devices will remain unaffordable for millions without responsive action from policymakers and industry." (Pages 3-5)
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"This article introduces and examines a hierarchical model of influences that identifies the variables affecting the watchdog role of journalists at three levels: the societal (press freedom and democracy), the organizational (media ownership), and the individual (editorial autonomy and perceived in
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fluences) on a global scale. Using data from 27,567 journalists in 6403 media organizations across 67 countries, the model's validity is confirmed. The findings reveal that variations in journalists’ perception of their role are more pronounced at the societal level compared to the organizational and individual levels. Furthermore, journalists tend to assume a watchdog role more prominently within public media as opposed to private or state-run outlets. Surprisingly, press freedom and democracy have a weak and insignificant impact on watchdog journalism, challenging established norms in the literature, a result that we critically discussed." (Abstract)
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"The objective of this report is two-fold. First, the report breaks down the energy and emissions profile of the sector and assesses the 30 highest emitting countries for telecommunications while providing global estimates for other ICT sector segments. The report uses a key framework for categorizi
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ng energy use and emissions, the Greenhouse Gas Protocol Corporate Standard. Scope 1: Emissions are direct emissions from owned or controlled sources; Scope 2: Emissions are indirect emissions from the generation of purchased electricity, steam, heating, and cooling consumed by the firm; Scope 3: Emissions are all indirect emissions, upstream or downstream, (not included in Scope 2) that occur in the firm’s value chain. Second, the report addresses the policy and regulatory implications inferred from this data and the examination of these issues through several country case studies." (Executive summary, page 2)
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"The evaluations point to several dimensions of the strategic significance of joint work. Programmatically, joint programmes enable a more multidimensional and holistic approach to addressing gender inequality. They enhance the catalytic role of the UN by increasing the visibility of and advocacy on
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gender issues in national and global agendas. Normatively, they forge new partnerships for gender equality and combine the comparative advantages of multiple agencies in technical expertise and stakeholder networks. Operationally, they can enhance the effectiveness of intervention implementation by reducing duplication of efforts and ensuring a more efficient use of resources across UN agencies, although typically with a sizable increase in transaction costs in terms of human labour for coordination and communication for technical coherence and governance structures such as steering committees. The results of programming were typically measured in outputs rather than outcomes or impact, though inter-agency programmes for SDG 5 reported considerable accomplishments in multisectoral reach to beneficiaries and knowledge production." (Page 1)
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"In this special edition of ITU's Facts and Figures series, we explore the impressive progress and ongoing obstacles SIDS encounter amid the digital revolution. On the occasion of the fourth International Conference on Small Island Developing States (SIDS4), our goal is to provide stakeholders with
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accurate data to inform their decisions. The connectivity challenge has grown more complex over the last decade. It's insufficient to simply connect the unconnected. Universal and meaningful connectivity – the possibility for everyone to enjoy a safe, satisfying, enriching, productive and online experience at an affordable cost – is the new policy imperative to harness the potential of connectivity and enable digital transformation.
SIDS share common issues: remoteness, limited markets, narrow economic bases, and high costs for energy and infrastructure. Moreover, they are highly vulnerable to climate change impacts, threatening their existence. Digital connectivity is crucial in mitigating these challenges by enabling access to information, facilitating communication, and creating economic opportunities. It can improve disaster response, management, and access to critical services, often constrained by geographic and resource limitations in SIDS. This publication offers a current view of SIDS connectivity and highlights gaps in our understanding, underscoring the urgent need for investment in data infrastructure and statistical capabilities as part of their development strategies." (Foreword)
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"Journalists have often been considered the "fourth emergency service". They are first on the scene, alongside paramedics, fi re and police, running towards danger rather than away, and providing independent, veritable and crucial information in the public interest. And yet, unlike frontline workers
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, little (if any) counselling or training is offered to journalists on how to deal with the horrors they witness, and the trauma they absorb from being at the forefront of human suffering. Further, limited to no training is given to student journalists on how to prepare themselves for trauma, be it from war scenes to the everyday "death knock". New research is demonstrating a rise in post-traumatic stress disorder amongst journalists resulting from the "everyday" trauma they encounter. There is also a noticeable increase in reluctance from new journalists to undertake emotionally distressing assignments. Editors in industry are now calling for educators to invest in curricula that centre around understanding how to cope with distress and trauma, and why work like this is vital to facilitate the work journalists do hold power to account. This book investigates the cause and effect of trauma reporting on the journalist themselves and provides a toolkit for training journalists and practitioners to build resilience and prepare themselves for trauma. It draws on national and international experiences enabling readers to gain valuable insight into a range of contemporary issues and the contexts in which they may work. This edited book offers a blend of academic research studies, evidence-based practitioner interviews, and teaching resources drawing on the experiences of journalists and academics nationally and internationally." (Abstract)
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"This study analyses 14,854 news articles about refugees from 72 English-language newspapers worldwide in 2016. Using a combination of topic modelling and network analysis, we inductively identify the frames used to depict refugees and then examine the factors that help shape the news framing of the
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issue between various countries. We unveiled five frames: cultural and everyday life, Global North politics, aid, violence and international conflict. We also identified significant correlations between distance to country of origin and political stability and news frame usage, giving insights into the political, economic and cultural contexts that interact in the frame-building stage of the coverage of refugees in different countries. From a theoretical perspective, this study advances the understanding of news coverage of refugees, particularly the differences emerging between the Global North and the Global South countries." (Abstract)
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In 2022, a record 62 billion kg of e-waste was generated globally (equivalent to an average of 7.8 kg per capita per year); 22.3 per cent of this e-waste mass was documented as formally collected and recycled in an environmentally sound manner. In 2010, the world generated 34 billion kg of e-waste,
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an amount that has since increased annually by an average of 2.3 billion kg. The documented formal collection and recycling rate has increased as well, growing from 8 billion kg in 2010 at an average rate of 0.5 billion kg per year to 13.8 billion kg in 2022. The rise in e-waste generation is therefore outpacing the rise in formal recycling by a factor of almost 5 - driven by technological progress, higher consumption, limited repair options, short product lifecycles, growing electronification and inadequate e-waste management infrastructure - and has thus outstripped the rise in formal and environmentally sound collection and recycling. The e-waste generated in 2022 contained 31 billion kg of metals, 17 billion kg of plastics and 14 billion kg of other materials (minerals, glass, composite materials, etc.) An estimated 19 billion kg of e-waste, mainly from metals like iron which is present in high quantities and has high recycling rates in almost all e-waste management routes, were turned into secondary resources. Platinum-group metals and precious metals were among the most valuable metals but present in much lower quantities; nonetheless, an estimated 300 thousand kg were turned into secondary resources through formal and informal recycling practices.
The share of patent applications for e-waste management rose from 148 per million in 2010 to 787 per million in 2022. Most of those applications were related to technologies for cable recycling, with hardly any signs of an increase in the number of patents filed for technologies related to critical raw materials recovery. Although rare earth elements have unique properties that are crucial for future technologies, including renewable energy generation and e-mobility, the world remains stunningly dependent on the production chains of a few countries. The recycling of such elements remains economically challenging, even in the case of devices with a higher content. Consequently, recycling activities are taking only around 1 per cent of the current demand for the recycling of rare earth elements. The market price for rare earth elements is still too low to support larger-scale commercial recycling operations." (Executive summary, pages 12-13)
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"The new series Digital Progress and Trends Report adopts a holistic framework of digitalization, with selective topics examined in depth in each edition. The framework [...] includes both the production and the adoption sides of digital technologies and their interactions. Box ES.1 explains how the
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series supports global efforts to study the progress, gaps, benefits, and risks of digitalization. The benefits and risks are also interconnected and reflect the trade-offs and complexity of digitalization: innovation and growth can be accompanied by high concentration and reduced market contestability. Efficiency gains and lower costs for large businesses may mean higher inequality and polarization. Digitalization can create jobs and improve inclusion, but it also results in power asymmetry and makes it easier for governments and companies to monitor and control individuals. Digital innovation creates new possibilities for climate change mitigation and adaptation but expands the carbon footprint of the information and communication technology (ICT) sector. Cybersecurity, privacy, and misinformation are also major risks that can undermine trust in the digital space and circumvent the gains from digitalization. Countries need to maximize the benefits while minimizing the risks of digitalization." (Executive summary)
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