Media Viability Manifesto (MVM) launched in Brussels, 28.01.2025

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Traditional media are under pressure worldwide. Beyond attacks in authoritarian states, the biggest challenge is the decline of the business model, which is affecting media outlets across the globe. Against this backdrop, the Media Viability Manifesto (MVM) was created to provide the international development community with a shared framework. For the Team Europe Democracy (TED) Working Group "Media & Digital", this document will also serve as a key reference for future discussions. 

Following a long-term, coordinated process involving 86 organisations from 55 countries, the manifesto was officially launched in Brussels on January 28, 2025. The event was organised by Deutsche Welle (DW) Akademie (Germany) and International Media Support (IMS), in collaboration with UNESCO-IPDC (International Programme for the Development of Communication) and Swiss Fondation Hirondelle bringing together participating organisations and representatives of the European Commission for discussion.

Chiara Adamo,  Deputy Director for Human Development, Migration, Governance and Peace, DG INTPA, opened the event with a clear positioning of the EU: "I state the obvious: the EU stands for media freedom and freedom of expression." She pointed to TED Network, particularly the Working Group “Media & Digital”, as suitable space for further exchange and discussion.

The Media Viability Manifesto was presented by Laura Moore (DW Akademie) and Clare Cook (IMS). The analysis made it clear that the media sector suffers from a fundamental lack of funding and revenues. Even though media actors develop creative strategies to secure new revenue streams, the problem remains systemic. A significant portion of news-generated revenue is diverted to platforms, rather than the media houses producing the content. 

The Media Viability Manifesto addresses three fundamental issues:

1. Conceptual Clarity – to ensure all stakeholders develop a shared understanding of key concepts.
2. Joint Strategy – to establish a common strategic foundation.
3. Aligned Actions – to better coordinate the actions of different actors.

Following this conceptual introduction, the panel discussion brought the issue into practical focus. Farisai Chaniwa (Media Monitors, Zimbabwe), Irina Vidanava (CityDogs, Russia & IMS), and Peter Erdelyi (Center for Sustainable Media, Hungary) discussed the diverse challenges their organisations face.

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• Farisai Chaniwa emphasised the critical role of public trust, which media organisations must work to gain.
• Irina Vidanava pointed to examples from Moldova, Georgia, and Russia, highlighting that media in conflict situations face even greater obstacles.
• Peter Erdelyi stressed that media funding often fails to reach local organisations. There was also a concern that competition for existing funding might become even more intense given the recent constraints on international development funding affecting certain programs.

A particularly controversial topic was whether social media platforms should pay for news content. While these platforms generate significant profits from news, state regulation could disincentivise platforms from carrying news altogether, potentially harming media organisations instead. Discussions continued beyond the event, bringing together participants from the various involved organisations.

For more information on Media Viability Manifesto: The Media Viability Manifesto

Team Europe Democracy: https://capacity4dev.europa.eu/projects/team-europe-democracy-ted_en

Copyright Photos: Lucie Gürtler, DW Akademie.