Countering Populism in Public Space: Media professionals

How to deal with factually correct but misleading statements?

Paulina Fröhlich, Joris Niggemeier, Janis Prinz Posted on

Summary

Together with media professionals, Das Progressive Zentrum developed a guideline for a confident and conscious approach towards anti-democratic populism in public space. The project “Countering Populism in Public Space” benefited from the experiences of the dedicated participants and prepared the results for media use.

With approximately 20 media professionals from radio, TV, print and online newspapers as well as blogs, the project „Countering Populism in Public Space“ synthesized their experiences to put forward this collection of experiences for a confident and conscious approach towards anti-democratic populists in public space.

The collection of experiences deals with, among other questions:

  • How to deal with factually correct but misleading statements?
  • Which guidelines have proven successful in editing offices?
  • How can community management protect against hatestorms?
  • How does the structural change in the media affect the self-conception of journalists?

Über Countering Populism in Public Space

Das Projekt „Countering Populism in Public Space“ wurde durch das Bundesministerium für Familie, Senioren, Frauen und Jugend (BMFSFJ) gefördert und erhielt inhaltliche Unterstützung durch die Hauptpartnerinnen Amadeu Antonio Stiftung und Neue Deutsche Medienmacher.

About Countering Populism in Public Space

The project “Countering Populism in Public Space” was sponsored by the Federal Ministry for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth (BMFSFJ) and was supported in terms of content by the main partners Amadeu Antonio Stiftung and Neue Deutsche Medienmacher.

Further projects against populism

„Countering Populism in Public Space“ is one of many projects of Das Progressive Zentrum which deals with the topic “populism“. The research project in Spring 2018 investigated the role of traditional media in legitimising and discrediting populist parties in Germany and Great Britain „Mediating Populism“ in Spring 2018 investigated the role of traditional media in legitimising and discrediting populist parties in Germany and Great Britain.

Furthermore, a comparative policy brief with partners from Terra Nova (Paris) and Volta (Mailand) analysed the state of populist parties in France, Germany, and Italy. The Thinking Lab on Populism „Dialogue on Europe“ even brings together six national perspectives from Greece, Italy, Spain, Portugal, France, and Germany. With the fact-checking project „TruLies“ as well as the policy brief on dealing with populists in the German Bundestag (see articles in Die Zeit, Berliner Zeitung, Frankfurter Rundschau), Das Progressive Zentrum developed a more specific focus on the situation in Germany.

Authors

Paulina Fröhlich

Deputy Managing Director and Head of Resilient Democracy
Paulina Fröhlich is Deputy Managing Director and Head of the Future of Democracy Programme.
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Joris Niggemeier

Joris Niggemeier war Project Assistant beim Progressiven Zentrum für die Projekte Countering Populism in Public Space, Mediating Populism und TruLies.
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Janis Prinz

Trainee
Janis Prinz worked as a trainee at the Progressive Center from November 2018 to May 2020 in the program area "Structural Change" on energy & climate policy issues as well as on the topic of populism. While studying philosophy and neuroscience, he was already involved in political participation and a democratic culture of debate at the Symposium Magdeburg e.V. and on the board of the Debate Club Magdeburg e.V..
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Content

Summary
Authors

to the Paper

Paulina Fröhlich

Deputy Managing Director and Head of Resilient Democracy

Joris Niggemeier

Janis Prinz

Trainee

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