"[T]he media is the first line of attack in really chipping away and undermining democracy.” Rosarie Tucci, USAID Director, Democracy, Rights & Governance Center Key LinksRead NDI’s Kosovo's Vibrant Democracy: Closing the deficit in women's full participation Check out Internews V-Dem Democracy Report 2021: Autocratization Turns Viral -----As the rise of corruption, authoritarian power, and nefarious interference takes hold in many countries, the power of the press has been challenged throughout the globe.  In this episode of Democracy! The Podcast, we’ll examine the role media plays in sustaining a free and independent society, and why the bad guys always take the first aim at the press corps.  First, we travel to Kosovo to hear what our CEPPS consortium partners, Nancy Soderberg and Pajtim Gashi from the National Democratic Institute, are doing to counter disinformation and misogyny.  Then, Jeanne Bourgault, President and CEO of Internews, a CEPPS partner who trains independent journalists and digital rights activists, shares what journalists deal with in a compromised information space.    Finally, we have a candid conversation with USAID Director of the Democracy, Rights, and Governance Center Rosarie Tucci about media sustainability and what the future holds.   Democracy! The Podcast is brought to you by the Consortium for Elections and Political Process Strengthening (CEPPS) with support from the United States Agency for International Development through the Global Elections and Political Transitions Award.  -----Follow CEPPS on Twitter. Democracy! The Podcast is hosted by CEPPS and Adrienne Ross. This podcast has been produced by the Consortium for Elections and Political Process Strengthening through the Global Elections and Political Transitions award and is made possible by the generous support of the American people through the United States Agency for International Development.Opinions expressed here are those of the host and the guests and do not necessarily reflect the views of USAID, or the US Government.  This show is produced by Evo Terra and Simpler Media.This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Chartable - https://chartable.com/privacy