OECD Principles Resource Centre

Discover more about the OECD Principles and how to effectively navigate this Resource Centre below

Welcome to our Resource Centre dedicated to the OECD Development Co-operation Principles for Relevant and Effective Support to Media and the Information Environment!

The OECD Principles Resource Centre, managed by the Global Forum for Media Development (GFMD), serves as a hub for information and resources related to adopting, implementing, and disseminating the Development Cooperation Principles on Relevant and Effective Support to Media and the Information Environment. Here, you can access the full text of the Principles in both English and French, explore case studies, review related literature, and stay informed about ongoing efforts to implement these guidelines.

The English version is available here.

The French version is available here.

Background

On 22 March 2024, the Development Assistance Committee (DAC) of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) adopted the Development Cooperation Principles on Relevant and Effective Support to Media and the Information Environment.

This exciting milestone follows two years of consultations among more than 200 representatives from bilateral donor agencies, implementing organisations, civil society representatives, and media development experts. The Global Forum for Media Development (GFMD), in cooperation with the Center for International Media Assistance (CIMA), has played a leading role in this process, working closely with the DAC secretariat and representatives from Sweden, Switzerland, France, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

What are the six Principles?

The six Principles aspire to encourage development co-operation providers to improve the relevance and effectiveness of their support to preserve, protect, and promote public interest media and information integrity in the following ways:

1. Ensure that assistance does no harm to public interest media.

2. Increase financial and other forms of support.

3. Take a whole of system perspective.

4. Strengthen local leadership and ownership.

5. Improve coordination of support.

6. Invest in knowledge, research, and learning.

How were the Principles developed?

The Principles are the successful culmination of more than two years of consultations and advocacy led by GFMD and the Centre for International Media Assistance (CIMA) in collaboration with bilateral donor agencies (including Sweden, Switzerland, France, the United Kingdom, and the United States), intergovernmental institutions (including the Media Freedom Coalition, through its Media Development Working Group and UNESCO’s IPDC), implementing organisations, civil society representatives, and media development experts.

"A big thing just happened. The West’s major donor countries adopted principles for more and better support to journalism in developing countries. In 2026, they will review any progress made. After two years, civil society action by the Global Forum for Media Development built enough momentum to get 32 donor country reps to agree the principles. Kudos! It happened on 22 March at the Development Assistance Committee of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Fifty member countries of the Media Freedom Coalition have also since signed up. The OECD principles follow research showing that total annual donor funding allocated to media and the information environment is only 0.5% of the total Official Development Assistance. Germany and the UK claim higher fractions, but this is because they brazenly include as “development spending” allocations to the Deutsche Welle and the BBC World Service. What actually goes towards media in developing countries is only 8% of the 0.5%. In a massive understatement, the OECD recognises that this is “insufficient to address the challenges...”. Exactly. Where’s the logic of putting aid into health or schooling, yet ignoring support for journalism to monitor accountability for what happens on the ground? The current proportions in funding need radical revision – especially when media is in crisis, and when developing countries have not just information deficits, but are facing floods of disinformation." said in his LinkedIn post Guy Berger, former UNESCO Director.

Learn more about the Principles' consultation process and adoption:

OECD Principles Adoption

Why do these Principles matter?

The Principles seek to reinvigorate international support for media and the information environment, uniting the vital role of media and journalism in development and democracy, the severity of the crises facing public interest media and information integrity, emerging initiatives to improve innovation and coordination, and growing understanding of aid and development effectiveness and the impact of assistance.

Several recent GFMD events have been dedicated to brainstorming strategies for implementing the OECD Principles:

• GFMD Latin America & Caribbean Summit (May 2024): This summit brought together key regional stakeholders to discuss tailored strategies for applying the Principles within the unique media landscapes of Latin America and the Caribbean.

• GFMD Regional Meeting for the Wider European Region (May 2024): Participants from across Europe convened to explore regional challenges and opportunities for supporting media and information integrity, aligning their efforts with the newly adopted Principles.

What's next?

The effective implementation of the Principles will involve collaborative efforts at multiple levels, from international organisations to local media outlets. GFMD is committed to working closely with bilateral donor agencies, implementing organisations, and local stakeholders to integrate these Principles into development strategies and funding frameworks. This includes offering guidance and tools to help stakeholders understand and apply the Principles in their work, ensuring that support for media is both relevant and effective.

To keep the global community engaged, GFMD has developed a comprehensive calendar of events related to the dissemination and implementation of the Principles. This calendar features both upcoming and past events, including webinars, conferences, and roundtable discussions.

Be sure to check out our dedicated section below to stay updated on the latest opportunities to get involved:

OECD Principles Implementation and Dissemination

Additional Relevant Resources

To further support your understanding of the OECD Principles, we’ve curated a selection of additional resources that provide deeper insights into media development and the information environment:

Literature Review