Alarming trends away from already pitiful aid funding levels for developing media appear to be gaining favour among United Nations agencies, including UNESCO.
“
The World Association of Newspapers and the Media
Development Loan Fund are asking funders – development
aid agencies, corporations, foundations, vendors and
newspapers – to lend, not give, money, at a low rate (optimally
zero percent). This is a novel approach to media assistance
which ties in well with the desire of many funding sources
to support projects that carry a long-term, self-sustainability
goal. Funders will also be able to add grants to their loans,
if they wish, to give an additional boost to worthy press
projects.
”
In a report published 3 May 2006 for World Media Freedom Day, UNESCO chose the theme of media and poverty eradication - apparently believing a solution is to further impoverish developing media. UNESCO claims media organisations have to strive for commercial sustainability before aid "dries up, as it eventually will..."
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