The Embassy of Germany in Belgium and DW Akademie, a center for international media development, journalism training and knowledge transfer operated by the German Government-funded international broadcaster, Deutsche Welle, will convene a high-level panel discussion in Brussels on September 15, 2026. The panel discussion will explore concrete solutions for strengthening independent journalism in an Artificial Intelligence (AI) driven media ecosystem and examine how fairer relationships can be forged in the context of the growing market power of digital platforms.
Titled “Solutions for Independent Journalism in the Age of AI: Between Disruption and Innovation,” panel discussion, organised under the auspices of the Media Freedom Coalition (MFC), will bring together experts from Europe and other parts of the world to examine practical approaches to strengthening independent journalism amid rapid technological and economic changes affecting the media industry.
The German Ambassador to Belgium, Ambassador Martin Kotthaus, and DW Akademie are inviting stakeholders to the event, which is expected to focus on the opportunities and challenges presented by AI and the increasing influence of digital platforms on the news ecosystem.
According to the organisers, AI and the growing market power of technology platforms are fundamentally reshaping journalism while creating serious challenges for the sustainability and independence of public-interest media.
However, they noted that innovative approaches emerging from different parts of the world also demonstrate that the changes brought about by AI and digital technologies could create new opportunities for journalism.
The discussion is expected to explore concrete solutions for strengthening independent journalism in an AI-driven media environment, including ways of establishing fairer relationships between media organisations and technology companies.
Participants will also examine approaches to protecting and monetising journalistic content, an issue that has become increasingly contentious as news organisations grapple with declining revenues and the widespread use of their content by digital platforms and AI systems.
The panel will consider the need for common international standards to address the challenges posed by AI and digital platforms and to promote a more sustainable media ecosystem.
The role of international partnerships, including the Media Freedom Coalition, will also be examined, particularly in ensuring that emerging AI governance frameworks are designed in ways that support media freedom, media pluralism and the long-term viability of independent journalism.
The event is being organized in an era when news organisations around the world are confronting profound changes in the production, distribution and consumption of news, with the rapid development of generative AI, which has introduced new tools for journalists and media companies while also raising concerns over misinformation, the authenticity of news content, copyright, the economic sustainability of journalism and the potential displacement of human-generated news.
The panel is expected to provide an opportunity for policymakers, media professionals, technology stakeholders and civil society representatives to exchange ideas on how these challenges can be addressed while preserving the independence and diversity of the news media.
