The Global Media Solutions Coalition, an initiative of Internews in collaboration with the World Economic Forum, is pleased to announce a foundational grant from the News Integrity Initiative to support local news and information in some of the most challenging markets in the world.

New approaches to high-quality, inclusive local content in digital environments are urgently needed to ensure positive social and economic progress around the world. This is a massive, multi-faceted challenge and will require input and deep engagement from a wide range of perspectives.  The Global Media Solutions Coalition will bring together a diverse range of voices, cultures and experiences from all ends of the market – from local organizations to global influencers – to chart a path forward. 

Initial Coalition members include Internews, the World Economic Forum, the News Integrity Initiative, Bloomberg LP, London School of Economics/POLIS, GSMA Mobile for Development and the Global Forum for Media Development. 

“Trusted, local news and information are critical to functional societies, political stability, and healthy economies.  Strong local media serve as a powerful counterweight to the rising tide of propaganda, misinformation and hate speech,” said Jeanne Bourgault, Internews President and CEO. “We are seeing local news in danger of being wiped out all over the world.  We must act as a global community to address this growing crisis.”

The News Integrity Initiative, launched earlier this year at the City University of NY (CUNY) Graduate School of Journalism, investigates the roots of mistrust in news and invests in solutions for building public support for quality journalism through grants, applied research, events and training.

“We want to listen and learn from newsrooms, nonprofits and other partners around the world,” noted Jeff Jarvis, NII executive committee member and Director of the Tow-Knight Center for Entrepreneurial Journalism at CUNY. “We also look forward to sharing ideas and examples of innovative, community-first journalism that this Coalition will surface around the world.”

Internews, an international nonprofit organization, works to ensure access to trusted, quality news and information that empowers people to have a voice in their future and to live healthy, secure, and rewarding lives. Formed in 1982, Internews has worked in more than 100 countries, and currently has offices in Africa, Asia, Europe, the Middle East, Latin America and North America.