CAMECO launches the Commbox online literature database

In March 2025, CAMECO will launch the “Commbox” media & development literature database and repository. Media practitioners and communication researchers will enjoy user-friendly access to training materials, project experiences, country reports and impact research. The database draws on the library that CAMECO has compiled from all over the world since it was founded in 1969.

The collection ranges from the beginnings of international media assistance to the present day. In addition, the “Commbox” also includes the special collection on journalism safety of the Centre for Freedom of the Media (CFOM) at the University of Sheffield (UK) and the special collection of the Development Communication Research Centre at Leipzig University (Germany) on journalism & the public sphere in Afghanistan.

The Commbox database will comprise 29,000 titles, including over 15,000 available for free download. Another 14,000 printed or copyrighted titles are linked to Google Scholar and WorldCat (the world’s largest library catalogue).

Particular strengths will lie in

• Digital & Online Communication (5,000 titles, including AI, Digital Development, Digital Ethics & Literacy, Digital Inclusion, Disinformation & Misinformation etc.)
• Development Communication (4,800 publications)
• Religious Communication (2,500 titles)
• The Role of Media & Communication in Conflicts and Peacebuilding (1,800 publications)
• Press Freedom (1,800 publications)
• International Media Assistance (1,700 titles)
• Media Landscapes & Systems in the Global South (1,700 titles).

The database will pay special attention to

• Guides and Training Materials (3,900 titles)
• Country Reports and Case Studies (3,800 publications)
• Audience Surveys (700 titles) and Project Evaluation Reports (600 publications).

4,900 titles focus on Africa, 4,300 on Latin America & the Caribbean, 3,200 on Asia & Pacific, 2,800 on Europe, and 1,500 on the MENA region.

The majority of publications is in English, but Spanish and German (with 3,600 publications each) as well as French (2,800) and Portuguese (900 publications) are also covered.

What will make the Commbox unique?

• Core publications are graphically highlighted, helping users identify starting points for exploring a specific area of interest.
• Toolboxes provide users with guidance and practical experience on topics such as advocacy & campaigning, community media, or media management and evaluation.
• Users can sort the most popular publications in their areas of interest by the number of downloads (indicated for each document).
• Commbox also serves as a repository for digital publications which are otherwise no longer available, especially in the case of organisations that no longer exist.

For further information please contact christoph.dietz@cameco.org.