Media Sustainability Index (MSI) - Middle East & North Africa

Media Development, Middle East and North Africa

IREX’s Media Sustainability Index (MSI) provides in-depth analyses of the conditions for independent media in 80 countries across the world.

MSI Overview | Africa | Asia | Europe & Eurasia | Middle East & North Africa

Overview of MSI Middle East & North Africa

The 2008 Media Sustainability Index (MSI) for the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) is the third such study undertaken by IREX, and reveals some important developments in the region. Notably, across the board, panelists participating in the MENA MSI study report an explosion of Internet usage in their countries in the past few years. The growing emergence of new media platforms in the region offers an alternative to traditional media, which often support the political party in power. Such options are highly valuable for the many countries that lack pluralistic views in the traditional media, and where self-censorship impinges on the availability of news and information that citizens need in order to hold politicians accountable and make important life decisions.

MSI Middle East & North Africa Chapters

Download Full Version of Middle East & North Africa MSI 2009

MSI Middle East & North Africa Data

With three years of data, one can begin to note trajectories in development toward sustainable independent media, as well as negative paths. Therefore, new in this edition, IREX includes a chart showing percent changes since 2005, the first year of the study. The data shows a mix of countries that have gained noticeably and regressed, along with several that have remained more or less static. Libya, Iraq, and Egypt have all shown improvements since 2005, while, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and syria have all lost ground since 2005, although for very different reasons.

MSI Middle East & North Africa Scores Past and Present

How Does IREX Define and Measure Sustainability?

By “sustainability” IREX refers to the ability of media to play its vital role as the “fourth estate.” How sustainable is a media sector in the context of providing the public with useful, timely, and objective information? How well does it serve as a facilitator of public discussion? To measure this, the MSI assesses five “objectives” that shape a media system: freedom of speech, professional journalism, plurality of news, business management, and supporting institutions. Read the complete MSI Methodology for more information on how this is accomplished.

Contact Us / Request a Hard Copy

For more information or to request a hard copy, email msi@irex.org. Please provide name, full mailing address, region(s), MSI publication year, and quantity.
Download PDF Versions
2009: Cover, Pub Info & TOC | Executive Summary | Full Version
2008: Cover, Pub Info & TOC | Executive Summary | Full Version
2006/07: Cover | Pub Info, TOC & Executive Summary | Full Version
2005: Cover | Pub Info, TOC & Executive Summary | Full Version
MSI Middle East & North Africa Partner Organizations
Arab Media Forum for Environment and Development (Egypt)
Filastiniyat (Palestinian Territories)
Journalistic Freedoms Observatory (Iraq)
Acknowledgement

This publication was made possible through support provided by the United States Department of State's Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI), and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) under Cooperative Agreement No. #DFD-A-00-05-00243 (MSI-MENA) via a Task Order by the Academy for Educational Development.