DW Global Media Forum

A platform to seek solutions — together

The DW Global Media Forum offers a unique interdisciplinary platform for media professionals as well as decision-makers from politics, civil society, culture, education, business, and science from all over the world to get together and to learn from each other as part of an intercultural exchange since 2008.

In June 2023, we welcomed 2,000 participants, including 150+ speakers, from more than 100 countries in Bonn, Germany and online for the 17th edition of the conference, on "Overcoming divisions." Thank you to everyone who shaped these two intense days!

And stay tuned: #GMF24 will take place on June 17-18, 2024. We look forward to having you join us again.

Watch the #GMF23 sessions on YouTube 05.06.2023

Oscar Martinez: 'Journalism is indispensable'

DW's Freedom of Speech Award is a glass cube mounted on a wooden base

DW has awarded the Freedom of Speech Award 2023 to Central American investigative journalist Oscar Martinez.

Inspiring impulses from around the world

GMF Talk: Josephine Karianjahi

Josephine Karianjahi, co-founder and co-director of Africa Podfest, on storytelling trends

GMF Talk: Josephine Karianjahi

GMF Talk with Ron Haviv

GMF Talk: Zuraidah Ibrahim

GMF Talk: Zahra Joya

GMF Talk: Peter Egielewa

From words to wonders? Digital strategist Nic Newman talks generative AI and journalism

Illustration MidJourney l Newsoom, Nachrichtenredaktion 2050 l Generative KI und Journalismus

ChatGPT, MidJourney and co. are poised to transform content production. We spoke to Nic Newman from the Reuters Institute about automation, virtual reporters and risks associated with artificial intelligence.

'Attacks on free media are attacks on our societies'

Frane Maroevic, the new Executive Director of the International Press Institute (IPI), tells DW why appreciating critical voices matters in overcoming divisions, and what the IPI is doing to support freedom of the media.

How Putin's war has changed journalism in exile

DW spoke with three Russian editors-in-chief about how the war in Ukraine has transformed journalism in exile.

Reporting war: mind your language

Which term to use to depict armed conflict?

Reporting war: mind your language

Logical Fallacies

Opinion: Press freedom in Turkey is trapped inside the ballot box

From the establishment of the modern Turkish Republic in 1923 to this day, the press in Turkey has never been able to enjoy complete freedom, writes DW's Bülent Mumay as the country prepares for elections in May.

Does the public broadcasting service in Germany have a future?

The Internet has intensified competition between public broadcasting and other media. Criticism of fee financing and calls for reform of public broadcasting are growing louder. The debate range from reforms to abolition.

Brazilian YouTuber: 'Bolsonarism is not over'

The picture shows Felipe Neto, a Youtuber from Brazil.

Under Jair Bolsonaro's presidency of Brazil, Felipe Neto became one of his harshest critics. In this interview, the YouTuber discusses his role, responsibility and reach as a political critic.

Our partners

Introducing the DW Global Media Forum

For 15 years, the interdisciplinary media conference has brought together media professionals from around the world.

Plenary Session: The future of local journalism

Top speakers from around the globe

DW Global Media Forum: 15 years of top speakers

"Sometimes news, sometimes information is more important for human survival than even food. That thought allowed us to keep working."

Mstyslav Chernov, Ukrainian journalist and DW Freedom of Speech Award laureate (2022)
DW Global Media Forum: 15 years of top speakers

"If you don't have facts you don't have truth; if you don't have truth, you don't have trust."

Maria Ressa - Nobel Peace Prize laureate 2021, co-founder and CEO of the news website Rappler, Philippines (2022)
DW Global Media Forum: 15 years of top speakers

"I firmly believe that free and democratic societies need free media to inform citizens and hold those in power accountable.”

Annalena Baerbock - German Federal Minister of Foreign Affairs (2022)
DW Global Media Forum: 15 years of top speakers

"The word 'disruption' has to be recycled. The idea of a local newspaper is disruptive. The idea to have iPhones and be on the internet is reactive."

Timothy Snyder - Historian, Yale University, USA (2021)
DW Global Media Forum: 15 years of top speakers

"It's a pity that when our demonstrations, because of violence and torture, disappeared from the streets, journalists lost a bit of interest."

Svetlana Tikhanovskaya - Belarusian opposition leader (2021)
DW Global Media Forum: 15 years of top speakers

"Independent fact-based journalism has never been as important as it is today."

Armin Laschet - Minister-President of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany (2021)
DW Global Media Forum: 15 years of top speakers

"We live in a microwave generation. Everyone wants everything too fast, but we have to put in the work."

Leymah Gbowee - Activist and Nobel Peace Prize laureate, Liberia (2021)
DW Global Media Forum: 15 years of top speakers

"In democratic societies where we are open to new developments, we have to keep thinking carefully about what freedom really means to us."

Angela Merkel - Federal Chancellor of Germany (2021)
DW Global Media Forum: 15 years of top speakers

"What we want in journalism is not optimism and not cynicism, but accuracy."

Steven Pinker - Cognitive psychologist, Harvard University, USA (2021)
DW Global Media Forum: 15 years of top speakers

"They kicked me out of Iran, but I am there every day through social media."

Masih Alinejad - Journalist and women's rights activist, Iran/USA (2020)
DW Global Media Forum: 15 years of top speakers

"It's difficult to form a relationship with a politician who's acting like a tyrant. What questions can you ask when this person can put you in jail?"

Can Dündar - Former editor-in-chief of "Cumhuriyet", Turkey (2019)
DW Global Media Forum: 15 years of top speakers

"We need ombudsmen for algorithms. We need some insight into them if we are to maintain our democratic political system."

Anne Applebaum - Pulitzer Prize winner, USA (2020)
DW Global Media Forum: 15 years of top speakers

"Algorithms pick up on negative feelings such as fear and accentuate them. This has led to the creation of fear-based politics all over the world."

Jaron Lanier - Computer scientist and author, USA (2019)
DW Global Media Forum: 15 years of top speakers

"Do governments truly have the capacity to understand emerging technologies? Communication regulations from the 1970s are not going to work for 2019."

Juliana Rotich - Tech entrepreneur, Kenya (2019)
DW Global Media Forum: 15 years of top speakers

"We need to address the daunting challenges to development by engaging with multiple centers seeking balance rather than overreliance on one country."

Hamid Karzai - Former President of Afghanistan (2018)
DW Global Media Forum: 15 years of top speakers

"I believe that in the digital age, public broadcasters have a more important role to play than ever before."

Tom Buhrow - Director General of Westdeutscher Rundfunk (WDR), Germany (2018)
DW Global Media Forum: 15 years of top speakers

"We should all be protected by the same press freedom."

Sarah Harrison - British journalist and WikiLeaks section editor, UK (2014)
DW Global Media Forum: 15 years of top speakers

"The freedom of the press is facing pressure on a global scale, not just abroad. I want to encourage journalists: Democracy needs you all urgently."

Frank-Walter Steinmeier - Federal President of Germany (2014)
DW Global Media Forum: 15 years of top speakers

"Power must be in the hands of the wealth of the nation."

Noam Chomsky - Linguist, philosopher, cognitive scientist, historian, social critic and political activist, USA (2013)
DW Global Media Forum: 15 years of top speakers

"Journalists must see themselves as members of a big family and stick together."

Shirin Ebadi - Lawyer, former judge and human rights activists, founder of the Defenders of Human Rights Center, Iran (2008)

Our history

Bringing minds together since 2008

Since 2015, the DW Freedom of Speech Award has honored a media person or initiative that has shown outstanding promotion of freedom rights.

Watch the #GMF23 sessions on YouTube 05.06.2023

Oscar Martinez: 'Journalism is indispensable'

GMF Talk: Josephine Karianjahi

GMF Talk with Ron Haviv

GMF Talk: Zuraidah Ibrahim

GMF Talk: Zahra Joya

GMF Talk: Peter Egielewa

More videos

GMF Talk: Josephine Karianjahi

GMF Talk with Ron Haviv

GMF Talk: Zuraidah Ibrahim

GMF Talk: Zahra Joya

GMF Talk: Peter Egielewa

From words to wonders? Digital strategist Nic Newman talks generative AI and journalism

'Attacks on free media are attacks on our societies'

How Putin's war has changed journalism in exile

Reporting war: mind your language

Logical Fallacies

More videos

Reporting war: mind your language

Logical Fallacies

Opinion: Press freedom in Turkey is trapped inside the ballot box

Does the public broadcasting service in Germany have a future?

Brazilian YouTuber: 'Bolsonarism is not over'

Introducing the DW Global Media Forum

The place made for minds

Fellowship 2023

Your questions

Our newsletter

DW Global Media Forum: 15 years of top speakers

"Sometimes news, sometimes information is more important for human survival than even food. That thought allowed us to keep working."

DW Global Media Forum: 15 years of top speakers

"If you don't have facts you don't have truth; if you don't have truth, you don't have trust."

DW Global Media Forum: 15 years of top speakers

"I firmly believe that free and democratic societies need free media to inform citizens and hold those in power accountable.”

DW Global Media Forum: 15 years of top speakers

"The word 'disruption' has to be recycled. The idea of a local newspaper is disruptive. The idea to have iPhones and be on the internet is reactive."

DW Global Media Forum: 15 years of top speakers

"It's a pity that when our demonstrations, because of violence and torture, disappeared from the streets, journalists lost a bit of interest."

DW Global Media Forum: 15 years of top speakers

"Independent fact-based journalism has never been as important as it is today."

DW Global Media Forum: 15 years of top speakers

"We live in a microwave generation. Everyone wants everything too fast, but we have to put in the work."

DW Global Media Forum: 15 years of top speakers

"In democratic societies where we are open to new developments, we have to keep thinking carefully about what freedom really means to us."

DW Global Media Forum: 15 years of top speakers

"What we want in journalism is not optimism and not cynicism, but accuracy."

DW Global Media Forum: 15 years of top speakers

"They kicked me out of Iran, but I am there every day through social media."

DW Global Media Forum: 15 years of top speakers

"It's difficult to form a relationship with a politician who's acting like a tyrant. What questions can you ask when this person can put you in jail?"

DW Global Media Forum: 15 years of top speakers

"We need ombudsmen for algorithms. We need some insight into them if we are to maintain our democratic political system."

DW Global Media Forum: 15 years of top speakers

"Algorithms pick up on negative feelings such as fear and accentuate them. This has led to the creation of fear-based politics all over the world."

DW Global Media Forum: 15 years of top speakers

"Do governments truly have the capacity to understand emerging technologies? Communication regulations from the 1970s are not going to work for 2019."

DW Global Media Forum: 15 years of top speakers

"We need to address the daunting challenges to development by engaging with multiple centers seeking balance rather than overreliance on one country."

DW Global Media Forum: 15 years of top speakers

"I believe that in the digital age, public broadcasters have a more important role to play than ever before."

DW Global Media Forum: 15 years of top speakers

"We should all be protected by the same press freedom."

DW Global Media Forum: 15 years of top speakers

"The freedom of the press is facing pressure on a global scale, not just abroad. I want to encourage journalists: Democracy needs you all urgently."

DW Global Media Forum: 15 years of top speakers

"Power must be in the hands of the wealth of the nation."

DW Global Media Forum: 15 years of top speakers

"Journalists must see themselves as members of a big family and stick together."

Bringing minds together since 2008

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