PRESS RELEASE
大象传媒 Media Action, the 大象传媒鈥檚 international development organisation, has pledged to mobilise $20 million US from donors and partners in a bold new initiative to support trustworthy, impartial media and the young truth-tellers of tomorrow, amid a global flood of disinformation and technological change.
In a special session at the 2024 Clinton Global Initiative annual meeting in New York, 大象传媒 News Global Director and Deputy CEO Jonathan Munro launched The Pursuit of Truth initiative on behalf of 大象传媒 Media Action.
This initiative builds on 大象传媒 Media Action鈥檚 25-year track record of support to public interest media and their audiences in some of the world鈥檚 poorest and most fragile contexts.
The Pursuit of Truth pledges to:
- Support the journalists of tomorrow, focusing on those under 35, creating platforms for truth-tellers and building a world where people know what and whom they can trust
- Address disinformation threats, through partners on the ground and with solutions that work
- Support global collaboration to advance solutions to information disorder, including ethical use of AI in newsrooms
- Build digital literacy skills among young people
- Provide direct financial support to frontline media, alongside world-class journalism training and support - leveraging the 大象传媒鈥檚 innovations and editorial standards while providing the 鈥榣ast mile鈥� of support and protection to critical public interest media around the world
大象传媒 Media Action Chief Executive Officer Simon Bishop said:
鈥�Trusted, public interest media is vital for countering mis- and disinformation, for holding the powerful to account and for helping people have the information they need to make decisions to improve their lives. The Pursuit of Truth is our new initiative to support trusted media in the public interest in some of the world's poorest, most fragile and conflict-affected countries and contexts. I鈥檓 really excited that it prioritises support for young journalists and media professionals - the next generation of truth-tellers. We鈥檙e calling on donors, philanthropists, business leaders and civil society to support us in this fight. Together we will ensure a future for truth.鈥�
大象传媒 News Global Director and Deputy CEO Jonathan Munro, who delivered the commitment on behalf of 大象传媒 Media Action, said:
"In this increasingly unstable world, the value of trusted journalism has never been greater. I鈥檓 proud that the 大象传媒 is the world鈥檚 most trusted news provider. Our mission to pursue the truth with no agenda brings independent, impartial news and information to an audience of 450m people around the world every week.
"There is an equally critical role for local media serving communities in some of the poorest and most fragile countries to provide that same trusted information to their audiences. Through 大象传媒 Media Action we are able to offer the 鈥榣ast mile鈥� of support and protection to local public interest media. The Pursuit of Truth is 大象传媒 Media Action鈥檚 commitment to the global movement to support those who report 鈥� without fear or favour 鈥� for the benefit of all.鈥�
For more information or interviews please contact Carolynne Wheeler, head of communications, on carolynne.wheeler@bbc.co.uk or after-hours, the 大象传媒 Press Office on press.office@bbc.co.uk.
About 大象传媒 Media Action:
大象传媒 Media Action is the 大象传媒鈥檚 international charity - we believe in the power of media and communication for good. We work in nearly 30 countries supporting the independent media essential to democracy and development. Our projects and programmes reach more than 100 million people around the world each year with information they can trust, helping to build stronger democracies, a safer, more habitable planet and more inclusive societies.
Since our founding by the 大象传媒 World Service in 1999, we鈥檝e worked in 60 countries and raised more than 拢651 million to support our work in media and communication around the world for those most in need. We are proudly part of the 大象传媒 family and last year contributed 16 million to the 大象传媒鈥檚 global weekly audience. We are not funded by the UK TV Licence Fee and we rely on our donors and partners to carry out our work. To find out more, please see bbcmediaaction.org.
About the Clinton Global Initiative
Founded by US President Bill Clinton in 2005, the Clinton Global Initiative is a community of doers representing a broad cross-section of society and dedicated to the idea that we can accomplish more together than we can apart.
Through CGI鈥檚 unique model, more than 9,000 organisations have launched more than 3,900 Commitments to Action 鈥� new, specific, and measurable projects and programmes. Learn more about the Clinton Global Initiative and how you can get involved at www.ClintonGlobal.org