The year 2023 proved to be a unique one, during which publishers in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) embraced innovative technology for growth. Meanwhile, journalists continued to assist their audience in distinguishing fact from fiction, often utilizing advanced technology to do so.
In this report, we will delve into the insights gathered from publishers and journalists across CEE in the past year and provide a glimpse into what lies ahead in 2024.
1. Publishers are Emphasizing Training and Development
In collaboration with Poland’s Press Publishers Chamber, we conducted a two-day Google News Initiative (GNI) business training for 48 small and medium publishers. This training focused on audience development and reader revenue, with plans to continue the program in early 2024.
Additionally, the Google News Initiative launched the Startups Lab for Eastern Europe, an intensive six-month program for 14 news startups aimed at expanding their subscriber base and building sustainable business models.
Furthermore, we conducted a customized AI design sprint training for publishers in London, and intend to introduce this model to Central and Eastern Europe in 2024 in collaboration with Mixer, our trusted training partner.
2. Journalists are Exploring New Approaches to Verify News and Combat Misinformation
The trustworthiness of journalism is paramount, especially in the face of global events such as conflicts, pandemics, and significant electoral processes. Addressing the evolving challenge of misinformation, our research tool, Pinpoint, was utilized by our Baltic partners to tackle complex stories. For instance, Lithuanian publishers 15min and Delfi Lithuania employed Pinpoint in an investigation.
In 2023, we collaborated with media literacy leaders to deliver advanced technical training and fact-checking skills to over 3,800 CEE journalists, including a specific course on election-related misinformation for 500 local journalists in preparation for the pivotal Polish election in October, organized by our partner Demagog Poland.
Moving forward, we will continue supporting journalists and publishers covering critical elections in the region, as well as aiding in the battle against organized misinformation campaigns in Ukraine and beyond. In Ukraine, we will collaborate with StopFake and VoxUkraine, the country’s primary fact-checking organizations, to provide timely training and resources.
3. Local Gatherings Facilitate Knowledge Sharing and Bridge Building
Given the intricacies of the CEE media landscape, we have found it beneficial to bring news leaders together to address common challenges and opportunities. This year, we hosted six tailored publisher days and gatherings in Bucharest, Budapest, Bratislava, Prague, Warsaw, and Tallinn.
Moreover, we brought together media literacy leaders from across CEE at the Fighting Misinformation Online event in Bratislava, where participants deliberated on new strategies to combat disinformation campaigns. We also announced a long-term partnership with Transitions to enhance the resilience of the elderly population in Czechia and Slovakia against disinformation.
