Media Development

The document explores the intersection of digital technology and human rights, arguing that current governance and educational models often prioritize corporate interests over civic empowerment. It advocates for a 'critical media literacy' that teaches youth to navigate digital ethics and the political economy of information. Case studies highlight the work of 'Coding Rights' in Latin America to translate human rights into digital code and analyze the restrictive media landscape in Albania, where corporate and political ownership limits press freedom. Additionally, it revisits the MacBride Report's vision of a New World Information and Communication Order to argue for communication as a fundamental human right and a tool for social development.

• Digital communication technologies are often used by governments to increase surveillance and control over citizens, which can undermine social and political stability.
• The authors propose a 'critical media literacy' curriculum for youth that addresses both the ideological content of online information and the social consequences of digital interactions.
• Digital multi-literacies in education have been colonized by neoliberal policies, reducing them to measurable job skills for the 'new economy' and commodified through corporate curriculum packages.
• The organization Coding Rights uses a 'three-pronged approach' in Latin America to research technology's effect on human rights, translate findings for social movements, and create code based on feminist and egalitarian values.
• Albania's media landscape is characterized by high concentration of ownership, with 90% of news controlled by four families, leading to widespread self-censorship and political influence over reporting.
• The authors argue for a 'second generation' of communicative ethics centered on the concept of 'vulnerability,' aiming to give voice to those in the worst social situations to promote beneficence and social justice.
• The MacBride Report (1980) established that communication is a human right and called for the elimination of imbalances in the international information system and the reduction of media monopolies.

APA

World Association for Christian Communication (2018). Media Development. https://new.waccglobal.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/4-2018.final_.pdf

Chicago

World Association for Christian Communication. Media Development. 2018. https://new.waccglobal.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/4-2018.final_.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=World Association for Christian Communication |title=Media Development |date=April 2018 |url=https://new.waccglobal.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/4-2018.final_.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{worldassociationforchristiancommunication2018media, author = {{World Association for Christian Communication}}, title = {{Media Development}}, institution = {World Association for Christian Communication}, year = {2018}, month = apr, url = {https://new.waccglobal.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/4-2018.final_.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }