Improving professional journalism standards:
Media self-regulation and investigative
reporting in Mongolia
Executive Summary | Syria
External Evaluation Report | Executive SummaryMongolia

01 /2017
10/2017

Background
Since the fall of communism, Mongolia has gone throughwhat can be considered exceptional democratic development in the east central Asian region. Nevertheless, extremesocial and economic inequality remains a major problem
in the country especially between urban and rural areas.
Even though media freedom is officially guaranteed by law
since 1998 Mongolian journalists fear prosecution for libeland slander.

The second project partner is the Press Institute of Mongolia. Here, DW Akademie helps develop teaching modules ininvestigative reporting to be incorporated into the Institute’s
programs for journalism education and training. A groupof teachers from Ulaanbaatar and rural areas are trained toindependently teach investigative journalism. Apart fromthat the Press Institute is offered advice on finances, humanresources, blended learning and networking.

DW Akademie cooperates with two project partners in Mongolia. One of them is the newly established Mongolian MediaCouncil, which was set up by a proactive working group of
Mongolian journalists and representatives of civil society
who had reached out to DW Akademie for guidance. Since theestablishment of the Mongolian Media Council, DW Akademie
has provided consultancies and training to its managing board,secretariat and complaints committees on issues like complaints procedure, finance, organization, human resources, andpublic relations. Training for media organizations, journalists,
media lawyers and civil society on media ethics is also partof this project line.

The aim of this evaluation, which was carried out by an external consultant, is a constructive assessment of the project
results after completion of the first funding phase (2015-2017).
The evaluation is based on the OECD/DAC evaluation criteria
and uses a method mix, including document and literature
analysis and interviews with project managers, project partners, and target groups on site. The recommendations madeat the end do not necessarily align with the perspective andplanning of the project team. Nevertheless, all suggestions
were discussed in order to allow lessons learned to be incorporated into the development of future strategies.DW AkademieMedia self-regulation and investigative reporting in Mongolia

2Conclusions of the project evaluation
Mongolia’s journalists have made several attempts to set
up a media council, however it is only through cooperation
with DW Akademie they were finally successful. The newly
established institution is considered relevant for various
reasons, both by journalists and by the people of Mongolia.
While journalism in Mongolia is often considered to be lacking objectivity, independence, and accountability, the media
council has the potential to establish journalistic standards.
For citizens it is considered to be useful for exercising theirright to information by way of complaint. Promoting investigative reporting is also thought to be relevant in the
Mongolian context, especially against the background of an
outdated journalism curriculum that neglects investigativetechniques and is compounded by wider problems in Mongolian society, such as corruption within public authorities
that ought to be brought to the public attention. Thus, theevaluation judges the criterion relevance as “comprehensively fulfilled.”
The criterion effectiveness has been judged separately foreach project component. As for the Mongolian Media Council, the evaluation concludes that the project objective andthe project outputs have been achieved to a high degree orare on track to be achieved by the end of the project. The
Mongolian Media Council is established, it has adopted apress code that is acknowledged by major media houses,
and it processes the complaints it receives. Hence, thecriterion effectiveness is here seen as “comprehensivelyfulfilled”. In terms of the project component for strengthening investigative reporting, the evaluation acknowledges
that customizable teaching modules have been thoroughly
designed and teachers have been trained to start teaching
journalists independently. However, since the project objective – Mongolian citizens informing themselves throughinvestigative reports on a regular basis – and some of theproject outputs were formulated quite ambitiously they
are deemed to be attainable only after the end of the official project term. Therefore, the criterion effectiveness isjudged as “partially fulfilled” when it comes to the programfor investigative reporting.
The funds made available for the project do not appear toallow for much leeway. The project partners use the funds
efficiently and with great care. They even contribute theirown resources. Hence, the criterion efficiency is judged as“comprehensively fulfilled.”

There are quite a few positive project outcomes to be namedthat go beyond the formal project objectives. The founding
process of the media council proved to be a good exercise for
civic cooperation. Potential sceptics of the initiative could
be integrated and convinced thanks to relentless adherence
to a participatory approach on the part of the initiators.
Meanwhile, the media council has received broad approval.
It has received numerous complaints by citizens during thefirst three years of its existence. The project activities tostrengthen investigative reporting have not only helped theteachers of the press institute to develop pertinent skills; it
has helped them grow confidence in their ability to teachfully-fledged journalists. All in all, the criterion impact isjudged as “generally fulfilled” – accounting for minor possible
risks such as misunderstandings of the role of DW Akademie’s
consultant to the media council and practical constraints forinvestigative journalism in Mongolia.
Both project partners identify with the project to a highdegree. The media council is a genuinely local initiativeand its members convey the impression to be driven bystrong convictions and values. They make concrete efforts
to further improve the procedures and to become financiallyindependent. The press institute has put much emphasis
on designing a versatile investigative reporting curriculumthat caters to different needs. The institute’s commitment
to investigative journalism does not stop at developing andteaching the curriculum. It also pertains to promoting a larger
investigative journalism movement in Mongolia. Thus, theevaluation judges the criterion sustainability as “comprehensively fulfilled.”
There is a limited number of media development actors
in Mongolia. DW Akademie has reviewed their fields ofoperation in advance to ensure that project activities do
not overlap. In the course of the project the Friedrich Ebert
Stiftung supported the initial phase of the press council.
Synergies also came about with the Konrad-AdenauerStiftung who decided to offer scholarships to diploma
students of the press institute. The criterion coherence,complementarity, and coordination is therefore judged
as “comprehensively fulfilled.”
The project is furthermore characterised by a close cooperation between project partners and the DW Akademie team.
All parties involved experience the cooperation as trustfuland as equals. Communication is said to be clear and smooth.
Therefore, the evaluation rates the criterion quality of management as “comprehensively fulfilled.”DW AkademieMedia self-regulation and investigative reporting in Mongolia

Key recommendations
1. A
 qualitative monitoring approach should be pursued
when there are no reference points or empirical data
available at an early stage of the project.
2. A ctivities should be clearly geared to the needs of theproject’s target group “Mongolian population, especiallyin rural areas.”
3. Activities and outputs should be harmonized.
4. T
 he project’s budget should be adapted to the project
objectives.
5. B oth project lines should be continued after the end of
the current project term.
6. F
 urther consultancy to the media council should focus
on ensuring that all committee members have the sameknowledge.
7. C onflicts that arise as a result of the establishment of themedia council should be understood as opportunities
for quality management and professionalization.
8. B
 esides informing the public, the media council should
put efforts into enshrining the press code as a firm reference point in media houses.
9. T eachers should be further strengthened in practicalteaching methods.
10.

T he press institute should create incentives for thenewly trained teachers. The press institute’s upcoming programs in investigative reporting should holistically involve newsrooms and the managementlevel of media houses.

3

DW Akademie
DW Akademie is Germany’s leading organization for media development and Deutsche Welle’s center of excellence foreducation and knowledge transfer. As a strategic partner of Germany’s Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation andDevelopment we strengthen the universal human rights of free expression, education, and access to information.

ContactDr. Jan Lublinski
Head Research and Evaluation
DW Akademiejan.lublinski@dw.com

DW Akademie
53110 Bonn, Germany

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