The Friedrich Naumann Foundation in cooperation with the EFJ will organise on 7 September a lunch debate about the future of financing journalism.

The media environment is becoming increasingly digital and mobile and more and more people consume news directly on social media. While the potential to reach a wide audience has never been higher, this fast-paced, algorithm-driven news reality can pose a challenge to financing quality and investigative journalism.

When sensationalist – sometimes fake – news gain most ad revenue and shares, the incentive for producing costly background stories and discussing complex political questions may be small. At the same time, some publishers and producers have waited too long to adapt their business model to the digital era to harness the potential of new technologies and audiences.

The goal of the debate is to explore the way forward for the financing of journalism: Which innovative financing tools and models exist to make journalism and its content fit for future? How can we preserve a lively news environment that informs citizens and scrutinizes societal power hubs?

Draft program:

Welcome:
Renate Schroeder, Director European Federation of Journalists

Speakers:
Morten Løkkegaard MEP (tbc), Member of Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe Group, Former journalist

Anna-Maria Wagner, German Association of Journalists (DJV)

Frauke Lüpke-Narberhaus (tbc), Co-Editor-in-Chief bento

David Domingo, Professor of Journalism, Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB)

Moderation:
Caroline Margaux Haury, European Affairs Manager
Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom

Registration here.