Scientific Publication

The political economy of media capture: what influences media capture in less developed countries (LDCs)?

Abstract

This report investigates the relationship between media capture, media development, and “good governance” (SDG 16) through the lens of political economy analysis specifically in 4 case study countries: South Sudan, Tanzania, Bangladesh, and South Africa. The authors highlight that the circulation of information in the public interest (and associated good governance outcomes) is impacted by historical and developmental factors, including country-specific socioeconomic, political and institutional circumstances. The report highlights the importance of considering that good governance is affected not only by a captured media but also by an underdeveloped media. In exploring how socioeconomic, political and institutional factors impact media development and media capture, this report suggests that the availability and quality of public interest information is driven by supply and demand side factors that affect both the production and dissemination of news, and the ability and willingness to consume news. This report was produced for the Department for International Development and the World Bank as part of the Master of Public Administration programme Capstone project