The Promise—and Limits—of a Free Press – Foreign Affairs

The Role of Media in Achieving Sustainable Development Goal 16

An independent press is a critical component for achieving Sustainable Development Goal 16 (SDG 16), which promotes peace, justice, and strong institutions. However, the efficacy of journalism in upholding democracy and human rights is contingent upon the strength and integrity of a nation’s governing institutions. The media’s capacity to expose corruption and abuses of power, key targets of SDG 16, is dependent on access to information from civil servants and government insiders. Furthermore, for such reporting to translate into accountability, it requires responsive action from independent judiciaries, empowered prosecutors, and proactive legislatures. Without this institutional ecosystem, journalistic revelations fail to curb authoritarianism or advance justice.

The Interdependence of Press Freedom and Institutional Integrity

Foundational Requirements for Accountability

The success of journalism as a tool for accountability is directly linked to the health of other democratic institutions. Progress toward SDG 16 is significantly hampered when the institutions designed to act on journalistic findings are compromised or unresponsive. This dynamic underscores that press freedom is not an isolated objective but part of an interdependent system of governance.

• Information Sources: The exposure of corruption, such as the 2014 scandal in Brazil, relied on leaks from government insiders committed to upholding the rule of law.
• Institutional Action: Revelations by the press can only lead to substantive change if they prompt action by other bodies, such as legislatures demanding investigations or courts prosecuting wrongdoing.
• Public Engagement: An informed and engaged citizenry, spurred by media reporting, is essential for demanding accountability and protesting against institutional failure.

Economic and Digital Challenges to Media Viability

The financial stability of the media sector presents a significant challenge to achieving SDG 16.10, which aims to ensure public access to information and protect fundamental freedoms. The decline of traditional media business models has led to mass closures of news outlets globally, diminishing the capacity for accountability journalism. Concurrently, the digital information landscape has become fragmented, making it difficult for accountability-focused reporting to reach a broad audience and giving rise to disinformation campaigns that undermine democratic discourse.

Case Studies: Institutional Ecosystems and Progress Towards SDG 16

South Korea: A Model of Collective Action for Institutional Accountability

South Korea’s experience demonstrates how a robust institutional framework enables the press to effectively contribute to SDG 16. The impeachment of President Park Geun-hye was precipitated by collaborative investigative journalism that exposed corruption and abuse of power. This success was built upon several key factors:

1. Media Collaboration: Competing news outlets shared sources to uncover a scandal, prioritizing national interest over professional rivalry.
2. Public Outrage and Mobilization: Reporting on inequality in university admissions, a matter related to SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities), catalyzed widespread public protests demanding accountability.
3. Institutional Response: The legislature voted to impeach the president, and the constitutional court, acting with independence, unanimously upheld the decision, reinforcing the rule of law.

The subsequent impeachment of President Yoon Suk-yeol for imposing martial law further affirmed the resilience of South Korea’s democratic institutions in checking executive overreach.

Brazil: Judicial Independence as a Bulwark Against Democratic Erosion

In Brazil, the press played a vital role in holding President Jair Bolsonaro accountable, but its efforts were effective primarily due to the support of an independent judiciary and dissent within the government. This case highlights how different pillars of SDG 16 can reinforce one another.

• Whistleblower Contributions: Journalists received a significant volume of leaks from government insiders determined to prevent a return to dictatorship.
• Judicial Action: The judiciary translated journalistic investigations into legal consequences, prosecuting the president for plotting to overturn election results and reinforcing electoral integrity.
• Challenges to SDG 5: The case also exposed threats to female journalists, who faced targeted harassment and threats, underscoring the intersection of SDG 16 with SDG 5 (Gender Equality) in protecting women’s participation in public life.

El Salvador: The Consequences of Institutional Collapse

El Salvador illustrates the failure to advance SDG 16 when state institutions are systematically dismantled. Despite fearless reporting by digital outlets like El Faro on government corruption and human rights abuses, the absence of institutional checks and balances has rendered journalism largely powerless. President Nayib Bukele has neutralized the legislature and the judiciary, creating an environment where there is no counterbalance to executive power. This has resulted in:

• Impunity for Abuses: Without independent courts or prosecutors, there is no mechanism to act on reports of wrongdoing.
• Attacks on the Press: Journalists have faced government surveillance, smear campaigns, and legal persecution, forcing many into exile.
• Erosion of Fundamental Freedoms: The government’s actions represent a direct assault on SDG 16.10, undermining public access to information and the safety of journalists.

Global Implications and Recommendations for Strengthening SDG 16

The Ecosystem Approach to Democratic Governance

The cases of South Korea, Brazil, and El Salvador confirm that the effectiveness of the press in safeguarding democracy is contingent on an interdependent ecosystem of institutions and norms aligned with SDG 16. Key components of this ecosystem include:

• A professionalized and ethical civil service.
• An independent legislature and judiciary capable of checking executive power.
• A vibrant civil society and citizens willing to engage in public protest.
• A financially secure and independent media sector.

Threats to Institutional Integrity and Press Freedom

Even in established democracies, the institutions that enable journalism to function as a safeguard are weakening, posing a direct threat to progress on SDG 16. The replacement of professional civil servants with political loyalists obstructs access to information. Legislative bodies that fail to assert their constitutional authority weaken the system of checks and balances. A judiciary that embraces an expansive view of executive power can undermine the rule of law. When media owners succumb to political pressure, they abdicate their role in holding power to account.

A Call for Collective Action

Protecting the rights and institutions central to SDG 16 requires collective action. The experiences of nations facing democratic erosion offer a clear warning against complacency. Upholding democratic governance necessitates a unified effort from journalists, civil society organizations, and independent state institutions. Actions such as legally challenging baseless lawsuits against the press and resisting government pressure on media outlets are essential to preserving the institutional framework that underpins both democracy and sustainable development.

SDGs Addressed in the Article

SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

• The article’s central theme is the critical role of strong, independent institutions—such as the press, judiciary, and legislature—in upholding democracy, combating corruption, and ensuring the rule of law. It extensively discusses press freedom, abuses of power by leaders, the importance of an independent judiciary, and the role of citizen protests in holding governments accountable. The experiences in South Korea, Brazil, and El Salvador are used as case studies to illustrate the necessity of these strong institutions for a functioning democracy.

SDG 5: Gender Equality

• The article touches upon gender equality by highlighting the specific, gender-based attacks faced by a prominent female journalist. It details how Brazilian journalist Patricia Campos Mello was targeted with false charges that she “traded sex for leaks” and subjected to “a flood of sexual-assault threats,” illustrating the unique challenges women face in public life and the importance of protecting them. The mention of South Korea’s female president, Park Geun-hye, also connects to female participation in political life, albeit in the context of her impeachment.

SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

• This goal is indirectly connected through the issue of equal opportunity in education, which is a precursor to decent work. The article notes that public outrage in South Korea was particularly stirred by the revelation that President Park’s adviser’s daughter “was offered entrance to a top university despite mediocre grades.” This was seen as a grave injustice because “ordinary Koreans cram for years for notoriously competitive entrance exams,” highlighting the societal importance of meritocracy and fair access to opportunities that lead to economic advancement.

Specific Targets Identified

Under SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

1. Target 16.3: Promote the rule of law at the national and international levels and ensure equal access to justice for all.

   The article demonstrates this target’s relevance by contrasting countries with strong judiciaries against those with weak ones. In South Korea, the constitutional court twice upheld the legislature’s impeachment of a president. In Brazil, an “independent judiciary proved vital in translating investigations into action,” ultimately prosecuting President Bolsonaro. Conversely, in El Salvador, President Bukele “replaced many judges on El Salvador’s Supreme Court,” neutering the judiciary and eliminating a key avenue for justice.

2. Target 16.5: Substantially reduce corruption and bribery in all their forms.

   This target is central to the article, which details numerous journalistic exposés of corruption. Examples include the investigation into “payoffs to Choi Soon-sil, the president’s close adviser” in South Korea, the “sprawling 2014 corruption scandal that convicted business leaders and politicians in Brazil,” and investigations into “corruption and self-dealing” in the U.S. The entire narrative hinges on the press’s role in uncovering such wrongdoing.

3. Target 16.6: Develop effective, accountable and transparent institutions at all levels.

   The article argues that journalism’s effectiveness depends on an “interdependent ecosystem of institutions.” It shows accountable institutions in action when South Korea’s legislature and judiciary “proved willing to buck presidential power.” It shows the breakdown of accountability in El Salvador, where Bukele “controls all the institutions,” including the legislature, judiciary, attorney general’s office, army, and police, leaving the public defenseless.

4. Target 16.7: Ensure responsive, inclusive, participatory and representative decision-making at all levels.

   This target is illustrated by the powerful citizen protests in South Korea. The article describes how journalistic revelations “prompted nationwide rallies calling for Park’s resignation” and how citizens “formed human chains around the National Assembly.” This direct public participation was a critical factor in the political process, leading to the impeachment and removal of two presidents, demonstrating responsive decision-making influenced by the populace.

5. Target 16.10: Ensure public access to information and protect fundamental freedoms, in accordance with national legislation and international agreements.

   This is the core issue of the article. It details the “assault on press freedom” globally, citing government raids of newsrooms in South Korea, the hacking of journalists’ phones in El Salvador, and public insults and legal threats against reporters in the U.S. The work of journalists to expose wrongdoing relies on public access to information, often provided by “government insiders determined to focus public attention on wrongdoing,” and this fundamental freedom is shown to be under severe threat.

Under SDG 5: Gender Equality

1. Target 5.5: Ensure women’s full and effective participation and equal opportunities for leadership at all levels of decision-making in political, economic and public life.

   The article highlights the severe, gender-specific harassment aimed at preventing a female journalist’s participation in public life. When Patricia Campos Mello investigated President Bolsonaro, he “attacked Campos Mello on social media and in public statements, repeating a source’s false charges that she traded sex for leaks and triggering a flood of sexual-assault threats.” This demonstrates a barrier to women’s full and effective participation in the media and public discourse.

Indicators Mentioned or Implied

Under SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

1. Indicator 16.10.1: Number of verified cases of killing, kidnapping, enforced disappearance, arbitrary detention and torture of journalists…

   The article provides direct evidence related to this indicator. It mentions that in El Salvador, “at least 22 of its 30 journalists had been hacked by a state operator,” and that “over the past six months, at least 53 journalists have fled the country” due to threats. It also references the “2018 killing and dismembering of Jamal Khashoggi, a U.S.-based Saudi journalist,” as a stark example of violence against journalists.

2. Indicator 16.5.1: Proportion of persons who had at least one contact with a public official and who paid a bribe to a public official, or were asked for a bribe by those public officials…

   While not providing statistics, the article implies the measurement of corruption through its detailed accounts of major corruption scandals. The press reports in Brazil relied on “leaks about testimony and wiretaps from government insiders,” and the South Korean scandal involved uncovering “payoffs to Choi Soon-sil.” These journalistic investigations serve as an informal measure and catalyst for official action against corruption.

3. Indicator 16.3.2: Unsentenced detainees as a proportion of overall prison population.

   This is indirectly implied in the discussion of human rights abuses in El Salvador. The article mentions that the press chronicled “government abuses of human rights” under President Bukele’s crackdown. While not specifying unsentenced detainees, this points to a breakdown in the judicial process and rule of law, which this indicator is designed to measure.

Under SDG 5: Gender Equality

1. Indicator 5.c.1: Proportion of countries with systems to track and make public allocations for gender equality and women’s empowerment.

   The article implies the existence and effectiveness of such a system in Brazil. The fact that a court “awarded Campos Mello compensation for ‘moral damages'” for the gendered harassment she faced shows that a legal framework was in place and enforced to protect women from such attacks, which is a key component of tracking and promoting gender equality.

Summary Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: foreignaffairs.com