Media in Crisis: Safeguarding the Watchdogs amidst Global Authoritarianism

Media worldwide are in crisis. Journalists were caught off guard when the US withdrew an estimated $268 million from global media support this year, threatening their livelihoods and their critical work. This financial shock hit when independent media were already struggling to survive, with ad revenues drying up. Media development organizations worldwide, protecting journalists and advocating for freedom of expression, are equally affected.
With authoritarianism on the rise—even in stable democracies within the EU and America—supporting media development is more crucial than ever.
This DW Freedom Talk takes a close look at the threats facing independent media around the globe. Highlighting key findings from DW Akademie’s new State of Media Development Report, we will discuss what different stakeholders can do to tackle this crisis.