MULTI-STAKEHOLDER INITIATIVES AND THE MEDIA

The report finds that while MSIs like the APRM, OGP, and EITI produce significant research on governance, they remain largely unknown to the general public and are often perceived as esoteric, technical exercises for elites. A media monitoring survey from mid-2016 to mid-2017 showed that the EITI has the highest media footprint, followed by the OGP, with the APRM lagging behind. The authors argue that MSIs struggle with 'open-washing,' where governments join for publicity without intending to reform, and that their reports are often too long and technical for journalists to translate into public action. To increase impact, the report recommends that MSIs move beyond merely informing the public toward mobilizing citizens through strategic alliances with social movements, using local languages and radio, and adopting a more aggressive 'naming and shaming' approach for non-compliant members.

• The EITI, OGP, and APRM all suffer from low public awareness, with the EITI having the most prominent media profile and the APRM the least. A survey of over 270,000 online publications from mid-2016 to mid-2017 recorded 7,447 global mentions for EITI, 4,125 for OGP, and 1,600 for APRM.
• The African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) is largely unknown outside of a small group of stakeholders, particularly outside Africa. Its effectiveness is hindered by administrative delays, such as the case of Tanzania, where a 2013 report was not officially launched until 2017, making it 'old news'.
• The Open Government Partnership (OGP) has a higher profile due to its association with former U.S. President Barack Obama, but it is still not a household name. Critics argue its National Action Plans (NAPs) are sometimes 'unambitious' or merely rebranded existing programs.
• The Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) focuses on the transparency of minerals, oil, and gas. While it has a higher media footprint, its reports are often too technical and aggregate-level to be actionable for the general public.
• Media sentiment toward MSIs is predominantly neutral, with over 80% of reports classified as such. Among the small percentage of reports that express a view, sentiment toward the EITI is particularly negative in Africa, with 13.9% negative mentions compared to 1.6% positive.
• MSIs face the challenge of 'open-washing,' where governments or corporations join voluntary initiatives to gain positive publicity without a sincere intent to implement reforms or withstand scrutiny.
• There is a tension between 'quiet diplomacy' and 'naming and shaming.' While some argue that private pressure is more effective for reluctant governments, others suggest that MSIs lose legitimacy if they do not publicly hold members accountable for violating rules.
• The transition from transparency (providing information) to accountability (improving governance) is obstructed by weak political infrastructure, captured accountability institutions, and restrictions on media freedom.
• To overcome their technocratic nature, MSIs need to form strategic alliances with mass action protests and civic movements to mobilize the public and create the political clout necessary for real reform.

APA

Fabricius, P., & Corrigan, T. (2018). MULTI-STAKEHOLDER INITIATIVES AND THE MEDIA. South African Institute of International Affairs. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/2018-MSIs-Media_Multi-stakeholder-initiatives-and-the-media.pdf

Chicago

Fabricius, Peter, and Terence Corrigan. MULTI-STAKEHOLDER INITIATIVES AND THE MEDIA. South African Institute of International Affairs, 2018. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/2018-MSIs-Media_Multi-stakeholder-initiatives-and-the-media.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Fabricius |first1=Peter |last2=Corrigan |first2=Terence |title=MULTI-STAKEHOLDER INITIATIVES AND THE MEDIA |publisher=South African Institute of International Affairs |date=April 2018 |url=https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/2018-MSIs-Media_Multi-stakeholder-initiatives-and-the-media.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{fabricius2018multistakeholder, author = {Fabricius, Peter and Corrigan, Terence}, title = {{MULTI-STAKEHOLDER INITIATIVES AND THE MEDIA}}, institution = {South African Institute of International Affairs}, year = {2018}, month = apr, url = {https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/2018-MSIs-Media_Multi-stakeholder-initiatives-and-the-media.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }