Eligibility
MDLF is only able to provide loan financing in countries which have been individually approved by the Board of Directors. On receiving an application for financing from a media outlet in a country in which we do not yet work, the Board will decide whether it is a country in which we can operate after an analysis of its media, legal and business environments. Only once that has been confirmed will the individual merits of the loan application be considered.
To enquire whether we are currently active in a specific country, please contact us.
To be eligible to apply for MDLF financing, a media outlet must:
- Have been operating legally in its home country for at least a year (there are very limited exceptions to this rule);
- Have an established reputation for promoting democratic institutions and practices and exercising the principles of a free, independent and responsible press;
- Devote a significant part of editorial content or programming to fact-based news and documentaries, independent from the influence of the government or of any other interest group;
- Offer coverage of different political opinions and promote human rights, the rights of ethnic minorities and inter-ethnic co-existence;
- Not be owned by the government, a state agency, a foreign legal entity or an oligarch business interest that may interfere with editorial policy for its own interests;
- Present a detailed project aimed at broadening and strengthening the outlet's operation;
- Have strong prospects of being able to repay the loan and becoming self-sustaining;
- Ensure that funds will be used as stipulated and provide MDLF with unrestricted access to accounting records.
Invest in press freedom
It's easy to invest in MDLF's work, providing independent news businesses with the financing they need to hold governments to account, expose corruption and fight for justice for all.
Track record
From 1996 to December 31, 2011, MDLF provided $113.3 million in affordable financing, including:
· $98.9 million in loans and equity investments;
· $13.9 million in technical assistance and other grants;
· Earned over $36.4 million in interest, dividends and capital gains;
· Collected more than $50.8 million in recovered principal invested;
· $0.5 million through Digital Kiosk, the secure payment service for independent media;
It has written off only 1.91% of the total loaned and invested.
MDLF has returned more than $16.8 million to investors. It ended December 2011 with a portfolio of $40.7 million in outstanding loans and investments.
