Media Diversity Institute

16/09/2026

During times of tensions, protests and crackdowns, the public is often desperate for reliable and independent information on what is happening.

When the media is unable to do its job fully, through internet shutdowns and restrictions, the public is left with little information and in many cases few opportunities to tell their own stories.

In our latest article, Saba Chaudhry explores the situation with recent protests in Pakistan-administered Kashmir, which experienced internet and mobile blackouts and media restrictions.

Read the story on our website: https://www.media-diversity.org/struggling-to-be-heard-weeks-of-blackouts-banned-journalists-and-new-media-guidelines/

10/09/2026

Journalists in Brazil are debating the limits of relying on AI in their work.

A controversy over a columnist using AI has sparked a wider debate with some arguing AI is a new stage in the evolution of writing. Others see the need to distinguish between using AI to support journalism and allowing it to become the primary producer of journalistic expression.

What they can agree on is the need for transparency.

Read this article by Raphael 'Tsavkko' Garcia on our website.
🔗 https://www.media-diversity.org/use-of-ai-in-newsrooms-dividing-brazilian-journalists/

08/09/2026

Did the Jason Arday story become a media pile-on with racial undertones?

Jason Arday was not above scrutiny because he was Black. Questions about plagiarism and academic standards are legitimate matters for journalism.

But what happens when scrutiny of one academic becomes something bigger?

In the weeks before his death, reporting expanded beyond Arday’s academic work into his childhood, autism, family and personal life. At the same time, his case became part of a wider argument about DEI, merit and whether Black academics had earned their place in elite institutions.

Newscord counted 229 substantive articles about Arday in 22 days. 188 appeared in the nine days between his resignation from Cambridge and his death.

Our latest analysis asks where legitimate scrutiny ends, when proportionality becomes a journalistic issue, and how racialised framing can operate without explicitly racist language.

Read the full article:

By Anthea Kasonga When Jason Arday was appointed Professor of Sociology of Education at the University of Cambridge in 2023, …

01/09/2026

Diversity in advertising is paying off for brands, driving sales and consumer trust and loyalty.

As Oliver Rohan examines in our latest article, authentic inclusion of people across race, gender, age, body size, physical ability, sexual orientation, and socioeconomic status in advertising has become crucial for long-term growth.

He explores the benefits of inclusivity on profitability, showing that diversity in advertising should no longer be seen as a '“check the box” initiative', but as an imperative business strategy.

Oliver looks at research and analysis by Saïd Business School, University of Oxford, Mintel Group, Maryville University Online and research published in Taylor & Francis Research to make his case.

Read the story on our website: https://www.media-diversity.org/from-social-initiative-to-money-making-must-have-the-business-case-for-diversity-in-advertising/

28/08/2026

Nigeria has 109 million active internet users, while 94% of Nigerians rely on online media as their primary news source.

That shift has created space for independent newsrooms, digital projects, and creators to offer perspectives and information audiences may not find in traditional media.

1000 Reasons to Vote is using data to scrutinise Nigerian politics. Archivi.ng is preserving historical newspapers to help audiences understand the roots of today’s political debates. Meanwhile, 19-year-old Chimamanda Odigboh has reached millions on TikTok by adapting popular formats to encourage young Nigerians to think and talk about political issues.

With the 2027 elections approaching, their work raises questions about political awareness, public memory, and the role independent media can play in helping audiences make sense of the choices before them.

Read more 👇
https://www.media-diversity.org/how-new-media-is-reshaping-nigerias-political-story-ahead-of-2027/

Adedayo Agarau

By Edikan Umoh The Nigerian presidential and gubernatorial elections are set to take place in early 2027, and political party …

25/08/2026

A new global report developed by researchers from the Information Integrity Initiative for UN Women, in partnership with UNESCO and the International Center for Journalists (ICFJ), found that almost half of women journalists surveyed by the UN said they had self-censored on social media because of online violence, while a quarter reported being diagnosed with or treated for anxiety and/or depression linked to it.

In a 2020 UNESCO-ICFJ study, that figure was 30%.

At MDI’s recent Gabo Festival Masterclass, journalists, activists and media professionals argued that online violence poses a structural threat to media diversity and inclusion.

There are growing calls for action, particularly as AI makes some forms of harassment, manipulation and image-based abuse easier to create and spread. But responsibility does not sit with governments and technology platforms alone.

As MDI Executive Director Milica Pesic says:

“Ethical media reporting is crucial in shaping the public’s understanding of violence against women and girls. Everything matters here, from the language used to challenging societal norms to focusing on an offender instead of questioning the survivor. Exposing social media and platforms’ bad behaviour matters too. What begins online doesn’t stay online.”

Our latest article examines the concrete steps being proposed and the role the media itself can play.

Read more:

Online violence is driving women and journalists to self-censor. What can governments, tech platforms and the media do to tackle the problem?

20/08/2026

Across Africa, AI has arrived in newsrooms already navigating tight budgets, unreliable digital infrastructure and historical information dependencies.

Our latest article looks at what that means in practice: commercial AI systems that struggle with African languages, the hidden human labour behind content moderation, synthetic disinformation circulating through WhatsApp, and new tools helping investigative journalists work through vast amounts of information.

But African journalists are not passive in this story. Initiatives such as Masakhane are building around African linguistic realities, while fact-checkers and investigative newsrooms are adapting technology to their own communities and reporting needs.

As these tools become more embedded in journalism, African newsrooms face the challenge of making them work on their own terms, while protecting local languages, editorial independence and public-interest reporting.

Read our new article by Clarice Tchatat via the link in bio.

19/08/2026

Journalists: If you are investigating abuses of power, reporting on conflict and peace, exposing environmental issues, or using journalism to advance civil rights, the Fetisov Journalism Awards 2026 could be an opportunity to put your work in the spotlight.

The international awards seek journalism that makes a real difference in people’s lives.
This year’s four categories are:
🔎 Outstanding Investigative Reporting
🕊️ Outstanding Contribution to Peace
🌱 Excellence in Environmental Journalism
⚖️ Contribution to Civil Rights

The awards are free to enter and open to journalists working individually or in teams, from any country.

📅 Deadline: 15 September 2026

Find out more and enter: https://fjawards.com/

11/08/2026

In India, a new generation of protesters is using social media not only to mobilise, but also to challenge mainstream media narratives and document events from their own perspective.

In our latest article, independent scholar and researcher Ritu Sinha examines India’s youth protests and the role of new media in amplifying voices that have often felt unheard.

The article explores how Gen Z protesters have used memes, hashtags, rap music, posters and first-person videos to organise and communicate, while also examining the limits of this digital inclusivity.

Because although social media can bring together people across regional, caste, religious and class differences, the inequalities that shape Indian society remain.

Read “The Youth Protests in the Age of New Media: The Indian Chapter” by Ritu Sinha.

🔗 Read the full article:

By Ritu Sinha, an independent scholar and researcher in Delhi The ubiquity of media technologies and their ensuing cultures have …

30/07/2026

As part of our visit to Bogotá for Festival Gaboo, MDI Executive Director Milica Pesic met with Sofía Jaramillo Otoya, Executive Director of Fundación para la Libertad de Prensa - FLIP, and César Paredes, Deputy Program Director.

The meeting was an opportunity to exchange perspectives on FLIP’s work defending press freedom and promoting a safe environment for journalism in Colombia, alongside MDI’s work advancing media diversity and inclusion internationally.

We also explored the many ways these issues intersect and discussed opportunities to strengthen dialogue and future collaboration between our organisations.

Thank you to Sofía and César for the thoughtful conversation. We look forward to staying connected and continuing the exchange.

And many thanks to Gisela Arroyo Andrade and Daniel Aguilar Rodríguez from the Universidad Externado de Colombia.




Fundación Gabo