Media Diversity Institute

From March 28 to 31, the LIMENet Media Innovation Fair in Budapest brought together over 100 media professionals from across Europe and beyond, creating a dynamic space for collaboration, experimentation, and shared learning. Organised with the support of the Center for Sustainable Media, the fair hosted fundraising clinics, hands,on workshops in inclusive journalism, and thought,provoking panels tackling the pressing challenges facing local media today. 

A standout keynote was delivered by Joshi Herrmann, founder of Mill Media in Northern England, who presented a successful model for community,driven journalism and the power of local storytelling to drive engagement and sustainability. But beyond the presentations, the fair’s true strength lay in the community it fostered, one that recognised the urgency of solidarity in the face of shrinking resources, disinformation, and political pressure. 

Innovation and solidarity in local media 

For Tijana Blagojev, Research Associate at Centre for Media Pluralism and Media Freedom, the fair came at a critical moment. "I see many challenges for local media today," she said. "However, an important development is the rising interest in the local media situation and increasing awareness of the importance of solidarity among local media and joint actions to improve the situation." 

She emphasised the growing cooperation between researchers and local practitioners as key t...Read more