Bolstering grassroots democratic power
In 2023, an alliance of independent local media projects was founded with the help of CORRECTIV StartHub, marking a significant shift in the information landscape. This transformative group, which includes VierNULL in Düsseldorf, RUMS in Münster, Wokreisel in Brandenburg, kolumna in Konstanz, loky* in Berlin, the Relevance Reporters in Nuremberg, and others, is part of a broader system that encompasses numerous small new media projects and organizations.
Their shared vision is to strengthen local democracy through community journalism. They prioritize reaching people who have not been reached by traditional journalism, focusing on reliable information, engagement, and local interaction as the foundation of their democracy.
This alliance encourages everyone to contribute with their expertise, networks, time, or money to create a community-driven editorial team. They see their readers and participants as hopeful and seeking change. Their journalism is approachable, starting with the questions and problems of the people, and is focused on identifying solutions, not just problems.
The group has launched a major action called "Your Voice, Your Topics" for the federal and local elections, prioritizing the public interest and the impact of their journalism over commercial interests. They develop financially sustainable, community-oriented business models to ensure their companies serve their communities in the long run.
In addition to digital media, they use journalism to create spaces for real encounters and level-eyed discussions. They are social entrepreneurs, seeking new solutions for journalism in their neighbourhoods and developing innovative formats. The Citizen Portal is also part of this group of independent local media projects.
The alliance aims to expand the pillar of independent community media in the future, sharing solutions, knowledge, tools, and infrastructure with other independent media projects and organizations. They strive to create an empathetic, well-informed, and participatory society through their journalism, with the ultimate goal of fostering a more engaged and informed local democracy.
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