Hundreds of news organizations, media associations and individuals from over 100 countries have joined forces to highlight the importance of fact-based journalism and urge audiences to support trusted news sources.
World News Day is co-hosted by WAN-IFRA’s World Editors Forum and the Canadian Journalism Foundation, and this year’s campaign theme is “Choose Truth,” devised by Project Continuum, a campaign incubator led by Daily Maverick founder Branko Brkic.
“World News Day provides an opportunity to reflect on the vital role that independent and courageous journalists play in communities around the world – their work providing evidence that leads to the truth,” said David Walmsley, editor-in-chief of The Globe and Mail and founder of World News Day.
The “Choose Truth” campaign recognises the public’s challenge of navigating a toxic information environment filled with misinformation and disinformation, while highlighting journalists’ unwavering commitment to reporting the facts.
In a joint World News Day article, Brkic and Nobel laureate Maria Ressa wrote: “The noise and violence will eventually die down and debate based on truth and common sense will return. For now, we fight. Every day, every hour, every moment… We defend the truth.”
Ladina Heimgartner, Chair of WAN-IFRA, Head of Media Ringier AG and CEO Ringier Media Switzerland, said: “The ‘Choose Truth’ campaign underscores our shared commitment to uphold the principles of fact-based journalism. In a world filled with misinformation, the responsibility of journalists to provide accurate, reliable and independent news has never been more important. This campaign reminds us that truth is not just a choice, it is the foundation of a free and democratic society.”
About
World News Day is a global initiative to draw public attention to the role of journalists in providing trustworthy news and information that serves the public and democracy. World News Day is observed every year on 28 September.
World News Day is hosted by the World Editors Forum, the Canadian Journalism Foundation (CJF) and Daily Maverick’s Project Continuum.
WAN-IFRA (World Association of Newspapers) is the international organization of the world’s press, made up of 3,000 newspapers and technology companies, and 60 national publishers associations representing 18,000 publications in 120 countries. With a mission to protect the right of journalists and publishers around the world to run an independent media, WAN-IFRA provides its members with the expertise and services to innovate, thrive in the digital world, and play their vital role in society. The World Editors Forum is a network for editors.
Founded in 1990, the Canadian Journalism Foundation (CJF) is dedicated to promoting, celebrating and encouraging excellence in journalism. The Foundation administers a prestigious annual awards and fellowships program that features an industry celebration that brings together news leaders, journalists and Canadian businesses to celebrate outstanding journalistic achievements and the value of professional journalism. Through its monthly J-Talks public speaker series, the CJF fosters dialogue among journalists, businesspeople, academics and students about the role of media in Canadian society and the continuing challenges of the digital age. The Foundation also promotes opportunities for journalism education, training and research.
PROJECT KONTINUUM is an initiative launched by Daily Maverick and led by Branko Brkic, which aims to reaffirm the positive role of news media in the global community. Choose Truth is a blueprint for future collaborations.
For further information, please contact:
Sherilyn Ireton, Executive Director, World Forum of Editors, WAN-IFRA
worldnewsday@wan-ifra.org