Honourable Guest of Honour,

distinguished guests, members of the media, allow me to rely on the protocol established by our able MC.

I feel honoured and privileged to have been invited by MISA to speak to you all today on World Press Freedom Day and your Annual Media Awards event.

Germany and especially our Deutsche Welle Academy have been partnering with Misa Malawi for many years and have contributed to journalism training and diverse workshops. DW Akademie supports MISA Malawi in its efforts of enhancing the quality of journalism and capacitating the media sector in Malawi and strengthen access to information and media freedom.

Apart from growing the Journalism Training Centre and the School of Journalism, MISA Malawi is an active partner in a regional network of media training institutions and media freedom organisations in Southern Africa such as the country chapters of the Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA), the NMT Media Foundation in Namibia or the Centre for Innovation and Technology (CITE) in Zimbabwe. With the support of DW Akademie this network hosts regular conferences, media-policy dialogues and media training operations to build resilient and viable media ecosystems. Today MISA presented the African Media Barometer Malawi, which was also supported by DW Academy.

Allow me to begin on a personal note. I must confess—I am something of a movie buff. Reading about Lilongwe to prepare for my posting here in 2023, I was shocked to learn that your capital did not have one cinema. Going to a movie is for me not only an act of entertainment but also of learning and immersing in a different world. And doing it in front of a big screen where I can share the suspense, the laughter or excitement with a crowd is different from watching it on a tv or via an app.

In my view there are few jobs that have been depicted in so many movies in recent decades as being the US President or being a journalist. I leave out all the fantasy action heroes of the Marvel Universe or all successful spies following in the James Bond routine here, but refer only to “real existing jobs”. Over the years, I have found myself drawn repeatedly to films about journalism. Not only because they are compelling and dramatic, but because they illuminate something fundamental about society itself: the struggle over truth and the need for trust.

From the fast-paced newsroom of “His Girl Friday”, through the investigative team in “All the Presidents Men” about uncovering the Watergate scandal to the tense editorial decisions portrayed in “The Post”, these films reminded me that journalism is not merely about reporting events. It is about judgment, courage, and responsibility. It is about deciding what the public has a right to know—and about having the conviction to ensure that they do.

When I reflect on the theme of “Press Freedom, Media Viability and Economic Development “in Malawi today, I see that tensions portrayed in films are not distant or fictional. They are deeply relevant to your own daily context.

Press Freedom as a Democratic Foundation

At its core, press freedom is not simply a professional right—it is a democratic necessity.

Internationally, the principles of press freedom are well established under United Nations frameworks, particularly the right to freedom of expression, which includes the right to seek, receive, and impart information. These protections recognize that without access to information, citizens cannot meaningfully participate in governance and in democracy.

Comparative constitutional frameworks reinforce this idea. For example, Germany’s Basic Law guarantees freedom of the press while also recognizing the responsibilities that come with it. This balance—between freedom and accountability—is essential.

Malawi’s Constitution similarly guarantees freedom of expression and of the press. Yet, as we all know, the existence of rights on paper does not automatically translate into realities on the ground.

The latest Press Freedom Index 2026 published this week rated Malawi on rank 69 out of 180 countries worldwide. A bleak report in total which saw many countries in a very serious situation.

The question, therefore, is not whether press freedom exists in Malawi in principle—but whether it is fully realized in practice.

Investigative Journalism: The Courage to Expose Truth

Films such as “All the President’s Men” and “Spotlight” depict journalism at its most powerful—holding institutions accountable and exposing hidden truths.

These stories resonate because they reflect what journalism can achieve at its best.

In Malawi, investigative journalism plays a similarly vital role. It has the potential to:

• Expose corruption
• Strengthen public accountability
• Promote transparency in governance

However, this work is not easy.

Journalists often face significant barriers, including political pressure, threats of legal action, and limited access to critical information. In some cases, the cost of pursuing the truth can be personal and professional.

Moreover, investigative journalism requires time, expertise, and financial resources. It is not something that can be done overnight. Yet, many media institutions in Malawi operate under severe financial constraints, making sustained investigations difficult.

This creates a paradox:

The type of journalism that democracy needs most is often the hardest to sustain.

Media Ethics in the Age of Misinformation

While investigative journalism represents the ideal, other films remind us how easily that ideal can be compromised.

In “Network”, we see a media environment driven by ratings and spectacle rather than truth. In today’s digital age, this warning feels more relevant than ever.

Malawi, like many countries worldwide, is experiencing the rapid spread of misinformation. Social media platforms have democratized information sharing—but they have also made it easier for falsehoods and fake news to circulate widely and quickly.

This has several consequences:

• Public trust in media can erode
• Journalists are pressured to publish quickly
• Verification becomes on the one hand more difficult but is even more essential

The challenge is not simply technological—it is ethical. Journalists must now navigate a landscape where being first is often rewarded more than being accurate. Yet, as history and experience show, credibility is built on accuracy, not speed.

The lesson here is clear:

In an age of misinformation and fake news, ethical journalism is more important than ever.

Everyday Journalism: The Backbone of all Media

While films often highlight dramatic investigations, the reality of journalism worldwide is grounded in everyday reporting: what happened on the local level, what interests the community. Big media institutions such as MBC, Zodiak, Times TV, Luntha TV and numerous radio stations and online media play an indispensable role in the country’s information ecosystem.

They:

• Broadcast in local languages
• Reach rural and underserved populations
• Provide platforms for community engagement
• Disseminate critical information on health, education, services and governance

In many rural areas a printed newspaper or a tv or internet or smartphone access still are an unattainable luxury and radio is still the most used media. Information sharing particularly through community radio is of vital importance and for small radio stations MACRA fees are a challenge. They are working often in hard conditions with little pay, but being accurate is important for their work too. Because in community journalism, the consequences of error are immediate and real. I remember a recent story from India where a fake news report led to the lynching of an innocent man mistakenly accused of rape.

For many Malawians, their community radios are the primary—and sometimes the only— source of news. Community journalism may not attract international headlines or a call by an Ambassador, but it is arguably the most impactful. It shapes daily decisions, informs communities, and fosters participation in public life and in politics, like the recent elections.

However, it is also especially vulnerable, due to funding challenges, limited training opportunities and also local political influence which can affect editorial independence

In this context, the fast-paced urgency of His Girl Friday takes on a new meaning. Journalists must work quickly, often under pressure—but they must also ensure that what they report is accurate and responsible.

Women in Journalism: Expanding the Narrative

As a movie enthusiast and a female ambassador, I am also struck by how often films portray women in journalism—and how these portrayals resonate with real-world experiences.

In His Girl Friday from 1940, heroine Hildy Johnson stands out as a pioneering figure: intelligent, assertive, and highly capable in a very male-dominated profession. I was a bit disappointed that in a later version of that movie the Hildy role of Rosalind Russel was taken up by the male actor Jack Lemmon in  its remake“The Front Page”, directed by Billy Wilder.

In “The Post”, Katharine Grahams decision to publish the Pentagon Papers is not just a journalistic act—it is a defining moment of courage and responsibility. She represents leadership of the Washington Post under extreme political pressure.

And in “The Devil Wears Prada”, we see a different dimension—the pressures of ambition, career growth, and ethical compromise in a media-related fashion environment.

These stories remind me that journalism is not a monolithic profession. It is shaped by diverse voices and perspectives.

In Malawi too, female journalists play a critical role, often navigating structural and cultural challenges while contributing significantly to the credibility and depth of media coverage.

Your participation can strengthen journalism by bringing: • Diverse perspectives

• Maybe a greater female sensitivity in storytelling
• Strong ethical awareness

Supporting and empowering women in journalism is therefore not only a matter of equality— it is a matter of improving the quality of journalism itself.

Financing the Media: A Structural Challenge for Media Viability

No discussion of the press would be complete without touching the issue of financing. Journalism requires resources. Investigations require time. Even routine reporting requires infrastructure, training, and support.

In Malawi, financial viability and sustainability remain a major challenge:

• Advertising revenues in the printed and online media are very limited, the culture of the “free internet” is a danger to responsible journalism also in Germany
• Independent media struggle to remain viable
• Journalists often depend on transport money to cover events or rely on a

“chimpondamthengo” to report about a specific event

This may create difficult trade-offs.

Media outlets may face pressure to align with political, religous or commercial interests. After 1994 you saw a flourishing media landscape, but many newspapers are now extinct. Print media may be forced to prioritize content that attracts attention rather than informs. They may reduce investment in investigative journalism due to cost. In online journalism “clickbaiting” is a way of attracting more interest in your stories with fantastic sensational headlines.

The result is a cycle that can undermine both quality and independence.

Breaking this cycle requires innovative solutions, including:

• Diversified funding models
• Public support for public-interest journalism
• Strengthening institutional independence

Conclusion: The responsibility we share

As I reflect on the films I have watched over the years, I am reminded that journalism is often portrayed as heroic—a lone reporter uncovering the truth against all odds.

But in reality, journalism is rarely about isolated moments of heroism. It is about consistent, everyday decisions, often made in a team of dedicated professionals. It is about hard work.

It is about choosing accuracy over speed.

It is about resisting pressure.

It is about serving the public interest.

In Malawi, the life and the jobsatisfaction of any journalist will depend not on laws and policies on paper, but on the daily practices of experienced support in information sharing, of access to information and of journalists, editors, media owners, and citizens he or she encounters during their worklife.

It will depend on whether society as a whole can:

• Protect journalists from undue pressure
• Promote ethical standards
• Ensure sustainable financing
• Strengthen community-based media
• Value the profession as such as a pillar of democracy.

In Germany we often refer to journalism as the “fourth power” after executive, legislative and judiciary.

The films show us what journalism can be.

Let us ensure that, in Malawi, journalism can stay what it must be:

Free, responsible, inclusive, and resilient.

Because ultimately, press freedom is not about the media alone. It is about the right of every citizen to be informed, to question, and to participate fully in the life of a democracy.