Social media and digital activism play a pivotal role in the media landscape of developing countries. DW’s blogging contest, Digital Heroes – Generation Nigeria, put a spotlight on Nigeria’s brightest young bloggers who care about the future of their country.

They contestants were asked to create a written, photographic or video project that addressed environmental issues in Nigeria. Over 400 entries were received. At an event in Lagos last week, the winners were honored and the grand prize was awarded to a photo project that profiled widespread oil pollution in Nigeria’s Niger River Delta.

Social media has become indispensible for Nigerian youth and beyond being used a social tool, it is now growing into a social force. The winner of the contest, Solomon Sodeinde, said that social media is the most effective way to raise awareness amongst youth. His project on the Niger River Delta serves as an example of the power that can be placed in the hands of active young people who see problems in their societies.

At the discussion, Nigerian social media experts and bloggers discussed the growing importance of social media in Nigeria and the risks and opportunities that it presents. With the widespread availability of information on so many networks, it is the bloggers’ responsibility to make sure that there work is based on facts and research.

The contest is part of DW’s digital strategy, which isn’t only about producing the best content for users, but also about helping create a culture of digital activism in our broadcasting regions around the world.

In some countries, there is a climate of insecurity when it comes to freedom of expression. Recently, DW, the BBG (Broadcasting Board of Governors), the BBC and France Médias Monde, have launched a website that helps people learn about methods to circumvent censorship.

More people around the world than ever before can easily communicate and access information. But it is easy to forget that there are many places where people who publish dissenting thought are punished and the free flow information is blocked. DW has made fighting censorship a core principle and works consistently to provide people everywhere with the information they need to understand problems and issues affecting their societies.

Available in English, French, Spanish, Arabic, Farsi, Chinese, and Russian, Bypasscensorship.org features tools that get around government censors and enable free access to the Internet. Tor is a tool that provides anonymity and free access by relaying a signal around a global network so that websites cannot read an actual physical location. Orfox uses Tor technology for Android mobile devices. Psiphon is a tool that DW uses, for example, to get DW content around the Great Firewall of China to users in Mainland China. And these are only a few of the many tools available.

And DW is focusing its efforts during a critical time for Internet freedom. In its Freedom on the Net report, Freedom House analyzed 65 countries, and more than half are experiencing a decline in Internet freedom.

Internet filters keep people from sharing and receiving important news and information. But there is also active persecution of people who publish dissenting thought. In places like Bangladesh, Pakistan or Vietnam, bloggers and online activists are being struck down as targets of violence and oppression.

Outright censorship is a different form of oppression where “mainstream” international news outlets are filtered along with any other online content the authorities deem to be unacceptable. Censors try and keep independent and unbiased news coverage from reaching the public. In Iran and China, there is a constantly evolving campaign of online censorship.  China has the worst rating by Freedom House, Iran the third worst.

But as censors continue to try and control information, DW and its international media partners are fighting back by promoting freedom of speech and taking action to make sure unbiased and factual information is available all over the world.

Online

DW articles in English are being featured on the website of USA Today. Articles covering German politics, society and culture will be featured on the world section of the website, which brings in 115 million unique visitors every month. DW’s content will also be featured on USA Today’s social media channels. USA Today is the widest distributed newspaper in the US and content from DW will add to the international profile of their online news content.

Asia

Following up on the successful release of regionalized editions of DW’s hit lifestyle show Euromaxx in different Asian markets, an Indonesian version is being produced in cooperation with Metro TV. The Indonesian partner will take the original English version and re-edit the episode with voiceovers from an Indonesian narrator. Metro TV is one of Indonesia’s largest channels and reaches over 3.3 million people nationwide. It is also available on all of Indonesia’s major cable, IPTV and DTH providers.

Astro Awani, Malaysia’s largest news and current events channel is broadcasting five English-language programs from DW, including Global 3000 and Euromaxx. The channel is Malaysia’s only 24-7 news broadcaster and can be received by 80 percent of the population.

The Vietnamese OTT platform Vivas will now include DW. The partner reaches around 100,000 households in Vietnam.

In Pakistan, Lahore-based triple-play provider Nizara is offering DW in its basic package. Nizara packages TV broadcasts for use on mobile phones, tablets and PCs.

Latin America

Carnaval TV based in Coquimbo, Chile, is now broadcasting a selection of programs from DW (Español).  This will include Al volante, Cuadriga, Cultura.21, Escápate, Hecho en Alemania and Patrimonio mundial. The terrestrial broadcaster has a technical reach of 100,000 households.

 

 

The world is watching the 2017 German elections as the decisions made in Berlin are getting more and more attention from the rest of Europe and the world. But for many international observers, the issues driving the elections are unclear. In the run-up to the elections in September, DW is providing clear and comprehensive coverage of the election online and on DW’s global TV channels under the banner #GermanyDecides.

Combining the reach of television with the interaction of social media, DW lets the audience dive into the debate and open up complicated issues for discussion. These are important social issues that are influencing voters like refugees and immigration and the rise of terror in Europe. And the big question is if Angela Merkel will remain Chancellor of Germany.

On Germany Decides – Meet the candidates, DW editor-in-chief Ines Pohl and talk show host Jaafar Abdul Karim will interview the seven top candidates from Germany’s main parliamentary parties: the CDU, CSU, SPD, Die Grünen, Die Linke, FDP and AfD.

For the first edition, Sahra Wagenknecht came on the show. Co-leader and candidate from the largest opposition party in the Bundestag, Die Linke, Wagenknecht often provides alternative and outspoken viewpoints on important political issues.

Another special series, #GermanyDecides: On the road to the elections sends DW reporters Nina Haase and Sumi Somaskanda are travelling each week to six German cities to find out what matters most to Germans ahead of the elections in September.

Visiting Dresden, the Bavarian town of Wegscheid, Stuttgart, Cologne, Bremen and Berlin, at each stop they will ask people about big issues important to the region. In Bavaria the focus is on the migration crisis, in Dresden it is right-wing extremism, in Cologne they will ask about migration. By asking the people what matters they will put their finger on the pulse of the electorate.

The first edition of Germany Decides -Meet the candidates will appear on DW June 30 at 6:30 p.m. UTC and is being broadcast in English, German, Spanish and Arabic.

Follow DW’s 2017 German election coverage on Twitter at #GermanyDecides .

Latin America

Animal Político, a popular news website in Mexico, has recently started including Spanish-language articles and video content from DW. With broad coverage of important news and events, Animal Político promotes well-informed decision making from active citizens in Mexico. The website is a strong partner for DW, with news and information that promotes transparency and helps fight corruption and over 7 million monthly visits.

Telefuturo, a Pay-TV provider in Paraguay is showing a series of Spanish-language magazines from DW (Español). En forma, Enlaces, Europa en concierto, Patrimonio mundial and Visión futuro will be available to around 260,000 households around the country.

Asia

The ICTA (Indonesia Cable TV Association) and DW have agreed to a contract that allows 150 cable companies across Indonesia to broadcast DW. Together, ICTA partners broadcast to around 2 million subscribers. In May, 75 ICTA channels had already begun broadcasting DW.

DW and DW (Deutsch) will be available in libraries, universities and schools in New Zealand via eTV, a non-profit IPTV provider.

Butt Cable TV network in Rawalpindi, Pakistan is a new DW partner offering DW to 6,500 customers.

Europe

The DW documentary, Afro.Germany, is now being shown online by Spiegel TV. There are also plans for showing DW programs Made in Germany and Reporter.

Madsack, a leading German media group is now including DW videos, articles and picture galleries as a integral part of its online content portfolio. Madsack currently owns regional German newspapers with a combined monthly readership of 2.5 million and 4.6 million online users.