Development of free and plural media is a precondition of democratic progress in every society. The Media Program is committed to providing assistance to media outlets that promote democratic values and demonstrate through their editorial approach a high level of professionalism, independence, and openness in presenting different views. The program supports a variety of outlets, including newspapers, radio and TV stations, networks, news agencies, and production houses.

Assistance is available for outlets that lack the resources to invest in developmental projects that would bring them to full independence and sustainability. Media Program grants can provide for infrastructure development and expansion, business planning, management restructuring, technical assistance, legal know-how, and market research.

Crisis assistance is available for outlets that operate in extremely oppressive environments such as conflict and post-conflict zones. The aim of this assistance is to enable media outlets to survive hardship. These grants can provide basic running costs.