The pandemic has brought the societal role and responsibility of media into sharp relief. German Chancellor Angela Merkel is set to open the 2021 conference, which is open to the public and freely available online.
Participants at a GMF event in 2019; the 2021 edition will be a hybrid of virtual and in-person eventsImage: DW/R. Oberhammer
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This year's Global Media Forum (GMF) brings together media professionals and decision-makers from across the globe under the banner of "Disruption and Innovation."
In a nod to an unprecedented year, the 14th annual event, which is held on June 14 and June 15, will take an in-depth look at how journalism is faring in an age of disinformation — and whether it can find a way to turn the tables back in the direction of truth and accuracy.
Following opening remarks by DW Director General Peter Limbourg, a number of high-profile speakers from Germany will kick off the event, including Chancellor Angela Merkel, Christian Democratic (CDU) chancellor candidate Armin Laschet and Green party chancellor candidate Annalena Baerbock. These will be followed by a number of other renowned figures from across the globe, including Rappler CEO Maria Ressa, American historian Timothy Snyder, cognitive scientist Steven Pinker and Nobel Peace Laureate Leymah Gbowee, hailing from civil society, culture and the sciences.
The unbridled power of social media
Among them is Brazilian Felipe Neto, whose battle against censorship has made him a divisive figure in Brazil and beyond, landing him with death threats and defamation campaigns for taking President Jair Bolsonaro to task.
"When we are facing fascism and fascists, everyone who decides to stay silent is an accomplice of this fascist regime," he told DW.
Brazilian entertainer and vlogger Felipe Neto has millions of followers across the globeImage: Prensa Felipe Neto/dpa/picture alliance
"It's just very shameful in my point of view that artists and influencers are deciding to stay silent when we have this regime that is taking over Brazil. … I stand by my opinion and I believe you cannot stay silent when you are facing someone like Jair Bolsonaro."
With 17 million subscribers on YouTube and a following of 41 million worldwide, Neto knows firsthand how influential social media can be.
"If you are followed by a million people, then a million people can be misinformed if you tell a lie or say something just from the top of your head without researching. That's basically the responsibility that I take very seriously," he said.
Simon Kolawole agrees that big social platforms like Twitter and Facebook are a double-edged sword for mass information.
"Social media can be used as a force for good and bad. While the big platforms, such as Twitter and Facebook, have greatly helped with the distribution and amplification of reports by the professional media, they have also provided the biggest space for mobs to congregate and pontificate."
Nigerian journalist Simon Kolawole warns social media has opened the door to 'mob censorship'Image: Mansur Ibrahim/TheCable
The slate of GMF panelists will also include social media leaders, like Jesper Doub, Facebook's Director of News Partnerships, and Philip Justus, Google's vice president for Central Europe.
Creating a safe space for journalists
Another rising concern in journalism, especially with regard to the influence of technologies like social media and surveillance, is that of personal safety — not just from physical attacks and harassment, but also from prosecution.
Irene Khan, who will be speaking about media freedom, fears for the lives of journalists —especially women. As UN Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of expression, she has observed a worrying trend, and is fighting to reverse it.
Journalism is an 'essential element of the modern information ecosystem,' says UN special rapporteur Irene Khan Image: FABRICE COFFRINI/AFP/Getty Images
"Journalists rely on access to sources who feel sufficiently safe to share information on sensitive matters. All too often, journalists suffer reprisals for their investigative work, and are often forced to reveal their sources — who then are also often harassed, attacked, prosecuted," she told DW.
Another speaker weighing on the topic attacks on freedom of speech and the need for diverse voices in the media is Turkish-British novelist Elif Shafak.
"Coming from a country like Turkey, I do know that words can be heavy because of something you say in an interview. Because of something you write in a book you can be put on trial, you can be demonized, you can be attacked and targeted on social media and media," she told DW.
Turkish-British author Elif Shafak uses fiction to give 'a voice to the voiceless'Image: Ferhat Elik
"We live in a world that does not celebrate or understand multiplicity, and we're constantly being reduced down to narrow identities — or just threats of identities. I want to be able to celebrate multiplicity."
Broadcasters need meaningful legislation
This year's Global Media Forum will also focus on solutions to propel journalism forward. One driving trend, at least where Europe is concerned, will be strengthening public broadcasters, says Noel Curran, the director general of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU).
"During the COVID-19 lockdown, public service media stepped up, providing trustworthy news, education and much-needed entertainment. Audience figures show that the public turned to our members in large numbers," he told DW.
EBU Director General Noel Curran: 'It's always been our job to ensure that governments, authorities and audiences understand the critical role that public service media plays in society'Image: Steve Forrest/Workers' Photos
Securing funding for these broadcasters post-COVID will be crucial, and to do so, the EU will need to pass "meaningful platform legislation."
"There is an urgent need to secure Europe's digital sovereignty so the next generations can continue to benefit from strong public service media," he said.
This year's event is free of charge to the public. Clickhere to register for your free digital pass.
Highlights of the 2021 Global Media Forum
Check out the highlights and top speakers that participated in the DW Global Media Forum 2021. We were honored to welcome these renowned voices from around the world to discuss "Disruption and Innovation".
Image: Philipp Böll/DW
"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, opened the 2021 conference with an important message on our responsibility for and the limitations of freedom.
Image: Bundesregierung/Steffen Kugler
"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, held an impulse speech in person in Bonn. Michaelle Müntefering from the German Federal Foreign Office contributed a message on the second conference day, as did the chairwoman of the Green Party of Germany, Annalena Baerbock.
Image: Philipp Böll/DW
Lizzy Scharnowkse, the 'human drum machine'
The musician's performance was part of the opening ceremony of the 2021 Global Media Forum - quite fittingly to this year's topic of "Disruption and Innovation." Throughout the program, further local artists constributed to the conference.
Image: Philipp Böll/DW
Looking into the future - A fruitful endeavor?
A discussion on social media and journalism with Philipp Justus, Naja Nielsen, Julia Becker and Věra Jourová. Google's Vice President Central Europe, the Digital Director at BBC News, the Chairwoman of the Supervisory Board at FUNKE Media Group and the Vice President for Values and Transparency at the European Commission dove into the topic with conference host Liz Shoo.
Image: DW/P. Böll
"Flood the internet with an alternative message of hope and tolerance, because that is in short supply on the internet."
Nuseir Yassin, founder of Nas Daily and Nas Academy, dove into how to give power to the people and how he enabled agency through stories one minute at a time in his one-on-one with DW's Max Hofmann. The Palestinian-Israeli Youtuber first became an online hit by creating 1,000 daily 1-minute videos on Facebook.
Image: Philipp Böll/DW
"What we want in journalism is not optimism and not cynicism, but accuracy."
Steven Pinker, US-American cognitive scientist at Harvard University and popular writer on language, mind, and human nature, took a look into the future beyond pandemics and political upheaval and explored availability bias and the need for constructive journalism.
"Information saves lives – The role of local media in fighting the infodemic"
... was the topic of one of our 14 insightful partner sessions. WDR, Goethe Institute, BDZV, Konrad Adenauer Foundation, Friedrich Naumann Foundation, sef:, DW Akademie, ENTR and DW Distribution were an integral part of the 2021 online streaming conference as hosts of the Global Media Forum partner sessions. Thank you for your contributions!
"Democracy should be of the people and for the people, nothing less."
The investigative journalist Tobore Ovuorie received the DW Freedom of Speech Award 2021 for her outstanding commitment to human rights and freedom of expression in Nigeria. She is best known for her work uncovering a human trafficking ring in Nigeria in 2013, during which she was abused, raped and nearly killed.
Image: Philipp Böll/DW
"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, best-selling US-American author and Professor for History at Yale University, USA, explored what went wrong and how to fix it in disrupted democracies and the media.
Image: Philipp Böll/DW
"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 and candidate in the 2020 presidential elections, talked to DW's Sertan Sanderson.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/M. Kulbis
Will individualization end mass communication?
Peter Limbourg, Director General at DW, Jesper Doub, Director of News Partnerships at Facebook, and Ambreen Jan, Director General at the Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation explored media use in the near future with DW's Michaela Kuefner.
Image: Philipp Böll/DW
"We live in a microwave generation. Everyone wants everything too fast, but we have to put in the work."
Mission impossible? Leymah Gbowee, peace activist and Nobel Peace Prize laureate 2011 from Liberia, was on a panel with Anne Applebaum and Lutz Güllner to give us more insight into political communication in the era of disruption that we are in.
Image: Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images for Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
"To protect freedom we also need some rules, because freedom without any rules destroys more than it makes possible"
... said Tobias Schmid (left), Chairman of the European Regulators Group for Audiovisual Media Services (ERGA). In our panel on social media inventory and whether it connects people but divides societies, he discussed the topic with Philip N. Howard from the Oxford Internet Institute and Felipe Neto, Youtuber from Brazil
Image: Philipp Böll/DW
Congratulations to Klipworks from Denmark and iCompass from Tunisia
Guido Baumhauer, Managing Director Distribution, Marketing and Technology at DW, presented the winners of this year's international media start-up contest. From 100 applications from around the world, following the Incubation Training Days with a selected 10 candidates, our jury choose four finalists and finally announced two winners. We thank all contestants for their inspiring ideas!
Image: Philipp Böll/DW
"We don't need more news, we need better news, news we can trust, someone who cleans up the information."
Beyond who, what, when, where, and how: Ellen Heinrichs, Head of Trends and Knowledge at DW, Ruona Meyer, Africa Initiative Manager at the Solutions Journalism Network and Ulrik Haagerup, founder & CEO at the Constructive Institute and author of the above quotation explored constructive journalism with DW's host Javier Arguedas.
Image: Philipp Böll/DW
It's a wrap: The first wholly digital Global Media Forum
2 days, 110 speakers, 40 sessions, talks, and workshops packed with disruption and innovation. This year, we took the conference in its full size online and provided our more than 3,400 viewers with two parallel day-long streams, networking possibilities, an international media start-up contest and the Freedom of Speech Award ceremony 2021. We look forward to continuing the conversation!