The Media Program promotes media freedom by supporting projects that ensure monitoring and defense of journalists’ rights and that advocate a free and open legal and regulatory environment.

While the main priority is ensuring support for developing in-country expertise, international organizations and NGOs active in these areas may also apply for funding, with the expectation that proposed projects will include capacity-building or empowerment of local organizations within the countries in which they are engaged. In addition, projects that support the transfer of expertise and experience among countries in transition may also be considered.

Priority is given to initiatives with the following goals:

• to strengthen the capacity of NGOs that protect and promote media freedom through monitoring of rights violations, developing effective advocacy campaigns, and providing legal support services for journalists in countries where OSI is engaged;
• to ensure the development of appropriate legal and regulatory frameworks for media, and to monitor implementation of legislation according to international standards including press and broadcasting laws, public service broadcasting, reform of defamation laws, and the formation of appropriate broadcasting regulatory authorities;
• to provide training in media law and international freedom-of-expression standards for journalists and lawyers through seminars as well as the development of more comprehensive programs that encourage the incorporation of media law training into both law and journalism training organizations.