Transcript Media & Information

The Role of Information in Improving
Development & Governance
Sahr Kpundeh
World Bank Institute
Overview of Presentation

Information and Governance
-- economic perspective
-- governance perspective
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Information and Development
-- transparency and corruption
-- information and accountability
-- information and efficiency
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WBI’s Media, Information and Governance Program
Components
-- Media and Information Environment
-- Public information capacity
-- Media institutions and Capacity
-- Development Journalism
-- investigative Journalism
 Conclusion:
Creating Freedom of Information
A Steep Ascent & A Difficult Climb
The ‘Dividend’ of Good Governance
Infant Mortality and Corruption
Per Capita Income and
Regulatory Burden
90
80
12,000
70
10,000
60
8,000
50
40
6,000
30
20
4,000
10
2,000
0
0
Weak
Development
Dividend
x
Average
Good
Control of Corruption
Weak
x
Average
Regulatory Burden
Development
Dividend
Literacy and Rule of Law
Good
Per Capita Income and
Voice and Accountability
100
10000
9000
75
8000
7000
6000
50
5000
4000
25
3000
2000
1000
0
0
Weak
x
Development
Dividend
Average
Rule of Law
Good
Weak
x
Development
Dividend
Average
Strong
Voice and Accountability
Note: The bars depict the simple correlation between good governance and development outcomes. The line depicts the
predicted value when taking into account the causality effects (“Development Dividend”) from improved governance to better
development outcomes. For data and methodological details visit http://www.worldbank.org/wbi/governance.
Reforms for Improving Governance & Combating Corruption
Civil Society Oversight
•Open Hearings
•Monitoring
•Access to Information
•Freedom of the Press
Accountability of
Political Leadership
•Disclosure
•Inspector General/AntiCorruption Agency
•Campaign Finance
Civil Service
•Pay
•Meritocracy
•Client Information
Economic Policy
•Deregulation
•Privatization
•Competition Policy
Good
Governance
Rule of Law
•Independence from Executive
•Upgrade Staff Training and
Laws
•ADR Mechanisms
Financial Management
•Comprehensive Budget
•Transparency
•Procurement Reform
•Independent Audit
Customs Reform
•Tariff Simplification
•Professionalization
•Reduce Discretion
Perspectives on Information
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Economic perspective
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Information about prices
More efficient markets
Governance Perspective
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Information about functioning of public officials
Transparency, accountability
Better allocation of public resources
Information as tool for empowerment
Information from Economic Perspective
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Information as a public good
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Responsibility of the government to make
information available to citizens about
economy/markets – publication of data and statistics
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Decreases uncertainty in the market. Hence decreases
volatility and improves macroeconomic environment
Information & Development
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Government’s design sound economic and social policies and
implement policies more effectively
Private business/individuals make better choices in private
markets
Business/individuals evaluate choices and make better choices
in public/political markets
Hold private and public actors accountable by:
--affecting reputation
-- allowing to monitor with a view to devise penalties and
rewards
Media’s role in development
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Media as Gatekeeper
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Media as Public Watchdog
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News filter, determining what public knows
Agenda-setting, shaping public discourse
Mediator between leaders and public, influencing national
debate
Informs public about issues affecting their wellbeing
Media as Public Conscience
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Platform for citizen voices
Provides feedback on public perceptions of public and
private sector leaders’ performance
Information & Governance
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Transparency & Corruption – Watchdog role
 Transparency in Government decisions, public
expenditures, and transactions is key to averting
corruption
 Transparency in the award of contracts and
licenses is key to making them fair and open
 Information on public officials in the media
provides a useful check on the discretionary
exercise of authority
Information & Governance
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Transparency & Policy makers –
The provision of information begins to inform by revealing the actions of
policymakers.
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Making the consequences of those actions known on a timely basis,
including through the efforts of academics, analysts and social activist,
makes evaluation and monitoring possible, with an associated rise in the
contestability of ideas.
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As new information on both actions and consequences becomes widely
known, the quality of the public debate can improve, with new ideas
proposed, and the prospect of holding the government accountable
coming into focus.
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In so far as citizens can be motivated to raise their level of participation,
the scope for public advocacy increases, and communication with the
government becomes a two-way flow, generating further demands for
more reliable information on economic, financial and institutional
processes and outcomes.
Transparency and GDP Growth
Annual GDP Growth (%)
5
Transparent Information by Government
Effective Parliamentary Oversight
Corporate Ethics
3
1
Low
Middle
High
Extent of Transparency
Source: Annual GDP growth over 1999-2001 is taken from WDI 2002; GDP is computed in PPP terms. The various transparency /
governance variables drawn from Executive Opinion Survey, 2002.
Information & Governance
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Information and Accountability: Gatekeeping role
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Increases political accountability if politicians have to
make information public
Increases internal accountability of public officials if they
are required to regularly report to policymakers
Increases social accountability since citizens can monitor
actions of bureaucrats and delivery of services, and
participate
Especially important to participation and accountability
by local governments
Information & Governance
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Information & Efficiency: Information transmitter
 Increases efficiency if information is effectively
managed and shared between government
departments
 Important for businesses to function effectively,
and for a more stable macroeconomic environment
 Improves accessibility to public services if
information about them is easily available
Information Institutions & Flows
Information
Government
Checks & Balance
Central Ministries
Local/Municipal
Bodies
Citizens
Civil Society
Private sector
Media
Information
Information
Legislatures
(Central & Local)
Voice & Participation
Information & Governance
Politicians/
Policymakers
Information
Public Goods and Services
Citizens
Bureaucrats
Client Power/Social Accountability
Challenges
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Two broad sets of functions need to work well
for this information triangle to work well:
The first comprises the processes for ensuring
the production and dissemination of good
quality information to underpin civic
discourse.
The second comprises the capacities for
analysis, interpretation, debate and advocacy
within civil society.
Development Effectiveness of Media
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Impact of media on development determined by:
 Autonomy: the industry’s ability to report information
without undue fear of being penalized
 Access to information: the ability of the citizen to obtain
information in the possession of the state freely and nonselectively
 Reach: consumer access to a media source’s information
services
 Quality: the access to and capacity to objectively analyze
basic economic, social and political information for news
value and truth
WBI’s Media, Information & Governance Program
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Needs Assessments, Learning workshops and
programs to build capacity in client countries
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Target groups: legislators, government
information officials, media professionals,
civil society
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Partners: Local research institutions, media
training institutes, international donor partners
WBI’s Media, Information & Governance Program
Five Modules
Media & Information Environment
Public Information Capacity
Media Institutions and Capacity
Development Journalism
Investigative Journalism
Media and Information Environment
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Many countries have Secrecy laws – Official Secrets Act
Conflicts between FOI law and Secrecy laws
Freedom of Information Law is a relatively new
phenomenon in many countries
FOI law provides exemptions, procedures for requests and
outlines obligations of public officials for disclosure
Provides guarantees against denial of information
Also includes freedom of expression
Enforcements Mechanisms: Information Commissioners;
Ombudsman
Public Information Capacity
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Even in the presence of FOI law, government agencies
need the capacity to make information public
Information as a public good. Obligation of public
agencies to provide information about citizen rights and
entitlements
Press Information Departments fulfill this function
Limited capacity for information management, processes
for information flows
Need for both structural solutions – technology for better
information management, capacity for dissemination,
publications etc.
Public Information Campaigns
Public Information Capacity
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Importance of the architecture of information - to ensure that
the information that is collected is comparable and accessible.
Integrated financial management information systems - to
track the use of money within the government. - used in
Tanzania, and being implemented in many other African
countries.
Computerized audits - to ensure comparability of information
on the use of public money across years and to enhance
accessibility - used in South Africa. Implemented in Ghana.
Mobilization of non-governmental groups in information
gathering - use of service delivery surveys in Uganda and
India.
Media Institutions & Capacity
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Mass media are important intermediaries of
public information
Political Economy of Media Ownership
Political Influence & Independence of the Media
Financial Autonomy
Media Management
Independent media – Print, Community radio,
Internet
Development Journalism
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The Role of the Media in Development
Reporting on Poverty
Public Service Obligations of Commercial Media
State media and Development
Balancing Commercial and Public Service
Interests
Quality and impact of good reporting
Investigative Journalism
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Reporting and Writing Skills
Research Skills
Media Ethics
Dealing with political pressures
Uncovering Corruption
Thank You
Q&A
and
Discussion