Part of the important work being done at DW Akademie is centered on raising standards of press freedom, especially in developing countries around the world. Recently, DW Akademie released a digital innovation study that analyses how digital technology can be used to improve and advance freedom of expression as understood under Article 19 of the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

With emphasis on the “Global South” the study looks at how fundamental functions of media, such as creating a public sphere and holding power to account, have been transformed by digital technology. It identifies a shift in focus from traditional media institutions onto civil society actors and determined individuals that are now taking the lead in promoting freedom of expression in developing countries. This is a central issue for creating media development strategies.

Contributing to this is the South2South manifesto developed by DW Akademie and IAJ in South Africa that outlines a set of principles that can be used as a guide for individuals, groups and institutions in forming a sustainable and effective media landscape.

The Media Freedom Navigator from DW Akademie is an easy-to-use reference tool that visually demonstrates how media development, press freedom and human rights intersect. It includes a media sustainability index, a media barometer, media development indicators and human development indexes along with references and learning tools that improve understanding of these important issues.

These free resources provided by DW Akademie provide a valuable service to everyone who seeks to understand more about the indispensable role media play in fostering social development.

If a building were to collapse in the middle of a city, anyone on the scene would take their smart phone and start recording. But what makes this content news? Or, when a picture or video appears on social networks that portrays a shocking news event, don’t broadcasters have an obligation to run the material?

These are the kind of situations faced by newsrooms every day and there are tools being developed that will assure the video of the falling building can be used as news and that the content online is what it appears to be.

Most recently, the platform Verify Media being developed by DW’s innovation projects, received financial support from Google’s Digital News Initiative. The initiative is a ongoing collaboration between Google and European news publishers that supports quality journalism through innovation. The aim of Verify Media is to simplify the process of verifying potential newsworthy content on social networks.

DW’s innovation team is also part of ongoing projects like Reveal, which develops tools and services that aid in social media verification. InVID (In Video Veritas) is a project dedicated to verifying user-generated videos.

DW is very active in improving social media verification and will continue to set trends and introduce ideas to improve the future of journalism.

Europe

DW (Arabia 2) has been broadcasting DW’s Arabic programming for Arabic-speaking audiences in Western Europe via satellite partner SES Astra since December. Specially developed news and educational programming from German public broadcasters ARD and ZDF is now also being included on the channel. Target viewers for DW (Arabia 2) are Arabic-speaking refugees and immigrants currently in Western Europe who can benefit from independent journalism and important cultural information.

South America

Brazilian TV broadcaster Climatempo will be carrying DW’s Futurando and Camarote.21 starting in April 2016and available with providers like SKY, GVT, Oi and Samsung TV apps. Climatempo’s technical range of 9 million households will significantly increase the presence of  these regionally tailored programs in Brazil. Climatempo’s website will also be integrating DW’s Portuguese for Brazil online content.

Africa

DW is increasing its presence in West Africa with numerous new partnerships in Niger and Burkina Faso. In Niger, TV Anfani is now broadcasting DW’s English channel. The expanded partnership also marks 20 years of broadcasting cooperation, beginning in 1996 between Radio Anfani and DW. Additionally, Shukrah FM and Radio Kaocen are now broadcasting DW’s Hausa and French radio programming to radio listeners in Niger. In neighboring Burkina Faso, the TV provider Burkina Info is now broadcasting DW’s English channel. And for the first time in the Loroum region of the country, DW’s French radio programming will be available via programming partner Radio La Voix du Loroum.

In South Africa, the motor sports channel Ignition TV and the business news channel Business Day TV from the Times Media Group are now carrying select DW programming.

DW represents Germany in the international media landscape, and besides providing audiences worldwide with quality journalism, DW Akademie also promotes media development with training programs for media professionals. The International Media Studies master’s program from the DW Akademie is a comprehensive part of DW’s role in fostering high standards in media. The IMS program is currently accepting applications.

Every year the program accepts 30 students from around the world. The IMS curriculum reflects the diverse career paths open to media professionals. But the benefits of the IMS program are best exemplified by what graduates go on to accomplish. Just a few careers of recent graduates include a university professor in Brazil, a senior public affairs consultant in Indonesia and a project coordinator for media development in Belarus.

Two IMS graduates also created the blog Multicoolty, which started off exploring what life is like in Germany for those coming from other cultures, and has since expanded this focus to include France, Italy and Russia.

IMS also produces a series of research books, “Edition International Media Studies”, which take an in-depth look at issues affecting different media systems around the world. The 2015 edition focuses on international standards of journalism education. Previous editions include analysis of media landscapes in Kenya and Pakistan and the role of the media in the Arab world.

With each new IMS class, a range of cultures and professional backgrounds come together to create a unqiue learning environment. Prospective IMS students have until March 31 to apply.

The massive influx of refugees into Europe presents a challenge for journalists to cover a story that has been saturated in the European media and somehow lost the human element behind the noise of statistics and politics. The voice of refugees themselves can become lost in the clamor and seeing their stories close up and first hand delivers a poignant and valuable perspective.

DW’s Documentaries and Reports is adding a personal angle to the refugee story with #MyEscape, a documentary special that shares what it is like to come to Europe as a refugee. Using videos and photos that refugees took themselves along the way combined with revealing interviews, #MyEscape allows the refugees to tell this important story in their own words.

The international and cultural expertise at DW played a huge role in conducting follow-up interviews in the refugees languages and in establishing an atmosphere of trust where people felt comfortable telling their stories.

#My Escape will air starting February 13 and is produced in cooperation with WDR and Berlin Producers.