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The future of truth itself is under threat. With our partners, we are working to defend it. Join our fight.

Around the world, disinformation is rife, authoritarianism is on the rise and trust is in decline. In this critical, super-election year, where over 1.5 billion people go to the polls, 75% of countries do not have a free press.

Mis- and disinformation has been named by the World Bank as one of the greatest threats of our time - and it threatens years of work and billions in investment into development.

If people and planet are to survive, and thrive, we need to ensure a future for trusted, public interest media, and a new generation of truth-tellers.

The Pursuit of Truth is our new initiative to support trusted media in the public interest in some of the world's poorest, more fragile and conflict-affected countries and contexts.

This initiative builds on ´óÏó´«Ã½ Media Action’s 25-year track record of support to public interest media and their audiences in some of the world’s poorest and most fragile contexts.

The Pursuit of Truth pledges to:

- Support the journalists of tomorrow, focusing on those under 35, creating platforms for trusted information 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 ´óÏó´«Ã½â€™s innovations and editorial standards while providing the ‘last mile’ of support and protection to critical public interest media around the world

Working with our supporters, expert media sector partners and academia from around the world, we will turbocharge the global movement to support public interest journalism for the benefit of all.

Launch of The Pursuit of Truth

´óÏó´«Ã½ Media Action launched The Pursuit of Truth at the Clinton Global Initiative on 23 September 2024, delivered by Jonathan Munro, Global Director and Deputy CEO of ´óÏó´«Ã½ News. Our pledge is to mobilise $20m US over the next three years from donors and partners to support the next generation of journalists.

Read .

Read the speech:

I’m delighted to be here today, on behalf of the ´óÏó´«Ã½ and our international non-profit, ´óÏó´«Ã½ Media Action.

This is an organisation that is right now supporting Public Service Broadcasters in Ukraine, ensuring journalists can report safely and remain on air; helping women-led radio stations in Afghanistan to ensure that women’s views are still heard even as rights and freedoms for women and girls are increasingly curtailed; and providing a lifeline to remote rural broadcasters in South Sudan.

This is a critical time for journalism globally. Disinformation and misinformation is rising sharply, spreading quickly and having real world consequences. Press freedom has fallen to a point where journalism is now either completely or partly blocked in around 75% of the world and journalists face harassment and intimidation on a daily basis.

In this increasingly unstable world, the value of trusted journalism has never been greater. I’m proud that the ´óÏó´«Ã½ is the world’s most trusted news provider. Our mission to pursue the truth brings independent, impartial news to an audience of 450m people every week. The biggest part of that is the ´óÏó´«Ã½ World Service, operating in English and 42 other languages. ´óÏó´«Ã½ Persian serving the oppressed communities of Iran, ´óÏó´«Ã½ Russian serving audiences with independent news across Russia, ´óÏó´«Ã½ Hausa serving the lawless territories of Northern Nigeria. 

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 ´óÏó´«Ã½ Media Action we are able to bridge that gap between provision of international breaking news to global audiences, and offering the ‘last mile’ of support and protection to public interest media on the ground. 

Today ´óÏó´«Ã½ Media Action is launching The Pursuit of Truth: for inclusive, democratic societies.

This is a groundbreaking new initiative devoted to accurate reporting through support to journalists, newsrooms, and healthy media ecosystems around the world.

´óÏó´«Ã½ Media Action is pledging to mobilise $20 million, working with donors and partners, to fight disinformation. We’ll offer direct financial support to frontline media; world class journalism training and support for young journalists to shape the next generation of trusted journalists; and share innovations in journalism technology and tools pioneered by the ´óÏó´«Ã½ – including a focus on the responsible use of AI.

The Pursuit of Truth is our commitment to the global movement to support those who report – without fear or favour – for the benefit of all.

We cannot do this alone. If you believe in the critical role of truly public service media in protecting development and democracy, to achieve a freer and fairer world, join us. Join us in this crucial, existential fight.