The Power of the Press: Media’s Role in Democracy

Democracy! The Podcast is brought to you by the Consortium for Elections and Political Process Strengthening (CEPPS) with support from the United States Agency for International Development through the Global Elections and Political Transitions Award.

As the rise of corruption, authoritarian power and nefarious interference takes hold in many countries the power of the press has been challenged throughout the globe. In this episode of Democracy! The Podcast, we’ll examine the role media plays in sustaining a free and independent society, and why the bad guys always take first aim at the press corps.

First, we head to Kosovo to hear what our consortium partners, Nancy Soderberg and Pajtim Gashi from the National Democratic Institute, are doing to counter disinformation and misogyny.

Then, Jeanne Bourgault, President and CEO of Internews, our partner who trains independent journalists and digital rights activists, shares what journalists deal with in a compromised information space.

Finally, we have a candid conversation with USAID Director of the Democracy, Rights and Governance Center Rosarie Tucci about media sustainability and what the future holds.

Find this episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and the player below:

Special thanks to:

Rosarie Tucci, Director of the Democracy, Rights and Governance Center at USAID
Jeanne Bourgault, President and CEO of Internews
Nancy Soderberg, NDI Resident Senior Director, Kosovo
Pajtim Gashi, NDI Senior Program Manager, Kosovo

Key Links from the Episode:

Check out NDI’s Kosovo’s Vibrant Democracy: Closing the deficit in women’s full participation
Check out more information from Internews
V-Dem Democracy Report 2021: Autocratization Turns Viral

Download the transcript from this episode here. Download the episode here.

This podcast is made possible by the generous support of the American people through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) through CEPPS. Established in 1995, CEPPS pools the expertise of three premier international organizations dedicated to democratic development: IFES, IRI, and NDI. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of USAID or the United States Government.