Guidance by principle

The what - understanding how the OECD Principles apply to media support

This section provides a structured overview of the six OECD Development Co-operation Principles on Relevant and Effective Support to Media and the Information Environment. It explains how each principle applies in practice across different contexts, and why it matters for effective, responsible, and sustainable support to media and the broader information environment.

Each principle represents a core building block for donor engagement. Taken together, they provide a shared framework for designing, funding, and assessing support that strengthens independent journalism, supports public interest media, and contributes to more resilient information ecosystems.

For each principle, you will find:

• A narrative overview explaining why the principle matters and how it applies across the media and information environment

• A practical checklist to support programme design, implementation, and review

• Key risks and common challenges that can undermine effectiveness or create unintended harm

• Guidance on how the principle links to others, highlighting interdependencies across the framework

• References to relevant examples and case studies, with links to a dedicated section

Who this section is for

This section is intended for a wide range of actors working on or engaging with media support, including:

• Donor staff across strategic, policy, and operational roles

• Implementing partners and intermediary organisations

• Researchers and analysts examining media development and information ecosystems

It is particularly useful for readers seeking to understand the principles in depth and to apply them in decision-making and programme design.

Why it matters

The OECD Principles provide a shared foundation for donor engagement in media support. Applying them helps ensure that interventions strengthen - rather than distort - the media and information ecosystems they aim to support.

In practice, media support operates within complex political, economic, and technological environments. Decisions on funding, partnerships, visibility, and coordination can have significant downstream effects - including on market dynamics, editorial independence, and the safety of journalists and media actors.

Using the principles as a reference point supports more coherent, context-aware, and risk-informed approaches. It also helps align objectives, incentives, and instruments across different parts of the system.

These principles are applied in practice through the decisions and actions of different actors across the system. The Guidance by Role section translates them into role-specific considerations and actions.