Media Sustainability Index 2008: The Development of Sustainable Media in Africa

The 2008 Africa Media Sustainability Index (MSI) is the second such study of the region published by the International Research & Exchanges Board (IREX). The Africa MSI was designed to provide an analysis of the media environment in 40 countries of Sub-Saharan Africa during 2008, with the hopes of allowing policymakers and implementers to analyse media systems and determine the areas in which media development assistance can improve citizens’ access to news and information. The MSI also provides information for the media and media advocates in each country and region, reflecting what the authors consider to be expert opinions of media professionals in each country.

The MSI assesses five "objectives" in shaping a successful media system, including the presence of:

• legal and social norms protecting and promoting free speech and access to public information;
• journalism that meets professional standards of quality;
• multiple news sources that provide citizens with reliable and objective news;
• independent media that are well-managed businesses, allowing editorial independence; and
• supporting institutions that function in the professional interests of independent media.

According to the publishers, the MSI is designed to serve as a summary of overall developments and as a starting point for further research by local media practitioners, international media development workers, academics, and others. IREX intends for the MSI results to serve as one tool in the diverse conversation about media development and to support advocacy efforts working to improve the media’s ability to inform the public in the countries under study.