DW Global Media Forum: Breaking barriers, building bridges
Journalism, particularly in the news industry, is a business built on addressing the effects of constant change, unexpected developments and sudden pivots in this unpredictable world. Crises around the globe – such as the conflict in the Middle East or the war in Ukraine – highlight how false narratives and lack of access to trustworthy news sources can amplify pain and suffering.
Challenges and threats to journalism and journalists have steadily increased from the rise of generative AI to growing concerns over disinformation; from government censorship to restrictions on access to information and personal attacks on reporters, the craft of journalism is coming under attack from every direction.
At the same time, thousands of local newspapers have closed in recent years, leaving communities without access to crucial information. Global tech giants like Google and Meta have tried to take their place, creating virtual monopolies on the distribution of news and thus becoming the new gatekeepers of information. All the while, the financial survival of many news outlets around the world still hangs by a thread.
Under the theme "Breaking barriers, building bridges," the DW Global Media Forum aims to support journalists in navigating challenges and reclaiming control over their narratives.
How can journalists and users work together to overcome challenges such as circumventing internet blocking and censorship when autocrats use violent intimidation, restrictive technologies and disinformation to ensure their narratives drown out other voices?
What existing approaches are strengthening journalism today as audiences around the world complain of news fatigue, and which may need to be re-evaluated?
What innovative ideas are being developed and, more importantly, what new methods and techniques are needed to future-proof the news?
Also at the heart of this changing landscape is the drive for greater inclusivity and collaboration among journalists working to break down barriers and build bridges that connect different perspectives in increasingly fragmented societies.
By exploring these issues and more, the DW Global Media Forum will examine how journalists can adapt and innovate to ensure free, fair and accessible information for all.
Safeguarding the foundations of democracy
Join us in Bonn on July 7 and 8 at our three new venues, the Bundeskunsthalle Bonn, the Kunstmuseum Bonn, and DW's headquarters. This year's conference will take place in a more distilled format, with a focus on exploring solutions to the various challenges we face in the news media.
To address all these questions and do them justice, we aim to be more inclusive, more interactive, and more intimate with our delegates this year.
After all, the stakes have never been higher. Breaking barriers and building bridges isn't just a motto or a slogan – it's becoming a necessity if journalism is to maintain its role as the bedrock of democracy.
