Visibility requirements

Examples and case studies of how to balance visibility and reporting requirements with the imperative to ensure editorial independence of media organisations.

Flexibility on visibility requirements in Africa

EU delegations have, in some cases, granted exemptions from branding and visibility rules when they risked undermining partners’ safety or independence.

These exemptions were usually justified through a simple request process and consistently approved.

This shows the value of systematising visibility waivers and documenting their use, so that protective measures do not depend on ad hoc discretion.

Credibility risks linked to donor branding

Investigative media outlets in different regions have reported being discredited by opponents pointing to their foreign funding.

In one case, publicly available donor attribution was weaponised by hostile actors to delegitimise independent reporting.

This highlights the importance of separating support for media from public diplomacy optics.

OCCRP and the USAID controversy

In late 2024, the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP) faced attacks in the French press after it was revealed that part of its funding came from USAID. Critics portrayed the outlet as compromised, despite its strong record of independent investigations.

The controversy forced OCCRP to publicly defend its editorial independence, with GIJN and others issuing statements of support.

This case illustrates how even transparent, lawful donor support can be weaponised to undermine credibility — and why risk assessments, visibility waivers, and clear communication about editorial firewalls are vital components of a “do no harm” approach.

For more background on this see:

Mediapart aimed at investigative reporters. USAID took the hit.The Investigative Mind

GIJN Statement in Support of the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting ProjectGlobal Investigative Journalism Network

SIDA's visibility requirements

21 Visibility, recognition and publication

21.3 Notwithstanding the above, neither the Cooperation Partner nor its Implementing Partner will be required to publicise the financing through Swedish development assistance if it would jeopardise the implementation of the Project/Core Activities or the safety of staff involved in, and consultants, suppliers or contractors financed under, the Project/Core Activities.