How the toolkit was made

Methodology

The toolkit was developed by the Global Forum for Media Development as part of the 2025 work plan of the Team Europe Democracy (TED) Network's working group on media and digital.

Methodology | OECD Principles Resource Centreoecd-media-support-principles.gfmd.info

Timelines

May–July:

Stakeholder engagement: 2 in-person focus groups in Brussels (World Press Freedom Day)

15+ online focus groups and interviews.

July–August:

Drafting of the Toolkit based on interviews, focus groups and other resources.

September:

Beta version launched and feedback and gathered via the TED Network annual meeting on 16th September.

September – December:

Toolkit finalised based on feedback from TED Network and other stakeholders.

GFMD, TED and other stakeholder hold a series of events to promote the launch of the toolkit including:

Global Investigative Journalism Conference, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia - 20th November 2025

GFMD and DW Akademie holding a side event on the implementation of the OECD principles.

Arab Reporters for Investigative Journalism Conference, Amman, Jordan - 5 -7 December 2025

Toolkit promoted a meeting of donors and international intermediaries and regional actors.

2026 onwards:

Toolkit is updated and ongoing engagement with users. TBC depending on TED WG3 Work Plan.

Alignment with other resources

The Toolkit dovetail and references the following ongoing processes:

TED Network desktop study of EU funding to media and information integrity

Further details to be added.

OECD DAC survey

Further details to be added.

Media Viability Manifesto

The Media Viability ManifestoMedia Viability Manifesto

The Media Viability Manifesto (MVM) provides an urgently needed common framework for joint action from the global media development community. Its aim is three pronged:

• to foster conceptual clarity,

• to strengthen strategic collaboration between multiple stakeholders,

• and to align practical implementation in the field of Media Viability.

State of Media Development - DW Akademie

State of media development vis à vis the OECD principlesDeutsche Welle

This report by DW Akademie's think tank DW Freedom takes a thorough look at the media development sector, a crucial part of international cooperation. It offers recommendations for its organisations and their funders.

International Media Assistance (IMA) Index

The aim of this Index is to evaluate and rank states, based on how well they deliver against their commitments to provide international support to the media. It includes all states that are members of both the OECD-DAC and the Media Freedom Coalition (30 countries in total). The Index will launch in October 2025 and will be updated annually.

GFMD learning, policy and regional meetings

Learning meetings | GFMD IMPACTimpact.gfmd.info

GFMD organises three types of meetings:

• Donor-practitioner-academic learning meetings: Focus on a thematic area of media development and media viability.

• Policy and learning meetings: Organising GFMD members and partners around specific policy and advocacy opportunities.

• Regional meetings: Convening members and partners to discuss both media development and policy opportunities on a regional level.