News media must stay relevant or 'society will struggle', says World News Day boss

What the report says

More than 1,000 news organisations have signed up to support World News Day, a campaign highlighted by BBC World News as an effort to promote the value of journalism amid what organisers describe as a serious threat to the industry. The initiative, which began in 2018, brings together outlets including The New York Times, Reuters and the Kyiv Independent to publish editorials, adverts and cartoons focused on the importance of trusted reporting.

The BBC report said the campaign comes as trust in news has fallen to a new global low, according to the Reuters Institute’s latest Digital News Report, while people increasingly turn to social media, video platforms and AI chatbots for information. It also noted that Ofcom has separately found that audiences are using a wider range of sources, but that traditional news providers are still regarded as more accurate and impartial than many online platforms.

Branko Brkic, co-organiser of World News Day and founder of South Africa’s Daily Maverick, argued that established media groups need to adapt and cooperate rather than compete in isolation. He said the industry must become more relevant to audiences and that reliable journalism remains essential because society depends on facts and trusted information. The BBC framed the campaign as a response to both public scepticism and changing news habits.