TED Media Toolkit Launched in Bonn during the Global Media Forum

On 25 June 2026, the TED Toolkit for the OECD Media Principles was introduced within the scope of the Global Media Forum in Bonn. The event gathered donors, implementers, and media organisations, many from the Global South attending the GMF. The session, titled “Bridging Policy and Practice”, aimed to provide a space for discussion between different groups involved in media.

Opening the session, Ute Eckertz from the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) emphasised that the Toolkit serves as a crucial link between policy commitments and real-world programming. Sylvie Coudray from UNESCO highlighted the urgency of supporting media sustainability amid current global pressures.

Thereafter, Tom Law of the Global Forum for Media Development provided an overview of the Toolkit itself. Hosted on the OECD homepage alongside the principles, it offers role-specific entry points: programme managers, policy officers, or heads of missions, among others, can find checklists tailored to their responsibilities and needs. Furthermore, the Toolkit relies on six principles: Do No Harm; Increase the amount and effectiveness of funding; Adopt a whole-of-system approach; Support local leadership and ownership; Improve coordination; and Invest in knowledge. These principles guided the discussion, as William Bird, Director of Media Monitoring Africa, Mel Bunce, Professor at City, University of London (St George’s), and Nicki Bailey of Fondation Hirondelle moderated smaller groups.

The discussion was enriching and valuable as participants from Indonesia, Tunisia, and Benin shared perspectives from implementation. Great importance was placed on the point that effective media support must adapt to rapidly changing political environments. In addition, programming must also understand ongoing developments instead of relying on business as usual. One example was the current debate between AI companies and the media: supporting media in securing compensation from companies that scrape their content could provide sustainable revenue streams, even if this is not a typical form of traditional media support. Furthermore, the session underscored the importance of flexibility in funding and enhanced coordination among diverse stakeholders.

Key takeaways from the event highlighted the necessity for ongoing reassessment of local contexts, the importance of learning as a strategic function, and the need to broaden partnerships to address the evolving challenges in media support.

The TED Toolkit aims to provide a practical framework for addressing these issues, ultimately fostering a more coherent and effective approach to media support in today’s complex information landscape.