The 19th edition of the DW Global Media Forum 2026 opened in Bonn under the theme “Journalism Out Loud,” bringing together more than 1,400 media professionals, policymakers, academics, and civil society representatives from over 100 countries to discuss the future of journalism in the age of artificial intelligence and digital disruption.
Opening the forum, Barbara Massing stressed the critical role of independent journalism in safeguarding democracy and security, saying journalism must remain “audible in a world that is becoming increasingly noisy.”
Massing highlighted that trusted media organizations continue to be the most widely used sources of information, even as audiences increasingly rely on social media and AI-powered platforms. She called for sustainable business models that fairly compensate news organizations whose content is widely used by digital platforms and AI systems.
During the forum, DW Akademie unveiled a new meta-study titled “The Value of Journalism,” which found that every dollar invested in independent journalism can generate more than $100 in public value through improved public services, reduced corruption, and recovered public funds. The study also warned that global disinformation costs societies an estimated $350 billion to $500 billion annually.
Addressing participants, Nathanael Liminski emphasized the need to protect media diversity and ensure the financial sustainability of journalism. He argued that major digital platforms benefiting from journalistic content should contribute fairly to the media ecosystem.
Held at the World Conference Center Bonn, the two-day forum will examine challenges facing the media industry, including political pressure, censorship, artificial intelligence, platform regulation, audience engagement, and investigative reporting.
Among the featured sessions is a panel on defending independent journalism, bringing together journalists from Türkiye, Iran, Nigeria, and international media freedom advocates to discuss threats to press freedom worldwide.
The opening day concluded with the presentation of the DW Freedom of Speech Award to imprisoned Hong Kong media entrepreneur and democracy advocate Jimmy Lai, with his daughter accepting the award on his behalf.
The annual forum serves as one of the world’s leading platforms for dialogue between media professionals, government officials, technology experts, and civil society on the future of journalism and democratic discourse.
