Law and Policy
Internews has worked for the adoption and implementation of fair media laws in 21 countries making the transition from a formerly totalitarian or autocratic state towards a more democratic society.
A country's legal infrastructure is a key factor in media's ability to fulfill their "watchdog" function. However, most of the emerging democracies since the early 1990s have completely lacked a legal base that would allow non-governmental media to defend their newfound abilities to present alternative and often critical points of view.
In addition to working for fair media laws, Internews has also helped create 112 national media associations, which advocate for just and open media laws, defend the civil rights of journalists, and promote industry reform.
In post-war Afghanistan, Internews has advised the government and media organizations on setting media policy in which independent media can thrive and journalists can report without fear of government reprisals.
With the involvement of the Journalists' Association of East Timor (TLJA), Internews played an integral role in lobbying the Constituent Assembly to enshrine media freedoms and freedom of speech into the new constitution of East Timor (Timor-Leste).
Internews Network’s U-Media Project in Ukraine founded the Kyiv Media Law Institute to support the development of media law and strengthen democratic standards of freedom of speech and access to information in Ukraine through legislative work, research and education.
Internews Pakistan's media law team is comprised of Pakistan's foremost media law specialists, knowledgeable in such areas as policy formulation and advocacy, broadcast and cable television licensing and regulatory schemes, and broadcasters' and journalists' defense issues. They work with the private broadcast sector, legislators and regulatory authorities to enable an improved media law environment for Pakistan's growing private media sector.
