Media should be a stronger priority in development strategies, says an independent policy opinion survey from the BBC World Service Trust.The report, Governance And The Media – A Survey Of Policy Opinion, concludes that the role of media in the democratic and development processes of developing countries is poorly researched, insufficiently understood and inappropriately prioritised within the development system.
Independently conducted interviews were undertaken with a range of development figures including John Githongo, the former anti-corruption Czar in Kenya, Professor Paul Collier of Oxford University and Professor Thomas Carothers of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.
The report further observed that there is an "engagement gap" between the importance of media in development, and its actual prioritisation in development strategies.
The BBC World Service Trust is the BBC's international development charity. It aims to reduce poverty and promote human rights in developing countries through the innovative and creative use of the media.
Source: BBC World Service Trust