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U4 Helpdesk Answer

Media and corruption

The media can play a paramount role in exposing corruption and initiating legal, political and penal action against it. Different media genres unfold their respective strengths and show their limits as anti-corruption tools depending on the levels at which they take effect, on the audiences they address, and on the broader media ecosystem on which they rely.

12 May 2019
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Media and corruption

Main points

  • The media can inform and educate people about the detrimental effects of corruption and, through exposure, increase the political risk of those involved in corrupt practices.
  • Fierce competition for audiences means some media outlets aim to entertain and amuse than to inform and mobilise people for reform.
  • Professional ethics and skills, protection from oppression and physical abuse, independence, sufficient resources and accessibility are necessary for the media to have an effect on anti-corruption efforts.

Cite this publication


Schauseil, W. (2019) Media and corruption. Bergen: U4 Anti-Corruption Resource Centre, Chr. Michelsen Institute (U4 Helpdesk Answer 2019:3)

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Wasil Schauseil

Disclaimer


All views in this text are the author(s)’, and may differ from the U4 partner agencies’ policies.

This work is licenced under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International licence (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)

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