“There are a lot of solutions out there that nobody is writing about. It’s not that PressOne is positive but it’s always balancing things – showing the problem, how it can be solved and what you can do.”
For Civitates’ partners from PressOne, an independent journalist organisation based in Romania, public-interest journalism is “a powerful way to make people understand the reality that surrounds them and a powerful tool of change” as Adrian Mihaltianu, PressOne’s managing director, shared. PressOne’s long-term work on uncovering degree plagiarism among government officials led to the shutdown of the doctoral schools of the police and a thorough examination of all the doctoral diplomas issued by these institutions. This is just one example of how PressOne makes a difference in Romania by covering fact-based stories of public interest and keeping a watchful eye on practices that can affect citizens’ trust in their institutions, as a way to protect democracy.
A vibrant civil society is a key ingredient for democracy. Both NGOs and more informal movements help us make sure that governments are taking decisions that consider all of us. Such civil society groups allow us to join our voices together and make ourselves heard so we can speak regularly to our elected representatives and ensure they provide the appropriate support and care to everyone. Civil society keeps people in power on their toes.
Public discourse plays a vital role in open, democratic societies. It is an important forum through which people can voice their concerns and form opinions. Moreover, public discourse provides input for decision making processes. Digitisation has fundamentally changed the way information is produced, distributed and consumed and thereby affects the public discourse. The implications of these changes cannot yet be fully grasped.
Journalism plays a vital role in a democratic society. Often referred to as the fourth pillar of democracy, it provides a platform for dialogue and debate, helping individuals to form their opinions and participate as informed citizens in democratic processes. It also monitors governmental and corporate (in)actions, holding those in power to account. As research has shown, the health of independent media is linked to the health of democracy, with each powering the other.
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