Brave New Media Podcast

"Around the world, journalists in the most difficult environments are using their platform to speak truth to power."

Produced by BBC Media Action, this podcast features journalists and editors from around the world who share their struggles and successes related to running independent media outlets in difficult and polarised media environments. By exploring how these media outlets have managed to deal with issues such as disinformation, funding, and audience engagement and by speaking to media experts who reflect on these experiences, the podcast hopes to help other independent media remain viable into the future.

In the words of Dr. Maha Taki, BBC Media Action's senior media development advisor, who developed the podcast: "Truly independent, public interest media often face overwhelming odds just to survive. They may be operating in heavily politicised and polarised media environments, and facing serious legal, regulatory and financial pressures both offline and online. Yet these media organisations have never been more needed, to bring people trusted information and to deliver stories that often cannot be found anywhere else. With Brave New Media, we are digging deep into these inspiring stories of media organisations who are truly working in the public interest, and sharing reflections from specialists to help find solutions to these ongoing challenges."

Brave New Media is part of Protecting Independent Media for Effective Development (PRIMED), an international media support consortium led by BBC Media Action, and it is funded by UK Aid, which is working to learn what is most effective in supporting local public interest media.

The episodes to date, which are about 30 minutes in length, are as follows:

Season 1:

• Episode 1 (September 2022): explores Daraj, an Arabic-language start-up based in Beirut, Lebanon, which is charting a new path through one of the world's most captured and censored media landscapes. Diana Moukalled tells listeners of the struggle to establish an independent media outlet, evading political entanglements and learning the business acumen required to survive in a tough financial market.
• Episode 2 (September 2022): spotlights the husband-and-wife team behind Zaborona in Ukraine: Roman Stepanovich and Kateryna Sergatskova. Staff at this independent online media outlet have had to turn into war reporters almost overnight, documenting atrocities as they live through them, dispelling misinformation and rumours, and sharing critical information, even as the rest of the world begins to lose interest.
• Episode 3 (October 2022): features Jazmin Acuna, co-founder of Paraguay's El Surti, who talks about how they are connecting with Paraguayan communities through innovative graphic design and digital approaches amid tough competition with traditional media outlets and the challenges of fast-changing social media algorithms.

Season 2:

• Episode 1 (May 2023): features an interview with Evi Mariani, the founder of public interest platform Project Multatuli in Indonesia. The project found itself in direct conflict with authority when it took up the case of a woman who accused an influential civil servant of sexually abusing children. Multatuli has had to cope with police harassment and cyber-attacks but has also learned the power of social media when stories go viral and the strength of solidarity between journalists and civil society groups.
• Episode 2 (May 2023): shares the experiences of Jacqueline Lawrence of Highlands FM, a radio station broadcasting in Southern Tanzania, where staff have had to steer a difficult course between accurately reflecting the concerns of their rural audiences while avoiding antagonising the authorities who could close them down. Jacqueline explains how they maintain this delicate balance. Kenyan journalist Alphonse Shindu then offers his viewpoint on the challenges faced by Highlands FM and praises Jacqueline for her bravery.
• Episode 3 (June 2023): highlights the work of Argaw Ashine, co-creator of the Ethiopian media platform Wazema. Founded in exile, Wazema returned to Ethiopia during a time of opening, only to have the door closed again. Following Argaw's story of exile and truth-telling, Rashweat Mukundu, an advisor on African media for International Media Support, reflects on Wazema's journey.

Brave New Media is available on Acast, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Amazon and on the BBC Media Action website.