> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://oecd-media-support-principles.gfmd.info/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://oecd-media-support-principles.gfmd.info/toolkit/role/senior-management-strategy-leads/applying-the-oecd-principles-in-practice.md). # Applying the OECD Principles in practice ### Context & relevance **In practice:**\ At senior management level, context and relevance are reflected in how media and information integrity are positioned within overarching strategic priorities. This includes whether links to governance, security, and development objectives are clearly articulated and recognised across the institution. **If media support is not framed as strategically relevant, it is unlikely to be prioritised consistently in policy, funding, or programming.** **Do** * Ensure that media and information integrity are explicitly reflected in strategic priorities and leadership messaging * Link media support to core objectives such as governance, accountability, stability, and resilience * Promote integration of media considerations across relevant policy areas (e.g. governance, digital transformation, security) **Avoid** * Treating media support as a niche or standalone issue disconnected from broader priorities * Using overly technical or sector-specific framing that limits cross-sector relevance * Assuming that recognition in principle will translate into prioritisation in practice **Consider** * How strategic framing influences whether media issues are visible in decision-making * Whether current priorities enable teams to act on media-related risks and opportunities * Trade-offs between competing strategic priorities ### Principle 1: Ensure support does no harm (Context matters) **In practice:**\ Context matters in how strategic priorities define acceptable approaches to supporting media across different environments. This includes whether political, legal, and economic risks affecting media actors are recognised and reflected in leadership direction. **If risks are not clearly articulated at strategic level, they are unlikely to be addressed consistently across the system.** **Do** * Ensure that strategic priorities reflect risks faced by different types of media actors (e.g. local outlets, investigative journalists, public interest media) * Promote the use of media and information ecosystem analysis in country and regional strategies * Support differentiated approaches across open, transitional, and restrictive contexts **Avoid** * Treating media support as interchangeable with broader civil society engagement * Relying solely on general governance or political analysis to assess risks * Applying uniform approaches across different contexts **Consider** * Trade-offs between how support is publicly positioned and communicated, and the potential risks this creates for partner safety * How strategic framing influences risk management downstream * The implications of misreading the media environment ### Principle 2: Increase financial and other forms of support **In practice:**\ Strategic prioritisation determines whether media support is translated into sustained funding and accessible instruments. This includes how priorities are reflected in budget allocation and funding frameworks. **If media support is not anchored in funding decisions at leadership level, it is unlikely to be implemented at scale** ([*see case study 2: funding instability and system-level dependency*](/toolkit/case-studies-and-field-insights/case-study-2-funding-stability-and-system-level-dependency-rfe-rl.md)). **Do** * Allocate resources that reflect the long-term and structural nature of media development * Ensure continuity of support beyond short-term project cycles * Align strategic priorities with available funding instruments and modalities **Avoid** * Recognising media support in strategy without corresponding resource allocation * Relying on fragmented or short-term funding approaches * Assuming that policy recognition will lead to funding availability **Consider** * Whether existing instruments are flexible enough to support media-related objectives * Trade-offs between strategic ambition and budgetary constraints * How funding decisions shape what programme teams can implement ### Principle 3: Take a whole-of-system approach **In practice:**\ Strategic leadership shapes whether support reflects the full media and information ecosystem, including regulation, markets, infrastructure, and digital platforms. This requires recognising how decisions in different sectors affect media viability and independence. **Without system-level framing, support risks remaining fragmented and addressing only isolated parts of the ecosystem.** **Do** * Integrate media considerations into related sectors such as digital policy, competition policy, governance reform, and public administration * Promote approaches that reflect how information is produced, distributed, and consumed * Encourage cross-sector collaboration to address structural factors affecting media systems **Avoid** * Focusing only on content or individual media actors * Treating media support as separate from digital, regulatory, or governance agendas * Limiting responsibility for media-related issues to a single sector or team **Consider** * How policy areas such as digital regulation, competition frameworks, and governance reforms influence media viability * Risks of duplication or gaps where links between parts of the ecosystem are not recognised * How leadership signals influence cross-sector engagement ### Principle 4: Strengthen local leadership and ownership **In practice:**\ Strategic direction influences whether local media actors are recognised as independent actors or positioned primarily as implementers of external priorities. **If local ownership is not reflected in strategic priorities, it is unlikely to be realised in practice.** **Do** * Recognise the role of local media actors, networks, and support organisations in strategic frameworks * Support approaches that allow local actors to shape priorities and narratives * Reinforce editorial independence through strategic positioning **Avoid** * Implicitly prioritising external actors or models * Treating local organisations primarily as delivery partners * Overlooking diversity within the media sector **Consider** * How strategic decisions influence who sets priorities and narratives * Trade-offs between accountability requirements and local ownership * The impact of external support on perceived independence ### Principle 5: Improve coordination of support **In practice:**\ Strategic leadership determines whether coordination is expected, structured, and used across teams, sectors, and donors. This includes whether existing coordination mechanisms are actively utilised. **Without clear direction from leadership, coordination often remains ad hoc and dependent on individual initiative.** **Do** * Promote the use of existing coordination mechanisms (e.g. donor working groups, platforms, joint initiatives) across sectors and donors * Clarify roles and responsibilities across teams, instruments, and partners * Align priorities with other donors and institutional actors where appropriate **Avoid** * Relying solely on informal coordination * Overlooking existing coordination structures * Allowing parallel or competing priorities across sectors **Consider** * Criteria for when coordination or joint approaches are appropriate * Trade-offs between coordination, visibility, and flexibility * How leadership signals influence coordination in practice ### Principle 6: Invest in knowledge, research, and learning **In practice:**\ Strategic decisions depend on how evidence about media ecosystems is generated and used. Consultations indicate that data is often incomplete or uneven. **Decisions made without media-specific knowledge risk misalignment with actual media dynamics.** **Do** * Ensure that strategic planning is informed by media-specific analysis (e.g. market conditions, audience trust, information flows) * Support the generation and use of evidence across contexts * Encourage feedback loops between strategic, policy, and programme levels **Avoid** * Relying only on general governance or civil society data * Applying generic assumptions across contexts * Treating knowledge as static **Consider** * Where evidence gaps exist and how they affect prioritisation * How uncertainty influences strategic decisions * How learning can be integrated into planning processes