Media Sustainability Index (MSI)

MSI Methodology

IREX prepared the Media Sustainability Index (MSI) in cooperation with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) as a tool to assess the development of independent media systems over time and across countries. IREX staff, USAID, and other media development professionals contributed to the development of this assessment tool.

The MSI assesses five “objectives” in shaping a successful media system:

1. Legal and social norms protect and promote free speech and access to
   public information.
2. Journalism meets professional standards of quality.
3. Multiple news sources provide citizens with reliable and objective news.
4. Independent media are well-managed businesses, allowing editorial
   independence.
5. Supporting institutions function in the professional interests of
   independent media.
   

These objectives are judged to be the most important aspects of a sustainable and professional independent media system and serve as the criteria against which countries are rated. A score is attained for each objective by rating seven to nine indicators, which determine how well a country meets that objective. The objectives, indicators, and scoring system are presented in each publication.

The scoring is done in two parts. First, a panel of experts is assembled in each country, drawn from representatives of local media, nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), professional associations, international donors, and media-development implementers. Each country’s panel has a slightly different composition, but in most cases, the same panelists are invited to return for the next study in order to maintain an element of consistency.

Panel participants are provided with the objectives and indicators and an explanation of the scoring system. Each panelist individually reviews the information and scores each objective. The panelists then assembled to discuss the objectives and indicators, and to devise combined scores and analyses. The panel moderator, in most cases a host-country media or
NGO representative, prepares a written analysis of the discussion, which is subsequently edited by IREX representatives.

The panelists’ scores are reviewed by IREX in-country staff and Washington, DC, media staff, which then score the countries independently of the MSI panel. Using the combination of scores, the final scores are determined. This method allows the MSI scores to reflect both local media insiders’ views and the views of international media-development professionals.

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