This document discusses monitoring non-state actors and media context in Lithuania. It notes that media ownership is not legally constrained, ownership networks are complex and inaccessible, and trust in media has fallen significantly. It identifies the key stakeholders as the government, people, and NGO sector. The organization's response has been to publish data showing media ownership since 1996 to increase transparency. This has initiated government discussion and led to a new open data system. However, more work is needed to ensure data reuse, accountability, and determining what has changed. Lessons focus on contextualization of issues and the importance of partnerships.

1. Monitoring non-state actors
*actors having meaningful influence over political, social and
economic matters of the state
Karolis Granickas |Transparency International Lithuania | karolis@transparency.lt

2. Media context in Lithuania
• Media ownership – there is no legal constraints
as to media ownership concentration in
Lithuania;
• The ownership networks are complex and
inaccessible;
• The reporting and public disclosure is poor;
• Trust in media fell from ±90% in nineties to ±20%
nowadays
• + our neighbor’s (un)predictability (we’re talking
defense here)

3. Who are stakeholders here?
• Government
• People
• Our organization and the rest of the NGO sector
• The key question: how data, technology and
advocacy can re-shape the situation?

4. Our response
Based on media ownership data, we show
who owns the internet portals, TV & radio
stations, new agencies and printed media
outlets since 1996

5. Stakeholder 1: Government
• Initiated a discussion on data provision;
• Issued five open data principles to the
Government;
• Achievement: Ministry of Culture initiated a
procurement for a new system which will
reorganize gathering and provision of data

6. Stakeholder 2: People

7. Also..how to read an article?

8. Is the job done then?
Data/tool
(transparency)
Re-use
(participation)
Accountability
and public
control
What did we change?

9. Lessons: contextualization
• Contextualization: www.manoseimas.lt
experiment
• Contextualization: further work with
www.stirna.info

10. Lessons: partnerships.
User-centered design as an example of a complexity of our
work.