Independent media development efforts are not clearly defined, but are  commonly understood to include activities such as  training or educating local or indigenous reporters and editors on  subjects such as media ethics, professionalism, accountability,  investigative journalism, media business management and marketing,  strategies for transforming state broadcasters into public service  networks, and legal defense or legal regulatory issues;  developing media or press centers;  developing journalism schools and curriculum;  ensuring the financial sustainability and independence of media outlets,  through loan programs, advertising development, grants for  commodities, and other means;  supplying equipment or helping to build infrastructure needed to ensure  media independence, including technical capacity;  developing professional journalist, publisher, or broadcast associations;  developing networks of independent media, such as sharing  arrangements, which link production, distribution, and management of  material;   supporting the establishment of legal and regulatory frameworks and  advocacy groups that protect freedom of the press;  promoting an understanding of professional media practices and the  role of free and independent media in society; and  engaging diplomatically to advance the development of press freedoms  or media-related institutions, laws, and regulatory frameworks. In addition, donors frequently use different approaches for  developing independent media. U.S.-Sponsored Media Development Funding Levels Difficult to Determine

Our analysis of available documents revealed that together, State and  USAID obligated at least $40 million in fiscal year 2004 to support a number  of independent media development efforts. We found that the largest portion of the State and USAID fiscal year 2004  obligations for independent media development—about 60 percent of all  the agency obligations we could identify—funded efforts in Europe and  Eurasia. Finally, complex donor funding  arrangements, including in some cases multiple project implementers and  subgrantees, can obscure funding relationships and make it difficult to  accurately determine the overall level of U.S. financial support, as well as  the number of specific efforts provided in individual countries. See table 3 for a list of the objectives and  performance indicators for USAID missions in the countries we reviewed. State and USAID Missions Use Broad Indexes of Country Press Freedom That Cannot Measure Performance of U.S. Efforts

In the cases we reviewed, State and USAID often selected media indexes,  such as the Media Sustainability Index (MSI) and Freedom House’s Press  Freedom survey, to measure the results of their independent media  development efforts. The MSI and the Press Freedom survey assess the  freedom of media in a country; however, when used alone as performance  indicators, media indexes are of limited utility in measuring the specific  contributions of specific activities or combined U.S. efforts toward  developing independent media in particular countries. Programmatic Factors Can Affect Media Development Efforts

The sustainability of local organizations can impact the overall results of  media development efforts or the success of specific projects and activities  in a country. Sustainability challenges were primarily due to a poor economic  environment or lack of sufficient business management training. State generally concurred  with our report, and USAID offered technical comments that were  incorporated, as appropriate. In addition, State indicated that it plans to  develop additional performance indicators and promote best practices in  the future. We are also sending copies to the Secretary of State and the  Administrator of the U.S. Agency for International Development.
Why GAO Did This Study

Independent media development led by the Department of State and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) supports the national security goal of developing sustainable democracies around the world. Independent media institutions play a role in supporting commerce, improving public health efforts, reducing corruption, and providing civic education. According to the Freedom House's Freedom of the Press 2005 survey, despite important gains in some countries, the overall level of press freedom worldwide continued to worsen in 2004. GAO was asked to examine (1) U.S. government funding for independent media development overseas; (2) the extent to which U.S. agencies measure performance toward achieving results; and (3) the challenges the United States faces in achieving results. The Department of State generally concurred with our report and USAID offered technical comments that were incorporated, as appropriate. In addition, State indicated that it plans to develop additional performance indicators and promote best practices in the future.

What GAO Found

The Department of State and the U.S. Agency for International Development obligated at least $40 million in fiscal year 2004 for the development of independent media, including activities such as journalism and business management training and support for legal and regulatory frameworks. About 60 percent of the fiscal year 2004 USAID and State obligations we identified supported independent media development projects in Europe and Eurasia. However, precise funding levels are difficult to identify due to a lack of agencywide budget codes to track media development obligations, differing definitions of independent media development, and complex funding patterns. State and USAID face challenges in designing performance indicators and accurately measuring and reporting results directly tied to the performance of U.S. independent media efforts. The tools most frequently used by State and USAID as performance indicators--Freedom House's Freedom of the Press survey and the IREX Media Sustainability Index--are useful for determining the status of the media in selected countries but are of limited utility in measuring the specific contributions of U.S.-sponsored programs and activities toward developing independent media in countries when used alone. Several country-specific and programmatic challenges can impede the implementation of media development efforts, including a changing political condition, sustainability of local media outlets, and coordination between donors and providers. Specifically, a country's changing political condition or lack of adequate civic and legal institutions can create challenges for a mission to plan, implement, and measure the results of its efforts. The sustainability of program recipients can also impede the overall success of efforts or specific activities at the country level. In addition, when coordination of activities is unstructured or informal, redundancies and confusion of responsibilities can impact project implementation.