{"id":42841,"date":"2025-05-22T15:20:30","date_gmt":"2025-05-22T12:20:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/aej-bulgaria.org\/?p=42841"},"modified":"2025-05-22T15:20:30","modified_gmt":"2025-05-22T12:20:30","slug":"new-horizons-in-journalism-global-voices-rally-for-truth-transparency-and-audience-connection","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/aej-bulgaria.org\/en\/new-horizons-in-journalism-global-voices-rally-for-truth-transparency-and-audience-connection\/","title":{"rendered":"New Horizons in Journalism: Global Voices Rally for Truth, Transparency, and Audience Connection"},"content":{"rendered":"

At the fifth <\/span>New Horizons in Journalism<\/span><\/i> conference, international media leaders tackled urgent challenges facing journalism today \u2014 from the spread of disinformation and AI\u2019s unchecked influence to the erosion of public trust and the collapse of traditional business models. The event took place in Sofia, Bulgaria in April 2025 and it was organized by the World Press Institute (WPI) and partners from the America for Bulgaria Foundation (ABF) and the Association of European Journalists – Bulgaria (AEJ-Bulgaria).<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWho Tells the Story?\u201d \u2013 Journalism in the Age of Influence, Disinformation, and AI<\/strong><\/p>\n

Panelists and keynote speakers called for a renewed focus on ethics, transparency, empathy, and audience connection, arguing that journalism must adapt not just technologically, but fundamentally, to remain a vital force in society.<\/span><\/p>\n

The panel began unconventionally, with a poetic and metaphorical presentation by Graham Griffith, a veteran American audio producer. He challenged the audience to reimagine the role of journalists altogether: \u201cWhat if we are not journalists, but gardeners\u2014tending to public spaces where curiosity still lives? We don\u2019t just report; we shape understanding, we nourish community.\u201d He encouraged journalists to think like teachers, artists, meteorologists\u2014even chefs\u2014serving not just information but understanding. In an age of media distrust, he suggested transparency, not objectivity, should be journalism\u2019s anchor: \u201cThere is no objectivity. But there can be objective processes. Like history books need footnotes, journalism needs transparency.\u201d Griffith also warned that without action, disinformation\u2014particularly Russian state propaganda\u2014would continue to exploit platforms and fill every informational vacuum: \u201cThere is no news gap. The stream is constant. The question is: how do we stand out, and who do we serve?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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Zakhar Protsiuk, CEO of The Kyiv Independent, spoke from a literal war zone. For him, the stakes of storytelling were not abstract\u2014they were existential. \u201cNews media are no longer gatekeepers. Everyone creates news now. Our strength is doing what others cannot\u2014deep investigations, frontline reporting, context in chaos.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

He warned that staying only within echo chambers of \u201cengaged readers\u201d isn\u2019t enough. If ethical journalism doesn\u2019t reach the undecided or misled, propaganda wins: \u201cRussia fills the gaps. If we don\u2019t offer alternatives, we\u2019ll be safe in our bubble\u2014maybe even funded\u2014but isolated, and irrelevant.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Fauziyya Tukur, an investigative journalist with BBC Nigeria, offered a perspective from a continent both booming with content and vulnerable to misinformation. For her, the challenge is compression\u2014telling the truth in TikTok\u2019s attention span: \u201cHow do you debunk viral disinformation in 30 seconds? That\u2019s what the audience wants. But can we really explain the truth that fast?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

She described how traditional media is adapting by hiring influencers\u2014not always journalists\u2014to reach digital audiences: \u201cThey\u2019re hired because they have followers, not ethics. That\u2019s the problem. Influence is not a substitute for training.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Tukur also noted the waning trust in legacy institutions like the BBC in parts of Africa, despite their continued cultural relevance. \u201cThe BBC used to be sacred. It still reaches millions, especially through radio. But trust is no longer automatic.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Kaius Niemi, former editor-in-chief of Helsingin Sanomat, reflected on the long view of journalism\u2019s struggle for survival. For him, media\u2019s biggest threat is not just tech, but societal disregard for facts: \u201cWe\u2019re facing a crisis of expertise. Professors, journalists\u2014no one is seen as a real expert anymore. That\u2019s dangerous for democracy.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Niemi called for investment, creativity, and media startups that blend ethics with innovation. He also warned that in countries where people consume news through aggregators rather than directly from newsrooms, trust in media plummets.<\/span><\/p>\n

What Happens If We Truly Put Our Audience at the Centre?<\/b><\/p>\n

Camilla Bath, <\/span>journalism consultant, <\/span>\u00a0delivered a powerful, thought-provoking keynote that redefined what journalism should mean in today’s saturated, digital world. Drawing from her personal experience launching a WhatsApp news service in South Africa, she emphasized the urgent need for journalism to reconnect with its audience\u2014not through more content, but more meaningful content. \u201cThe problem isn\u2019t that people don\u2019t care about the news,\u201d she said. \u201cThe problem is that we keep giving them something they don\u2019t value\u2014and then we blame them for tuning out.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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Bath argued that traditional news values\u2014timeliness, conflict, prominence\u2014often serve journalists more than they serve the public. Instead, she proposed a framework of three modern news values:<\/span><\/p>\n

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  1. Make it Make Sense \u2013 Provide clarity, surprise, and meaning.<\/span>\n

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  2. Make it Matter \u2013 Offer resonance, build community, and uphold accountability.<\/span>\n

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  3. Make it Useful \u2013 Explain the world, offer solutions, and provide momentum.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Bath\u2019s concept of \u201cnews therapy\u201d exemplified her call for a more human-centric approach. She advocated for initiatives like \u201cslow news days\u201d or AI-assisted \u201cchoose your own news journeys,\u201d allowing audiences to engage with stories based on their emotional or informational needs: \u201cWhat if our audiences aren\u2019t broken? What if our model is what\u2019s broken?\u201d She concluded with a call to journalists to become trusted companions, not just trusted sources, in people\u2019s lives. \u201cWe need to become a part of our audience\u2019s worlds again… That\u2019s how journalism becomes truly alive, useful, and human.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

    The Future of Journalism<\/b><\/p>\n

    Moderated by Bridget Rawlinson, the panel tackled the immense challenges facing journalism\u2014from economic threats to AI disruption\u2014with a sharp focus on actionable solutions.<\/span><\/p>\n

    Courtney C. Radsch, <\/span>Director of the Center for Journalism & Liberty<\/span>,\u00a0 delivered a blistering critique of AI’s unchecked influence on journalism. \u201cGenerative AI has been built on theft\u2014on stealing our content, bypassing paywalls, and not paying for it.\u201d She warned that unless urgent copyright reform and policy action are taken, \u201cwe have only a few years left in journalism.\u201d Her proposed strategy included license, litigation, legislation\u2014with emphasis on creating fair compensation systems for news content. \u201cIt\u2019s great to talk about trust, but if you are working against monopolies that control the information ecosystem, then you\u2019re not in control of your sustainability.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

    Veronika Munk, <\/span>Director of Innovation and New Markets, Denn\u00edk N,\u00a0 started by drawing <\/span>from her bold experience leading the mass walkout from Hungary\u2019s Index and launching another journalism project called Telex. Munk shared how deep public trust and transparency saved independent journalism. \u201cWe said to people: You knew us for 20 years. Now we need your help\u2014and they gave \u20ac1 million in three weeks.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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    She also discussed a wildly successful campaign at Denn\u00edk N that gained 24,000 subscribers in two weeks by making ten civic promises, like distributing newspapers to elderly homes and giving free subscriptions to first-time voters. \u201cTransparency and public service values are key. When people understand your mission, they show up.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

    Peter Erdelyi, <\/span>Founding Director of the Center for Sustainable Media, <\/span>emphasized the rise of lean, sustainable media models made possible by new technology. \u201cWith tools like Ghost, Substack, and newsletters, small teams can launch impactful journalism within hours and monetize it.\u201dHe praised audience revenue models while warning against rushing paywalls, advocating for slow, iterative community building. \u201cIt’s not a sprint. It takes 12\u201324 months for an audience to understand and support what you’re doing.\u201d He also demystified EU funding, emphasizing the importance of staying engaged in upcoming 2028 budget negotiations.<\/span><\/p>\n