On Friday, the European Newsroom (enr) once again had the pleasure of welcoming a group of English-speaking journalists from several sub-Saharan african countries at its offices at Belga News Agency to learn more about the EU’s media landscape and how the enr is working to boost European journalism across borders.
This time around, the group of media professionals came all the way from Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe to the heart of the European Union. They represented a broad variety of media organisations including written press, television, radio, and social media.
The visit was guided by key questions from the participants: How do you coordinate and compromise the individual interests of 23 news agencies and countries? How has the shift from print to online affected the inner workings of your newsroom? And how do you navigate the use of artificial intelligence in your daily operations? These topics sparked a lively and insightful exchange between the visiting journalists and European Newsroom representatives Tim Kohnen and Ciarán Sunderland.
The European Newsroom team offered an in-depth look at its role in strengthening cooperation among Europe’s news agencies. Tim and Ciarán detailed the newsroom’s approach to producing weekly Key Stories and compelling video content, coordinating joint interviews, and hosting workshops designed to enrich journalistic quality and diversity across the region.
Photos: European Newsroom
The European External Action Service (EEAS) serves as the EU’s diplomatic arm, overseeing the coordination of its foreign and security policy. As part of a broader EEAS initiative to give journalists direct exposure to the EU’s operations, the visit to the European Newsroom highlighted the value of journalism and open dialogue in addressing common challenges, such as combating disinformation.
By facilitating connections between African journalists and EU institutions, the EEAS seeks to enhance mutual understanding and strengthen international ties – equipping media professionals to play a key role in informed global discourse.