We provide Public Service for everyone.

The functioning of our common information space is a prerequisite for thriving, healthy communities, and for the self determination of every individual. Digital media can foster understanding, but it can also drive a social divide. It amplifies many ills of humankind and yet, we depend on mass communication to address all the challenges and threats that we face every day – from the seemingly small to the very existential ones.

The GMR’s remit is to promote and provide transparency in this field; not as an end in itself, but as a primary condition for accountability of all actors involved, which, in turn, is a key component of trust and as such, the ultimate baseline of any meaningful exchange.

All our efforts in this domain are delivered as a public service and a freely accessible utility for everyone.

INITIATIVES

  • Media Ownership Monitor

    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, our 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, we map and explain the overall media environment, including the historic, demographic, political and legal context.

    So far, over twenty MOM country editions have been published.

    Each one is run individually by one of our local partner organizations.

    Visit website

  • Unique Media Identifiers

    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.