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This lifeline for independent media could also boost democracy around the world
Jeanne Bourgault and Jason Lambert of Internews write about the challenges for independent media and how data-based strategies can help independent outlets to thrive, with a US-led initiative called the Media Viability Accelerator (MVA) that was announced at the Summit. The past two decades has seen traditional media disrupted, scores of outlets closed, and increasingly dominant tech platforms in terms of online publishing. In-depth data is crucial for independent media to form new approaches for their business models that will allow them to thrive. However, this data is often too expensive for independent outlets, especially in low income or non-democratic countries. The US-led MVA presents a unique opportunity to collectively harness the power of data through a diverse global coalition of media stakeholders, whereby media outlets will provide the requisite data and benefit off the aggregate intelligence garnered.