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Who owns and controls mass media? Which personal, political and economic interests are affiliated with media ownership? Answering these questions is not only important for every citizen to make informed choices in their individual news diets, but also for regulators to safeguard pluralism in our shared information space.

To that end, country by county, GMR's Media Ownership Monitor (MOM) provides a publicly available, interoperable and searchable database each, including hundreds of detailed profiles of the most influential media owners, the media companies they control and the media outlets they operate. In addition, it maps and explains the overall media environment, including the historic, demographic, political and legal context.

MOM is a well-established and tested, neutral diagnostic tool for a given country's digital information ecosystem. It supports transparency, accountability and diversity in the critical space of public opinion, discourse and influence.

So far, around thirty MOM country editions have been published.

Each one is run individually by one of GMR's local partner organizations.

Every airport has it: a three-letter-code making sure that your bag labelled ‘PTJ’ is travelling with you to Portland in Australia (and not to Portland in Maine, USA, which is ‘PDX’). Other examples are phone or bank account numbers, licence plates for cars, ISBNs for books or tax IDs – we are surrounded by all sorts of unique identifiers that provide clarity and distinction, where ambiguity is the enemy.

Also in the media sector, many brands or channels sound similar, be it by coincidence or on purpose, as malicious actors try to capitalise on it. This can confuse not only audiences, but also algorithmic-driven recommender systems of search or social media platforms that drive our attention, along with advertising dollars – possibly in the wrong direction.

The GMR is currently spearheading a global effort to develop and implement unique media identifiers, which don’t exist thus far. To that end, we have initiated an official industry standard setting process through ISO, the International Organization for Standardisation, facilitated by the national German Standardisation Body DIN, to develop a convention about their format and syntax. This initiative is supported by a range of different stakeholders, including professional associations, national regulatory authorities, international organisations and private sector actors.

In 2025, GMR is leading three international initiatives designed to strengthen democratic media ecosystems in Armenia and Georgia with support from the German Federal Foreign Office’s Civil Society Cooperation program. In partnership with local organizations, these projects focus on increasing transparency around media ownership, empowering women in journalism, and reimagining local media for the future. Together, they reflect GMR’s commitment to cross-border collaboration, public-interest media, and inclusive democratic participation.

Media Transparency – Who Owns the Media in Georgia and Armenia?

Opaque media ownership undermines trust, independence, and accountability. This trilateral initiative brings together media professionals, researchers, and civil society actors from Armenia, Georgia, and Germany to explore and document ownership structures using the methodology of GMR’s established ‘Media Ownership Monitor’ (MOM). Through workshops in Yerevan and Tbilisi, the project promotes strategic dialogue and collaborative research, equipping participants to advocate for greater media transparency across the region.

HerMedia – Empowering Women to Shape Armenia’s Media Future

Despite growing numbers of women in Armenia’s media sector, leadership and editorial influence remain disproportionately male. HerMedia addresses this gap by supporting early-career women journalists and content creators through intensive training in storytelling, podcasting, and leadership. Conducted in Yerevan with an additional session in Berlin, this workshop series fosters a new generation of female media leaders ready to diversify and strengthen public discourse.

Why #LocalMediaMatters – Young Leaders Seminar Georgia & Germany

Local journalism plays a critical role in democratic life but often faces structural and financial challenges. This seminar series connects Georgian journalists with peers and experts to explore sustainable models for local reporting. By blending hands-on training with strategic reflection, the program encourages participants to reimagine local media as a resilient, community-driven force for transparency and civic engagement.

The Election Integrity Task Force (EITF) is a global rapid-response initiative co-led by GMR to help protect democratic elections from foreign information manipulation and interference (FIMI). Funded by the Government of Canada and implemented with international partners, the EITF supports civil society, media, and public institutions in identifying and countering malign influence operations before, during, and after elections.

By combining real-time monitoring, cross-sector collaboration, and embedded capacity-building, the EITF strengthens local resilience where electoral processes are most vulnerable to disruption. Through spring 2026, the task force will be deployed in up to three elections worldwide, refining its methodology and building lasting partnerships across sectors.

Key components of the initiative include a gender-sensitive response framework, early-warning systems, and tailored training—particularly for marginalized groups. With these tools, the EITF helps preserve the integrity of information ecosystems and empowers communities to defend democracy at its most critical moments.