Media Sustainability Index (MSI) - Europe & Eurasia

Overview of MSI Europe & Eurasia

The 2012 MSI study for Europe & Eurasia revealed a mix of positive developments, regression, and stagnation (or resilience, depending on one's point of view). Nearly half of the 21 countries included in this study showed little change either way, their overall score moving by 0.10 or less. Six countries showed improvement and five slid backward.

Notable findings include:

• The former Yugoslavia accounted for all but one of the countries with lower scores this year. Montenegro improved, Croatia remained roughly unchanged, but the rest of the former Yugoslavia—Serbia, Bosnia, Kosovo, and Macedonia—suffered losses (note that Slovenia is the only country of the former Yugoslavia not studied by the MSI).
• Croatia received the highest score of the E&E MSI. However, its overall score is only 0.08 higher than in 2001, although most individual objective scores have changed positively or negatively since that time.
• Moldova continued to improve and achieved the highest score among the four countries in “Russia and Western Eurasia.” All objectives except Objective 4, Business Management, received a score in the “near sustainability” range.
• Armenia maintained its leadership amongst the three countries in the Caucasus. Its overall score remained mostly unchanged, although the score did slip slightly.
• Georgia continued to slowly regain ground lost in 2008.
• Russia’s score improved; despite serious lingering challenges, panelists expressed a cautious optimism that the situation will continue to improve in the coming years.
• Kyrgyzstan returned to the top spot in Central Asia as the political situation there stabilized. However, two objectives, those covering professional journalism and business management, remain well below the “near sustainability” range.
• Divestment in East European media by West European conglomerates in need of cash resulted in transfer of ownership from investors interested in profit to groups interested in promoting personal political and/or business interests.

MSI Europe & Eurasia Chapters

Download Full Version of 2012 MSI Europe & Eurasia (PDF)

MSI Europe & Eurasia Scores Past and Present

How Does IREX Define and Measure Sustainability?

By “sustainability” IREX refers to the ability of media to play its vital role as the “fourth estate.” How sustainable is a media sector in the context of providing the public with useful, timely, and objective information? How well does it serve as a facilitator of public discussion? To measure this, the MSI assesses five “objectives” that shape a media system: freedom of speech, professional journalism, plurality of news, business management, and supporting institutions. Read the complete MSI Methodology for more information on how this is accomplished.

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For more information or to request a hard copy, email msi@irex.org. Please provide name, full mailing address, region(s), MSI publication year, and quantity.
Download PDF Versions
2012: Cover, Pub Info & TOC | Executive Summary | Full Version
2011: Cover, Pub Info & TOC | Executive Summary | Full Version
2010: Cover, Pub Info & TOC | Executive Summary | Full Version
2009: Cover, Pub Info & TOC | Executive Summary | Full Version
2008: Cover, Pub Ino & TOC | Executive Summary | Full Version
2006/7: Cover, Pub Info & TOC | Executive Summary
2005: Cover, Pub Info & TOC | Executive Summary | Full Version
2004: Executive Summary | Full Version
2003: Cover, Pub Info & TOC | Executive Summary | Full Version
2002: Cover, Pub Info & TOC | Executive Summary | Full Version
2001: Cover, Pub Info & TOC | Executive Summary | Full Version
Acknowledgement

This publication was made possible through support provided by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) under Cooperative Agreement No. #DGS-A-00-99-00015-00.