Primary Investigator:

Vibodh Parthasarathi, Centre for Culture, Media & Governance (CCMG), Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi 

Partnering Organization:

Digital Empowerment Foundation (DEF)

Technological change, expansion of the communication sector, democratization, and the break-up of state-owned media are changing the nature of media and communication governance in South Asia.  Effective public-interest media advocacy is critical in this changing context, but the field remains disorganized and largely uncoordinated.  As a first step toward strengthening this public-interest infrastructure, two Delhi-based organizations, the Digital Empowerment Foundation and the Centre for Culture, Media & Governance at Jamia Millia Islamia will map and analyze the contemporary spectrum of advocacy actors shaping the media sector. 

This project, funded by the SSRC, is the first step in mapping: 

• the evolution of South Asian media advocacy over time;
• the chief actors and stakeholders in the field of media advocacy; and
• innovations in media advocacy approaches, especially in the context of changing technologies and regulatory frameworks.

Findings from the study will support the creation of a new post-graduate program in Media Advocacy at Jamilia Milia Islamia University. The collaborative process involves a team of academics, activists and policy makers, who will participate in workshops and provide consultation for DEF during the development of the curriculum design.