The Rise of Internet Throttling: A Hidden Threat to Media Development

An increasing number of governments around the world are forcing internet service providers to slow their services during critical sociopolitical junctures—a practice known as throttling—infringing on citizens’ right to information and freedom of expression. Despite its deleterious impact on media development and foundational rights, throttling remains an often-neglected topic and risks becoming a pervasive, yet hidden, threat to press freedoms, democracy, and human rights.

Supporting Media at a Time of Crisis: Donors Explore New Strategies

This report, the last in a series that has explored entry points for strengthening international cooperation in the media sector, sheds some light on these questions. Based on 27 interviews with representatives of both private and official donor agencies, it examines the major obstacles and stumbling blocks that will have to be avoided if global support to the media sector is increased. The institutional impediments to effective aid, the report finds, are frequently related to limited human capacity and expertise in media at the donor organizations and a misalignment of support and needs. The cross-donor collaborations currently being considered can help to address these shortcomings, though not without risks.

Big Data, Not Big Brother: New Data Protection Laws and the Implications for Independent Media Around the World

For years, the road to news media financial sustainability was said to be paved with data—digital news outlets were counseled to collect as many details about their readers as possible in order to deliver more relevant content as well as to support more lucrative, targeted advertising. Yet, more recently, citizens and policymakers alike have grown concerned about the pervasive tracking of web users. This has led to a new wave of data protection laws and regulations worldwide that seek to empower people and curtail the excessive collection of personal data.

Tracking Media Development Donor Funding

International donors, both public and private, play an essential role in media development worldwide. Visit our Media Development Donor Profiles page for all of CIMA’s research on donor funding levels and strategic priorities.

What is Media Development?

The term “media development” refers to evolution and change in the fields of news media and communications. This evolution can be stimulated by donor support, private investment, or indigenous processes of change led by media owners, managers, journalists, or other players such as media industry associations, or other collective efforts.

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Events

Replay Event

Tuesday, September 17th, 2019

Surveillance for Sale: How China and Russia Export Repression Technology

Tuesday, September 17 10:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. EDT (Light refreshments served at 10:00am) National ...

Replay Event

Thursday, July 18th, 2019

Monitoring Media Freedom in Latin America: How Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 16 is Boosting Civil Society Engagement

Thursday, July 18 12:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. EDT (Lunch served 12:00-12:15) National Endowment for Dem...

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Thursday, June 27th, 2019

China’s New Media Dilemma: The Profit in Online Dissent

Thursday, June 27 12:00 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. EDT (Lunch served 12:00pm) National Endowment for Democra...

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The Rise of Internet Throttling: A Hidden Threat to Media Development

An increasing number of governments around the world are forcing internet service providers to slow their services during critical sociopolitical junctures—a practice known as throttling—infringing on citizens’ right to information and freedom of expression. Despite its deleterious impact on m...
Aggregated

Press Freedom Scores

Montenegro

In Montenegro, business leaders and government pressure independent media. The government tends to play favorites towards certain public media outlets. In addition, right to access is not always respected, especially with regards to government corruption incidents. Check out what the major media freedom indices have to say. (All scores are adjusted to a 0-100 scale).

  • IREX
  • FH
  • RSF