This paper defines indicators of media development in line with the priority areas of the International Programme for the Development of Communication (IPDC): promotion of freedom of expression and media pluralism; development of community media; and human resource development (capacity building of media professionals and institutional capacity building).

The paper suggests five major categories of indicators that can be used to analyse the media development of a country. Each category is broken down into a number of component issues which in turn contain a series of broad indicators. These indicators are an analytic tool designed to help stakeholders assess the state of the media and measure the impact of media development programmes. They are diagnostic tools, not commandments – conceptualised with the purpose of assisting media development programmes, not imposing conditionality.

This document will be tested and adjusted on the ground by its ultimate intended users – the journalists and news organizations, and citizens’ groups working to strengthen media on the local level.