6th M100 Youth Media Workshop finishes successfully

On the evening of 26 August, the 6th international M100 Workshop for young and aspiring journalists was concluded, in a festive setting, by the presentation of the results. Just like in previous years, the participants – this year, 33 young journalists from 24 countries – presented the work they produced during the workshop – one blog, five radio items, and two videos – to invited guests. This year the topic was „Investigative Journalism in Europe“.

The Supreme Discipline of Journalism
“Over the course of the last four days, you have been learning about investigative journalism”, stated Potsdam’s deputy Mayor for Social Affairs, Youth, Health, Order and Environmental Protection, Elona Müller; standing in for the Lord Mayor, Jann Jakobs. “The supreme discipline of journalism! But also comparable to an old, complex trade like armourer, or violin builder that a few still execute and that is threatened with extinction. Investigative journalism is time-intensive, expensive, difficult, laborious. Only a few master it; few media are able to afford it these days. In some countries investigative journalists are even threatened with death. Some of you come from those countries and know, perhaps even from your own experience, what I’m talking about. This is unacceptable. Freedom of speech and opinion is the air democracy breathes. It is a fundamental right of each and every human being and must never be restricted by death, or violence.”

Beaten, Threatened, Blackmailed, Bribed
The text of 20-year-old Bulgarian Veselina Foteva shows that there is still a long way to go till this goal is reached: „Some of the best investigative journalists were attacked with acid, beaten, threatened, blackmailed, bribed. These threats exist all over the world, but in Bulgaria the perpetrators often stay undetected. The question arises - is seeking the truth really worth the risk?”
“In France, according to 24-year-old Thomas Seymat from Villeurbanne, near Lyon, investigative journalists are not physically threatened, nevertheless, there are big shortcomings in this field of journalism.” He ascribes this fact to the strong links, some may say collusion, between political and economical elite’s on one side and editors-in-chief or journalists on the other, who then tame reporters working for them that might write a story incriminating a friend.”

Workshop Guided by Professional Investigative Reporters
In Potsdam, the participants had the opportunity to share their experiences and broaden their theoretical as well as practical knowledge. The four modules that took place in the Electronic Media School in Potsdam-Babelsberg were led by professional and renowned investigative journalists – Hans-Martin Tillack “stern”, Jörg Schmitt, “Der Spiegel”, Hajo Seppelt, freelance sports journalist and Markus Lindemann, “(autoren)werk)”.
On Wednesday, the group visited the ZDF-studio Berlin where they had the opportunity to talk to ZDF correspondent Dr. Frank Buchwald.

“If there is one thing young aspiring investigative journalists should take home from the Youth Media Workshop”, summarised 22-year-old Elko Born from Amsterdam, “it has to be motivation. Students had the chance to learn from and speak to established names in German investigative journalism. All of the lecturers radiated a certain energy and enthusiasm, a certain drive to succeed. When they were younger, these people were facing the same wall as students do now, yet they eventually succeeded in breaking through. This shows that becoming an established name in investigative journalism is not a mission impossible. Besides that, even established investigative journalists need to smash through walls. They do it every day. One could even say that investigative journalists smash walls for a living. Those who think they’re up for the job are better off getting used to it.”

Firsthand Accounts of Living and Working Conditions
The M100 Youth Media Workshop is part of the international media conference M100 Sanssouci Colloquium, taking place annually in Potsdam. It is directed at aspiring journalists and young editors, between 18 and 26, from the whole of Europe.
Besides the transfer of practical and theoretical knowledge, the aim is the formation of a lasting network between the participants. Already during the workshop, the exchange between the participants was a crucial factor as it provided the rare opportunity to get firsthand accounts of their peers‘ living and working conditions, who have completely different political and societal backgrounds. The M100 Youth Media Workshop provides an opportunity especially for young people from Eastern European countries, like Georgia, Armenia, Ukraine, Montenegro, Bulgaria, or Moldawia to travel to Western Europe, sometimes for the first time, and receive training in the field of work they aspire to be or are already working in, to make contacts with colleagues from different countries and to broaden their horizon.

Supporters, Sponsors and Partner
The workshop is supported by the Federal Capital Potsdam, Medienanstalt Berlin-Brandenburg and the German Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Sponsored by the BMW Foundation. In partnership with the German UNESCO Commission e. V., Netzwerk Recherche, the European Youth Press and the Electronic Media School.