{"id":42833,"date":"2025-05-22T15:01:04","date_gmt":"2025-05-22T12:01:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/aej-bulgaria.org\/?p=42833"},"modified":"2025-05-22T15:10:19","modified_gmt":"2025-05-22T12:10:19","slug":"who-tells-the-story-journalism-at-a-crossroads","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/aej-bulgaria.org\/en\/who-tells-the-story-journalism-at-a-crossroads\/","title":{"rendered":"Who Tells the Story? Journalism at a Crossroads"},"content":{"rendered":"

Highlights from the Fifth Annual <\/b>New Horizons in Journalism<\/i><\/b> Conference in Sofia<\/b><\/p>\n

In an era of rising disinformation, political pressure, and artificial intelligence, the fifth annual <\/span>New Horizons in Journalism<\/span><\/i> conference, held in Sofia, Bulgaria, emerged as a global call to action. The central question\u2014<\/span>\u201cWho tells the story?\u201d<\/span><\/i>\u2014echoed throughout the event, bringing together journalists, media leaders, and advocates committed to protecting the integrity of the profession.<\/span><\/p>\n

A Celebration of Resilience and Storytelling<\/b><\/p>\n

The conference opened with energy and gratitude as Zach Mullinax, Executive Director of the World Press Institute (WPI), welcomed participants. \u201cWe\u2019re so excited to kick off our fifth annual <\/span>New Horizons in Journalism<\/span><\/i> conference here in Sofia,\u201d he said, acknowledging the presence of WPI alumni and partners from the America for Bulgaria Foundation (ABF) and the Association of European Journalists (AEJ).<\/span><\/p>\n

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Desislava Taliokova of ABF addressed the heart of the event\u2019s theme: \u201cWho tells the story? This, in many ways, is the question of all questions in journalism today.\u201dShe highlighted the dual promise and peril of artificial intelligence, cautioning that while AI may enhance efficiency, it risks displacing the very human essence of journalism. \u201cIt is the professionalism, the passion and the integrity of journalists\u2014of people like you\u2014that truly makes the difference,\u201d she affirmed.<\/span><\/p>\n

Maria Cheresheva, president of AEJ-Bulgaria,\u00a0 recounted being asked to speak on resilience to American journalists. \u201cIn most of my professional career, things have been happening the other way around. I would learn from people who work in free and thriving media environments.\u201d Now the political winds\u00a0 have changed and colleagues around the world need to support each other even more actively than before. Cheresheva spoke about the daily challenges faced by journalists: political pressure, economic capture, harassment, and legal intimidation. Despite these hardships, she said: \u201cMany are still standing. And insisting on protecting our right to be the ones who tell the stories\u2014the stories the ones in power don\u2019t want to be heard.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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David McDonald, Chairman of WPI, reflected on the WPI fellowship\u2019s profound impact through the years. \u201cThis will be the 60th year of our U.S. fellowship. Over 600 journalists from 100 countries have taken part,\u201d he said and added that the experience is \u201cnot just about training\u2014it\u2019s experiential.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Former WPI fellow Ralitsa Fitcheva echoed this, describing her journey that took place in 2024 through the United States as a transformative experience: \u201cWe were privileged to travel across a democratic United States, whose very existence as such is under threat right now.\u201d For Fitcheva, the fellowship offered not just skills, but community: \u201cWe found more than just professional enrichment. We found a family.\u201d She announced the name of the 2025 fellow from Bulgaria – <\/span>Janan Dural, world news editor for the <\/span>Bulgarian National Television (BNT)<\/span><\/i>.<\/span><\/p>\n

Empathy as a Tool to Redefine the Role of Journalism<\/b><\/p>\n

The conference culminated in a powerful keynote by Arwa Damon, award-winning former CNN senior correspondent and founder of the humanitarian nonprofit INARA. Drawing on 20 years in war zones, she spoke with profound emotional depth. Arwa Damon emphasized that a critical element lacking in journalism, policymaking and our collective approach to understanding the world is <\/span>empathy<\/span><\/i>, especially in its deeper, emotional sense. She argues that our failures stem from not appreciating <\/span>emotional history<\/span><\/i>\u2014the trauma passed down through generations that shapes how individuals and societies perceive and react to the world.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Damon explains that <\/span>trauma<\/span><\/i> influences how DNA interacts internally, meaning no one is born as a blank slate. Our perspectives are molded by countless factors\u2014including family, culture, and history\u2014which affect how we process events and conflicts. \u201cWhat we need to recognize as journalists is what are those factors that have already shaped our perspectives and how do we overcome the impact that they are having on us so we can be better journalists. We should be able to create better stories that can drive a deeper understanding of conflicts and of people. I believe that our biggest failure is our inability to truly understand each other and what motivates us.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Her journey into journalism was driven by her desire to bridge understanding and combat manipulation. She stresses that <\/span>“we are constantly being manipulated, all of us, every single day,”<\/span><\/i> often through campaigns that dehumanize others\u2014be it military dehumanization campaigns, propaganda, or disinformation.<\/span><\/p>\n

A core concept she advocated is that <\/span>empathy<\/span><\/i> is essential for journalism because <\/span>“without empathy, you cannot be open to other people’s emotional history or to their emotional journeys.”<\/span><\/i> Damon underscores the importance of <\/span>self-awareness<\/span><\/i> for journalists: understanding our biases and emotional triggers to foster genuine storytelling. She called for journalists to include <\/span>emotional histories<\/span><\/i> in their reporting to better serve truth and humanity. She noted how emotional conditioning, especially when unresolved, creates mental walls that hinder empathy, and how <\/span>“we need to penetrate that wall”<\/span><\/i> to connect genuinely.<\/span><\/p>\n

Damon emphasized that <\/span>“news only has value in the context of humanity”<\/span><\/i> and that the moral obligation of journalists extends beyond objectivity to <\/span>fairness, education, and human connection.<\/span><\/i> She criticized the myth of neutrality, stating, <\/span>“the notion that we are neutral is a farce,”<\/span><\/i> and instead advocated for <\/span>“being fair,”<\/span><\/i> which involves <\/span>highlighting human pain and context<\/span><\/i> without crossing into activism.<\/span><\/p>\n

She explained that <\/span>“truth has multiple sides,”<\/span><\/i> and that understanding emotional and psychological factors\u2014fear, trauma, manipulation\u2014is vital for meaningful reporting. She illustrated this with examples ranging from the motivations of fighters in conflict zones to the devastating impacts of war driven by human stories and emotions. Damon reminded of the importance of <\/span>language<\/span><\/i>\u2014being mindful of dehumanizing descriptors\u2014and called on journalists to <\/span>“evolve,”<\/span><\/i> to move beyond traditional frameworks of objectivity, and to use empathy as a tool to redefine the role of journalism.<\/span><\/p>\n

Crisis is a Moment of Choice<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

The conversation about journalism\u2019s identity\u2014its past and its possible futures\u2014continued throughout the conference. Yoanna Elmy, one of Bulgaria\u2019s rising journalistic voices, offered a stirring account of how the profession looks to those just starting out. \u201cJournalism has become ground zero for the vocation crisis,\u201d she said. With fewer young people entering the field and even more leaving for public relations or content creation careers, she urged older colleagues to engage with the next generation.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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She advocated for embracing change while maintaining core principles rooted in people-centered journalism. The rise of influencers and content creators as part of this evolution, but traditional journalists often look down on them. Elmy stressed that crisis is a moment of choice: “Every crisis is an opportunity,” emphasizing that journalism must adapt to new mediums like the internet, which always disrupts but also enriches the industry. She encouraged journalists to think innovatively\u2014incorporating tools like OSINT (Open Source Intelligence), explainer journalism, infographics, and podcasting\u2014while remaining grounded in ground-level stories that focus on genuine human experiences. \u201cWhat seems new is just the forgotten old,\u201d she said, reminding the audience that the core principles of journalism\u2014listening, empathy, storytelling\u2014must be preserved, even if the formats evolve.<\/span><\/p>\n

Elmy shared her own confusion when she first entered the profession in 2017, amid political chaos and shifting roles. \u201cWas I a reporter, activist, citizen journalist, or influencer?\u201d she asked. The question was not rhetorical. It pointed to a wider crisis of identity in the digital age\u2014an age where, as she put it, \u201cyoung people don\u2019t have any attention span,\u201d and where long-form pieces compete with 15-second videos for meaning.<\/span><\/p>\n