Strengthening of professional networking for impartial journalism in V4 region and Ukraine

“One of the biggest challenges in our countries is protecting the independence of media, the watchdogs of democratic development” says Nataliia Havryliv, coordinator of project ‘Strengthening of professional networking for impartial journalism in V4 region and Ukraine’

In order to provide clear and true information, it is important to reach primary sources and communicate with the unbiased opinion. Project by NGO “Lviv Media Forum” focused on media outlets in the region who are still exploiting Russian-speaking sources of information because of their accessibility. Many journalists covering international affairs do not know credible experts, institutions or colleagues that could provide them with verified data. As a result, the audience in the region consume messages about the neighborhood countries transmitted by Russian-origin agencies and further republished by their national media.

This project involved stakeholders from all Visegrad countries and Ukraine, where they intensified institutional and individual cooperation within the media sector and reduced the negative effects of the external influence on the wider audience across the region. Lviv Media Forum is a tool for building contacts with outstanding journalists and experts throughout the world to work intensively with the strategies of fighting fake news and manipulation, discussing challenges and effects in the media sector of their country, create publications on national media trends and develop the international network of colleagues. Altogether, more than 800 media professionals from all over the world attended the Lviv Media Forum and its Media Camp.