How the toolkit was made
Methodology for the development of this Toolkit.
The Team Europe Democracy (TED) Toolkit was developed by the Global Forum for Media Development (GFMD) as part of the 2025 work plan of the TED Network’s Working Group on Media and Digital. It brings together insights from interviews, focus groups, research, and ongoing policy processes across the global media development community.
💬 Interviews & Focus Groups
Between May and July 2025, GFMD conducted:
3 focus groups bringing together EU and Member State representatives, donors, and practitioners.
15 structured interviews with senior experts across institutions, civil society, and academia.
All conversations followed the Chatham House Rule, creating a trusted space for open discussion — especially around politically sensitive topics. Advice, examples, and case studies were used throughout the Toolkit, but participants and their organisations remain anonymous.
✏️ All quotes featured in the Toolkit are anonymised to protect contributors and preserve open dialogue.
📚 Research & Reference Frameworks
The Toolkit builds on key reports, frameworks, and collective learning from across the media development field.
🔹 GFMD Learning, Policy & Regional Meetings
Findings from GFMD’s events and consultations have been woven throughout the Toolkit, including:
Donor–practitioner–academic learning meetings – focusing on thematic issues such as media viability.
Policy and learning meetings – convening partners around advocacy opportunities.
Regional meetings – exploring media development and policy dynamics at regional levels.
These discussions complement earlier consultations (2021–2023) that supported the drafting and adoption of the OECD Development Cooperation Principles.
🧭 Key Reference Documents
🗞️ Media Viability Manifesto (MVM) A global framework created to:
Foster conceptual clarity across the media development sector.
Strengthen collaboration between multiple stakeholders.
Align practical implementation of media viability support.
📖 State of Media Development – DW Akademie Produced by DW Freedom, this report analyses the global media development landscape and offers recommendations for donors and implementers.
🌍 International Media Assistance (IMA) Index Launching in October 2025, the Index ranks 30 OECD-DAC and Media Freedom Coalition states according to their performance in supporting independent media. It will be updated annually to track progress and accountability.
🔄 Alignment with Ongoing Processes
The Toolkit is aligned with, and contributes to, ongoing initiatives within and beyond the TED Network.
Within the TED Network:
The desktop study of EU funding for media and information integrity.
Outputs from other TED working groups.
Outside the TED Network:
The OECD-DAC survey on the implementation of the OECD Principles.
The Media Freedom Coalition’s MediaDev Working Group.
🚀 Next Steps
🗓️ 2025
Beta launch: A first draft was published ahead of the TED Annual Meeting (16–17 September, Brussels) to gather feedback from key stakeholders.
Finalisation: GFMD will integrate feedback from the TED Network and partners to deliver the final version by end-November 2025.
Global Launch Events:
🌐 Global Investigative Journalism Conference – Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (20 November 2025)
🧩 OECD Principles Implementation Side Event – co-hosted by GFMD & DW Akademie
🗞️ Arab Reporters for Investigative Journalism (ARIJ) Conference – Amman, Jordan (5–7 December 2025)
These events will bring together donors, regional actors, and international intermediaries to promote the Toolkit and discuss next steps for implementation.
2026 and Beyond
The Toolkit will continue to evolve. It will be updated regularly as new case studies emerge, best practices evolve, and funding mechanisms change — ensuring it remains a living resource for Europe’s democracy and media-support community.
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