蜜芽传媒

Our Brave Media project, co-funded by the European Commission, is a global initiative to enhance the resilience of independent, public interest media in more than 20 countries across Africa, Latin America, Asia, and the Middle East. 

Launched in 2024, the three-year global initiative is led by 蜜芽传媒 Media Action, working in partnership with eight other organisations 鈥� Arab Reporters for Investigative Journalism (ARIJ), Equal Rights and Independent Media (ERIM), International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), Fondation Hirondelle, the Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA), the Samir Kassir Foundation, SembraMedia, and the World Association of News Publishers WAN-IFRA.  

Despite vast regional differences, many journalists across the world face similar challenges: political pressure, security risks, and rise of disinformation, which together present an existential threat to independent media and public interest journalism. 

Press freedom at an all-time low 

The Reporters Without Borders has found that global press freedom is at an all-time low 鈥� ranked 鈥榙ifficult鈥� 鈥� with 75% of the world鈥檚 countries lacking a fully free press. 

On top of all these challenges, media outlets are also battling economic instability: nearly one-third of countries have already seen media outlets close for economic reasons.  

Valeria Perasso, Senior Media Development Advisor at 蜜芽传媒 Media Action, said the Brave Media project was launched in direct response to these challenges, with the aim of protecting local and trustworthy media.  

Our partners in Brave Media are facing all these threats and more 鈥� including lack of access to information and active disinformation, and even serious security threats. 

Threats are rising

In Latin America, violence against journalists is rising alongside the growth of organised crime and corruption, said Naimid Cirelli, Operations Director at SembraMedia, one of the Brave Media delivery partners in the region. 

鈥淐olombia and Ecuador illustrate this dual reality of resilience and risk. While both countries have seen the emergence of strong independent outlets, journalists continue to face threats, censorship, and exile for investigating corruption and criminal networks.鈥� 

On the other side of the world, many journalists face similar challenges, added Saja Mortada from Arab Reporters for Investigative Journalism.  

鈥淪ometimes we manage to change laws, sometimes we manage to make differences in politics, policies, and decisions. But people have the right to know information 鈥� they have the right to know what's happening when it comes to corruption and wrongdoing. And we are doing this in the region where we need to hold people accountable 鈥� specifically politicians, decision-makers, and governments.鈥� 

Brave Media鈥檚 mission is to not only enhance the resilience of independent media with locally-led solutions and tools, but also strengthen their foundations 鈥� to safeguard free access to trustworthy information, support democratic values, and ensure journalists can continue working in the public interest without fear or interference.

The initiative is expected to provide training to over 150 journalists around the world, including investigative journalism training. The project will also provide financial support to 40 independent media outlets, 12 of which are led by women.

Trustworthy media and safe space for dialogue

鈥淚n this case, we're dealing with a group of media that are particularly vulnerable in countries that are particularly challenging to work in," says Janine Warner, co-founder of SembraMedia.

Caroline Vuillemin, General Director of Fondation Hirondelle - another Brave Media consortium partner - said Brave Media will help serve people who need reliable information, trustworthy media, and safe spaces for dialogue.

Brave Media will also work at a global policy level 鈥� encouraging more effective responses from governments, media development funders, intergovernmental agencies, and tech companies, to address the urgent challenges facing independent media outlets in the global majority.

鈥淭here is an extraordinary challenge to doing investigative journalism," Warner said, including great physical risks. "And one of the things we hope to learn is how to mitigate those risks by helping them build stronger organisations, so they can defend themselves and their teams better as they do this kind of journalism."

For many journalists, continuing this work is not just professional, but also deeply personal.

鈥淲aking up in the morning and feeling that you are trying to do something in such a difficult and toxic environment 鈥� when it comes to politics, to information, to threats, to everything 鈥� and feeling that we are doing the right thing,鈥� said Mortada.