Book series: "Edition International Media Studies"

Schmidt, C. (2019): Viability of Alternative Online News Media Organizations in Developing and Transformation Countries. Edition International Media Research, DW Akademie, Volume 1. Baden Baden: Nomos Verlag.

Media development cooperation is based on the assumption that free and independent media are a precondition for good governance and thus the effective functioning of democratic societies. In order to holistically approach the area of media development a concept that combines media sustainability and journalistic quality is needed – this call laid the foundation for the concept of media viability. This publication is one of the firsts that reveals general characteristics that shape, enhance and restrict media viability of online news organizations in developing countries and economies in transition. Further, the comparative approach serves to highlight the challenges and chances alternative online news media face with regard to media viability in the developing world and thus is a first step in the search for clues on how to best promote media viability. This analysis focuses on five countries within different world regions: Ecuador, Uganda, Cambodia, Ukraine and Tunisia.

Schmidt, C. (2015): Standards of Journalism Education. An International Comparative Study in the Context of Media and Development. Edition International Media Studies, DW Akademie, Volume 7. Berlin: Vistas Verlag.

Training and educating of journalists around the world with the aim of enhancing free and independent media has been a major field of media development cooperation for decades. Nevertheless, the state of scientific research in this area remains limited, specifically with regard to the status quo of journalism education in developing countries. The academic research project on International Journalism Education Standards (IJES) was initiated by Deutsche Welle Akademie’s International Media Studies program with the goal to help close this gap. This publication contains the research results of the IJES research poject´s comparative study about the standards of journalism education in four developing countries: Colombia, Kenya, Myanmar and Egypt.

Schmidt, C. (2014): Kenya's Media Landscape: A Success Story with Serious Structural Challenges. Edition International Media Studies, DW Akademie, Volume 6. Berlin: Vistas Verlag.

Kenya’s 2010 Constitution guarantees press freedom in a way the country has never previously seen. However, the concentration of media ownership and pending consensus on new media legislation are tarnishing the triumphs of Kenya’s media liberalization and development. Regulation of news content, including hate speech and political bias, as well as journalistic standards are also issues provoking discussion and sullying the image of Kenya as a role model for other East African countries.
On May 21, 2014, international scholars gathered in Bonn to discuss their research under the heading “Kenya’s Media Landscape: A Success Story with Serious Structural Challenges”. This publication provides a supplement to the presentations and discussions held at the fifth annual DW Media Dialogue.

Schmidt, C. (2013): Pakistan's Media Landscape: The Effects of Liberalization. Edition International Media Studies, DW Akademie, Volume 5. Berlin: Vistas Verlag.

The liberalization of Pakistan's media in 2002 led to the sector's rapid development but has also resulted in numerous challenges for journalists including freedom of speech vs. self-censorship, and media liberalization vs. partial radicalization. Pakistan has also been repeatedly recognized as one of the most dangerous countries for journalists. On May 29, 2013 international and German Scholars from various disciplines and institutes came together in Bonn to discuss their research regarding "Pakistan's Media Landscape: The Effects of Liberalization". This publication provides a supplement to the presentations and discussions held at the fourth annual Deutsche Welle Media Dialogue.

Schmidt, C., Martens, E. (2013): Conceptual and practical challenges of a transformation partnership: A case study of a German-Egyptian MBA Program in Media Management. In: EDULEARN13 Proceedings, pp. 4928-4934 (5th International Conference on Education and New Learning Technologies, 1-3 July, 2013, Barcelona, Spain)

In September 2012 the German University in Cairo (GUC) and the DW Akademie launched a Master's program for future media professionals. The joint project forms part of the German-Egyptian Transformation Partnership and aims to promote academic and intercultural exchange between the media and communication industries of Germany and Egypt. The program is considered highly successful with respect to its interdisciplinary, innovation-driven and transformational approach. This publication outlines the main conceptual and practical challenges of the transformation partnership as a case study for international development cooperation in the field of media and higher education.

Schmidt, C. (2012): The Role of Media in the Arab World's Transformation Process. Edition International Media Studies, DW Akademie, Volume 4. Berlin: Vistas Verlag.

Following the so-called "Twitter Revolutions" in Moldova and Iran, the international media coined the term "Facebook Revolution" to depict the world's most popular social media platform as a condition sine qua non for the Arab revolutions. There is little doubt that social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter, as well as content sharing platforms such as YouTube and Flickr, played a significant role in countries with severe restrictions on freedom of expression. However, the implications of new tools like these for media systems and political landscapes of individual countries as well as entire regions remain uncertain and can only be determined through systematic research and analysis. In May 2012, international and German scholars from various disciplines and institutes came together in Bonn to discuss their research results. The Edition International Media Studies, Volume 4, comprises a selection of academic studies presented at the third annual Deutsche Welle Media Dialogue, "The Role of Media in the Arab World's Transformation Process".

Schmidt, C., Schwartmann, R. (2011): Türkei: Medienordnung auf dem Weg nach Europa. DW Akademie. Edition International Media Studies, Volume 3. Berlin: Vistas Verlag.

Turkey not only serves as a bridge between the Occident and Orient, the Islamic World and Europe, but also plays a special role in the media landscape of both regions. Primary causes are a fundamental restructuring of the Turkish media system as well as innovative accelerations, especially in the field of new media and emerging technologies. In addition, Turkey's accession negotiations with the European Union have partially influenced its media order and media regulation. The Turkish media market has developed into a pluralistic media landscape, and freedom of expression and press freedom remain a major issue and subject of debate in Turkey. Media professionals therefore find themselves in a competitive relationship between conformity and independence. The opposite poles of media freedom and regulation, as well as the issues of growth and development, were the focus of Deutsche Welle's second Media Dialogue, "Turkey: Media Structure on its Way to Europe" held in Bonn in April 2011. The Edition International Media Studies, Volume 2, builds on the papers delivered at the conference and provides readers with a comprehensive overview of the general situation and recent developments in the Turkish media market.

Schmidt, C./Arnold, B.-P. (2011): Handbuch International Media Studies. Edition International Media Studies, DW Akademie, Volume 1. Berlin: Vistas Verlag.

Free and independent media are essential to any democratic system. The prerequisites for the establishment and operation of free media systems are journalists who can best carry out their responsibilities as critical observers and reporters. This in turn requires professionally trained journalists who feel bound to journalistic ethics. This publication deals with the relationship between media, politics and society by analyzing and discussing the relevance, changes and challenges in the field of journalism. The authors also provide detailed explanations of different journalistic styles and formats. This publication has both an academic and practical approach, as well as an international focus, and provides a basic reference work for students and practitioners of journalism, communication sciences and adjacent scientific fields. With the first volume of this new publication series, DW Akademie - Germany's leading organization for international media development - offers international readers an in-depth knowledge in the field of International Media Studies.

Schmidt, C., Schwartmann, R., Niepalla, P. (2010): Russland: Medien zwischen Staatslenkung und Kommerzialisierung. Edition International Media Studies, DW Akademie, Volume 2. Berlin: Vistas Verlag.

When it comes to international press freedom rankings, Russia is ranked one of the lowest. At the same time, Russia's media industry has been expanding. "Russia: Media between regulation and commercialization" is the title of Deutsche Welle's first Media Dialogue symposium, held in April 2010 at Deutsche Welle in Bonn. The academic studies are available in the symposium's proceedings: Edition International Media Studies, Volume 2. The publication provides a comprehensive synopsis of structures and current developments in Russia's media market. Experts from both academia and practice draw a complex picture of the Russian media landscape, caught between political influences and economic success.