Today, 24 August, marks both the Ukrainian day of Independence and six months since the beginning of the Russian war of aggression. On this occasion, the partners in the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) reiterate our continued solidarity with the journalists and media workers who risk their lives and safety to bring the world independent, balanced, and accurate information from the frontlines. The killing, kidnapping, and other attacks on journalists must stop and those responsible must face justice for their crimes under national and international law. The safety of media workers is essential to inform the world about the realities…

Local journalism is in a dire situation. To address the problem, the Journalists’ Union of Germany (DJV) has launched a project with the aim to revive local journalists. The project highlights the important role of reporting exactly where people don’t expect (but journalists truly find) the biggest headlines: in the province. Far from big media metropolises, in small towns, communities or villages, the so-called “Hinterland”. An increasing migration to the cities, financing difficulties that often end in fusion and not to forget the adaption of modern working techniques and consumption patterns, are problems which most local journalists are familiar with.…