3. Target groups

Section 3 of the GFMD 2021-2025 draft strategic plan.

The Strategic Plan acknowledges that GFMD reaches out to a range of target groups and has significant potential to bring concrete benefits to institutions and stakeholders beyond its immediate membership.

This section of the plan describes this widening sphere of influence.

3.1. Primary target groups

Members and affiliated members

GFMD remains centrally focused on serving its members, both in terms of building their capacity and representing them on the international stage.

GFMD also seeks to increase its membership by demonstrating the value of the services on offer and by giving media development actors, particularly in the Global South, the chance to lend their voice to lobbying initiatives.

Independent media outlets and journalism organisations

Whilst sub-granting programmes aimed at supporting content production in the independent sector have become commonplace, potential beneficiaries often lack the skills and capacity to apply for these grants, manage them and evaluate their impact.

This is an area in which GFMD can provide essential support and make a major contribution to the sustainability of independent operators.

3.2. Secondary target groups

Donors supporting the development of media and civil society:

Increasingly, donors are seeking professional advice and insight into ways of building resilience to the challenges faced by media and civil society in the digital age.

These challenges include developing news ecosystems, countering state-sponsored disinformation campaigns, and developing new business models.

GFMD has access to the experience and expertise needed to inform donor strategies whilst its independent profile ensures that this advice is perceived as strictly impartial.

Policy-makers engaged in media-related fields

By the same yardstick, policy-makers in government, media and civil society share a commitment to devising regulatory or ethical frameworks aimed at improving public access to credible information.

GFMD has already gained a strong reputation for enriching these debates and ensuring that the viewpoints of diverse media actors are heard.

Think tanks and research institutions

GFMD has an exceptional ability to access and collate research findings produced by media development organisations which demonstrate the value of diverse approaches and test assumptions around effective methodologies.

Research agencies share an interest in data generated through fieldwork and recognise the value of working through a single interlocutor who can draw evidence from multiple sources.

3.3. End beneficiaries

Media audiences

GFMD’s work to improve the effectiveness and impact of international aid has a direct benefit for the general public who gain better access to media programming that reflects their needs and concerns.

Furthermore, by promoting audience-centric research methodologies, GFMD can help ensure that audiences have a say in the development of new content and platforms.

Democratic institutions

The media’s role as a key pillar of democracy is recognised across the development community and, therefore, improvements in coordination and collaboration ultimately benefit those institutions which have a responsibility for promoting and conducting transparent democratic processes.

Civil society

CSOs continue to make an important contribution to media programming, providing journalists with access to diverse stakeholder groups and acting as a sounding board for specific initiatives.

GFMD actively involves CSOs in its advocacy work as well as encouraging members to forge stronger links between media and civil society.

WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU

This draft strategic plan will be presented for discussion at a special session of the GFMD General Assembly on 1 October 2021. For more details and to find out how to participate see:

1 October 2021