The values that underpin good journalism, the need of citizens for reliable and abundant information, and
the importance of such information for a healthy society and a robust democracy: these are perennial, and
provide compass-bearings for anyone trying to make sense of current changes across the media landscape.
The standards in the profession are in the process of being set. Most of the effects on journalism imposed
by new technology are shaped in the most developed societies, but these changes are equally influencing the media in less developed societies. The Mapping Digital Media project, which examines the changes in-depth, aims to build bridges between researchers and policy-makers, activists, academics and standard-setters across the world. It also builds policy capacity in countries where this is less developed, encouraging stakeholders to participate and influence change. At the same time, this research creates a knowledge base, laying foundations for advocacy work, building capacity and enhancing debate.
The Media Program of the Open Society Foundations has seen how changes and continuity affect the media indifferent places, redefining the way they can operate sustainably while staying true to values of pluralism and diversity, transparency and accountability, editorial independence, freedom of expression and information, public service, and high professional standards.
The Mapping Digital Media project assesses, in the light of these values, the global opportunities and risks
that are created for media by the following developments: the switchover from analog broadcasting to digital broadcasting, growth of new media platforms as sources of news, convergence of traditional broadcasting with telecommunications. Covering 60 countries, the project examines how these changes affect the core democratic service that any media system should provide—news about political, economic and social affairs.
The aim of the Mapping Digital Media project is to assess the impact of these changes on the core democratic service that any media system should provide, namely news about political, economic and social affairs. The Mapping Digital Media reports are produced by local researchers and partner organizations in each country. Cumulatively, these reports will provide a much-needed resource on the democratic role of digital media.
In addition to the country reports, the Open Society Media Program has commissioned research papers on a range of topics related to digital media. These papers are published as the MDM Reference Series.
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