Indo-German handbook 'Journalism Connect' aims to rebuild media trust

The Goethe-Institut and partners released the 'Journalism Connect' Handbook, a resource for Indian and German journalists. It provides tools to tackle challenges like AI and disinformation, aiming to rebuild public trust in media.

The Goethe-Institut / Max Mueller Bhavan, in collaboration with Deutsche Welle, Asian Dispatch, and Seraphim Communications, announced the release of "Journalism Connect: Rewiring Trust in Media" Handbook, a comprehensive resource that collaboratively addresses critical challenges facing journalism in Germany and India, an official statement by the Goethe-Institut said.

A Practical Toolkit for Modern Journalism

At a time marked by the rapid evolution of media across the world, from changing business models to digital-first medium of operations, AI-generated content, partisan reporting, and systemic disinformation, the handbook serves as a practical toolkit for media professionals and the public alike. It explores how journalists and media houses can improve reporting to foster transparency, accountability, and renew connection with their audiences.

The Handbook features comparative insights into the media landscapes of India and Germany, highlighting shared challenges and localized solutions. It offers ethical frameworks for integrating Artificial Intelligence into newsrooms without compromising accuracy or human integrity. It also details practical actions to make journalistic storytelling diverse and more inclusive and identifies a roadmap for newsrooms to generate meaningful audience engagement while balancing the speed of digital-first news with the rigorous fact-checking required to maintain public confidence, as per the statement.

Partners on Rebuilding Faith in Journalism

Anja Riedeberger, Director, Information Services South Asia at the Goethe-Institut said, "The concept of trust formed the starting point for a broad examination of the fundamentals of information, media, and journalism. The fellowship provided a vital platform for emerging journalists from Germany and India to learn from each other, share diverse perspectives, and collectively forge strategies to address the continuing loss of trust in media."

"Globally, journalism is facing a growing crisis of credibility. In Germany, too, the media have struggled with a trust deficit. The program Journalism Connect offers a valuable opportunity to address this challenge collaboratively with Indian and German journalists," read a statement from the project partner Deutsche Welle (DW) Hindi, as per the statement.

"This program has brought together an extraordinary group of talented media professionals working across borders and geographies. Their stories, perspectives, and collaborations are a testament to the power of dialogue in rebuilding faith in journalism," said Sunanda Rao-Erdem, Founder and CEO of Seraphim Communications.

"At a time when misinformation poses a growing threat to democratic societies, the role of well-trained and ethically minded journalists has never been more important. Trust in journalism depends on accuracy, transparency, and professional integrity, and this Handbook contributes to that effort by offering a practical framework to support informed discussion, responsible reporting, and public confidence in the media," said Surbhi Pandit Nangia, Group Vice President, Asian Dispatch. "We are honoured to work with the Goethe-Institut on this important initiative."

The 'Journalism Connect' Fellowship

The design of the Journalism Connect fellowship enabled the Indian and German participants to engage with each other as a cohort as well with media experts from the two countries in virtual formats prior to facilitating rigorous in-person interactions within the Indian media landscape and with the public in October and November across Bengaluru, Kolkata, New Delhi and Pune. These diverse modes of cultural and informational exchange, experience sharing and research constitutes the knowledge presented in the Handbook.

Journalists Behind the Handbook

The journalists participating in the project who developed the Journalism Connect Handbook are Aatreyee Dhar (India), Aditya Tiwari (India), Ankita Kishor Deshkar (India), Athithya Balamuraley (Germany), Azeefa Fathima (India), Bo Hyun Kim (Germany), Eliana Berger (Germany), Esra Lale (Germany), Friedrich Steffes-Iay (Germany), Janardan Pandey (India), Kritika Goel (India), and Luisa von Richthofen (Germany). The group will meet again in May 2026 in Germany. (ANI)

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)