Bonn Institute signs the 'Leipzig Appeal'

On May 3, World Press Freedom Day, much will be said about how press freedom is under threat, including in Germany, from opaque algorithms, populist strategies, attempted political influence and economic pressure. To draw attention to these concerning developments, the Bonn Institute has signed the Leipzig Appeal for freedom and independence of the media ("Leipziger Appell zur Freiheit und Unabhängigkeit der Medien"). 

Press freedom is a cornerstone of our democracy. But a cornerstone must also carry weight – it must contribute to a structurally sound whole; that is its very nature. We in journalism should therefore critically reflect on the extent to which our own practices – the constant focus on crises, the tendency to portray of political processes as fruitless conflict, the persistent underrepresentation of important perspectives and a culture of dictating how we think others should see the world – may also be contributing to a loss of credibility and acceptance of journalism in the 21st century.

Rising news avoidance and declining levels of trust are clear trends that we as journalists can help to change.

For journalism to effectively serve democracy, it needs to focus more on what works, include the many different perspectives present in our diverse society, and genuinely listen to what others have to say. What is called for, in other words, is more humility, a greater sense or service, and a stronger focus on people and what they need.

This also includes taking emotions seriously – something many in our profession are uncomfortable with. Fear, anger and mistrust are all emotions, and they cannot be countered by arguments, fact checks, opinion pieces and data alone. Journalism must learn to recognize people in their entirety.

This requires key skills: active listening, authentic curiosity, a basic understanding of psychology including the ability to reflect on one's own perspectives and values, and the willingness to ask questions that may lead to unexpected answers. In short, we must further develop the craft of journalism in this time of tension and existential crises.

Beyond that we must also rethink how we measure success. For far too long, digital reach has been the key metric we look to when evaluating the impact of our work – an uncritical adoption of the mechanisms of successful tech companies, which themselves would never claim to be pillars of democracy

Democratic impact and success in 21st-century journalism is increasingly more than just visibility and reach. It means initiating debates, moderating them impartially, bringing people together, highlighting common ground and pathways to solutions, and bringing perspectives into the public discourse that might otherwise go unheard.

Our field must achieve all of this, in addition to fulfilling its undeniable political responsibility to safeguard freedom of the press, if it wants to safeguard journalism itself through broad public acceptance and a positive impact on democracy that people recognize and value.

I know this is uncomfortable. It requires us to question traditional practices and journalistic beliefs, to change organizational cultures and to critically reflect on our professional identity. But the best insurance for the future of journalism is true relevance, trust and success with audiences. Let's get to work.

A statement from Ellen Heinrichs, founder and CEO of the Bonn Institute.