Why media monitoring matters for democracy and good governance
Presentation to
Workshop on Access to Information, Media and Accountability Dar es Salaam 6 March 2008 William Bird
Introduction
About the MMP • South African based human rights NGO monitoring the media since 1993; • Conducted over 100 media monitoring projects:
– Elections; – Gender (GMBS, GMMP); – Children (ECM); – HIV (WITS, MAP) and Race.
Key questions and assumptions
Where do people get information?
Power of the media Role of the media The who’s and what’s agenda? What’s in the media? And… Information What isn’t?
critical to democracy
Human Rights/FOI good governance
A few more key assumptions
Media’s role is inherently positive and free media essential for democracy Journalist as “fundamentalists” Believe in change,… for the better. Role as watchdog clear but who keeps an eye on the watch dog and how can it be done?
How can we build democracy, encourage FOI, analyse the media’s agenda and watch the watchdog?
What is media monitoring?
Through media monitoring
•Standardised means of gathering information from media; •Cover range of issues, subjects and areas; •Compiling data and analysing trends.
Does the media cover the key issues?
Key human rights issues: •Elections; •Governance; •Gender, gender based violence; •Children and child abuse; •HIV/Aids; •Poverty. Expands
democracy
Not just question of “if” key issues covered, but also how the issues are covered?
Is coverage professional and ethical?
Context - Media bashing - poor reputation
Problems and Challenges in the Media: • Media often get things wrong; • Often 1st port of call for unconfident and conservative leaning governments; • Difficulties, skills, ethics, reporting children; • Problems not simply one-off incidents; • Tend to be variety over time.
How can media monitoring help?
Breaks up lots of information into manageable pieces Provides clear quantitative and qualitative results Indicators for complex questions
Value of Media Monitoring
Indicators for Complex Questions: • Where do we hear women’s voices? Women
speak in 21% of news stories (GMMP >13 000 stories 76 countries);
• Children’s rights?
10% of items on child abuse violate rights of children (ECM >22 000 stories);
• Who reports?
16 Days: 59% stories by female journalists (16Days >6000 stories).
$$$ Does it work? $$$
“never stop media monitoring.”
Deputy President Phumzile Mlambo Ngcuka. Launch of GMMP South Africa March 2006
“We have to have institutions whose job it is to monitor”
Joseph Stiglitz – Rome 25 October 2006
Success of media monitoring! Global Media Monitoring Project! MMP!
½ the world volunteers!
WOW Media Monitoring
Many uses: • Advocacy, campaigns; • Training and capacity building; • Influence media policy and codes of conduct; • Carried out with HR focus it necessarily promotes good governance!
Even more value from Media Monitoring
Civil Society: • Develops critical media literacy skills; • Encourages accountability in the media; • Empowers civil society; • From passive receivers to activists!
Media Monitoring
Monitoring into the future recommendations: • Human rights driven MMP that will: • Empower citizens; • Build critical media literacy skills; • Produce own results!
WOW Media Monitoring
Thank you!!
Join the Wonderful World of Media Monitoring! www.mediamonitoring.org.za
williamb@mediamonitoring.org.za
Media Monitoring
Challenges of Media Monitoring: • Time consuming – commitment required; • Skilled people; • Costs; • Standardised methodology; • Asking the right questions – work with media.
But wait, there’s more….
It’s all in the Timing: • Monitoring over time enables us to track changes; • Good, bad and mediocre.
Media Monitoring Power
Sources: SA 1999 Elections
Female 10%
Male 90%
Media Monitoring Power
Sources: 16 days 2007
Female 26%
Male 74%