Impact of Covid 19 on Media Sustainability https://zimbabwe.misa.org Recommendations It is clear that money and political will are the two big problems, problems that the Covid-19 crisis has underlined. They are linked, in the sense that strong pro-media freedom bodies are needed to lobby for independent media, not captured by the public or private sector. Judicious and greater funding of media institutions and outlets is called for. In future crisis situations, including pandemics, civil society must be better prepared to resist erosion of basic freedoms under the guise of protection of the society. For journalism, capacitation and support of organisations that represent media solidarity have shown their importance. The relief fund for journalists in South Africa and the lobbying on behalf of journalists and journalism has come from two organisations, SANEF and SAFREA. SANEF has also been at the forefront of trying to examine the impact of the crisis in a timely fashion on the news ecosystem. MISA has been a vital part of supporting media freedom and freedom of expression across the region since the mid-1990s. Others, too, have arisen and may arise to monitor and support the news media in the region in what is proving, as the research shows, to be a troubling time for journalists and their organisations. Part of whatever money can be raised from foundation donors and corporations should strengthen institutions that can impress on government and society in the region the absolute necessity of sustainable and viable news media, as measured by DW Akademie’s Media Viability Indicators. 38 In the past, newspapers could rely on patient billionaires with a public conscience, but reliance on such largesse can also mean a form media capture. The realization now is that support and even rescue funds might have to be forthcoming for commercial operations – as the South African state-supported Media Development and Diversity Agency has already done for small commercial publishers in South Africa. The need for a regional fund, insulated from outside pressure, should be on the table. The international Media Development Investment Fund, operating in the impact investment field, is a replacement for those perhaps mythical billionaires, and has been instrumental in keeping the Mail & Guardian independent. Donor-funded organisations have proved their worth in buttressing media independence. Donor money also can bring with it accusations of foreign meddling in local affairs and is subject to the whims of the donors. It needs to be carefully managed, and news organisations need education in this as well as in running a business in the new era. Some of the jargon and the language of news media business in the internet age open up new conceptual areas for journalists not used to thinking of journalism products, retention rates, and the technicalities of data measurements such as unique browsers and page views. Money needs to be found not for journalism training necessarily, though I would argue that the lack of business journalism in the main news is a serious gap, but in the business of journalism