Mel Bunce

Professor Mel Bunce

Small Group Project 2015-16

The Future of IRIN

Consideration of the influence of foundation funding on international news is, at the moment, limited to theoretical critique or brief critical discussions of anecdotal examples. As Browne (2010:890) puts it, ‘there has not, as yet, been any comprehensive content analysis of the work produced by foundation-funded journalists and it would be unfair to jump to critical conclusions via anecdote’. Feldman’s (2007:445) conclusion that, ‘the funded left has moved towards the mainstream as it has increased its dependence on foundations’, for example, is no more than an assertion drawn from data showing a general increase in foundation funding for media organisations over time. Existing studies are also focussed almost exclusively on the influence of US foundations on US media.

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Areas of interest

Journalism Democracy Media Freedom

Cohort

FG1

Biography

Mel Bunce is a Professor of International Journalism at City, University of London. Her research focuses on journalism and democracy, media freedom and international journalism.

Her research seeks to improve and support journalism and democracy, and she has partnered with a wide range of news outlets, media development NGOs, multilateral organisations and governments on this work, including: UNESCO, UNOCHA, the FCDO, MSF, The New Humanitarian and Voice of America. Her research has been funded by grants from AHRC, ESRC, GCRF, ISRF and British Academy, among others. And it is regularly featured in the media, including on the BBC,Al Jazeera, NPR, The Financial Times, and The Guardian.

Biographical details correct as of 21.05.26