In recent years, a worrying trend has emerged in local journalism. Large newspaper houses, which traditionally formed the backbone of local reporting, are increasingly thinning out their local editorial teams.
Madsack's takeover of the Dresden-based DDV Mediengruppe recently led to similar reports in the media. The grapevine reports a reduction from 17 to just 11 local editorial offices.
This leads to the risk of "white spots" in many rural regions - areas in which important local events and developments are no longer adequately covered by journalists. At the same time, we are seeing a different trend in metropolitan areas, where independent local media offerings run by committed citizens are increasingly emerging. However, these initiatives also face considerable challenges, particularly in the areas of technology and marketing.
The DIVERS conference on September 5, 2024 will address precisely these problems and show how both traditional publishers and new independent offerings can successfully survive in the digital age.
