It was also an opportunity to take stock of five-year history of that program, which helps journalists develop their professional skills and build a community of mutual support.

The “Media Forum. Local Development” program is a joint initiative of Polish-American Freedom Foundation and the Media Forum Foundation. For five years, it has supported journalists from independent local media outlets by offering them training, mentoring, legal consultations, study visits, and access to knowledge about the media market.

Ambassador Jerzy Koźmiński, President and CEO of Polish-American Freedom Foundation, reminded the conference participants of the importance of independent newsrooms for local communities. “Our experience has repeatedly shown that independent newsrooms can have a real impact on solving local problems and shaping residents’ aspirations. That is why the Media Forum: Local Development program was launched five years ago. Because strong, independent local media are the foundation of civil society. And today, they must face new challenges: stable funding, maintaining the reliability and appeal of their content, the digital revolution and artificial intelligence, and the fight against disinformation,” said Jerzy Koźmiński.

Building a community where journalists can share experiences and support one another is one of the program’s goals. As Maciej Starczewski, President of the Media Forum Foundation and Program Director, says: “We want to build a community, give people the opportunity to meet, exchange experiences, and talk with those who demonstrate what independent journalism can be.”

Local Stories Matter

The conference began with presentations by journalists who spoke about their work and the development of their newsrooms. Anna Kluwak from Gorzowianin.com, Piotr Jagniewski from Miasto-info.pl, Agnieszka Kledzik from TV Asta, and Argymir Iwicki from “Czas Chojnic” shared solutions that have proven effective in their daily work. It was an opportunity to learn about different approaches to running local media outlets, as well as to discuss the challenges faced by independent newsrooms.

As Piotr Jagniewski (Miasto-info.pl) emphasizes, it’s important to bring together people who understand that local stories aren’t any less significant just because they took place in a small town. They can be told through words, sound, and images—sometimes even starting with a hole in the sidewalk, if you can look deep enough into it. “The world doesn’t become any bigger just because you report on it from Warsaw,” the journalist notes.

This perspective on local journalism unites the program participants: the conviction that the issues closest to residents’ hearts deserve to be reported accurately, and that a good story can begin anywhere.

A Community That Gives Strength

An important element of the conference was the conversations and activities that allowed participants to get to know each other better and build relationships that extend beyond the training sessions. For many journalists, the chance to meet colleagues from other newsrooms is more than just an opportunity to exchange professional experiences. It’s also the realization that in difficult situations, they don’t have to face them alone.

“The myth of the journalist as a lone wolf is naive,” says Aleksandra Hotowy from Tczew. She points out that when faced with pressure, a reporter may feel helpless and isolated. That is why they need their “village”— a community where competition gives way to solidarity and cooperation. As the journalist emphasizes, the “Media Forum. Local Development” program helps build such a community. Training, market analysis, and legal assistance strengthen local newsrooms, and cooperation does not take away their independence—on the contrary, it helps defend it.

Mariusz Parol, a journalist of Kronika Tygodnia, emphasizes the similar importance of these meetings. He appreciates both the professional support and inspiring conversations, as well as the atmosphere of kindness and joy that accompanies these networking events for journalists from all over Poland.

Five Years of Supporting Local Media

The conference was also an opportunity to reflect on what has been achieved over the five years of the “Media Forum. Local Development” program: more than 750 people trained, 1,500 hours of classes, collaboration with numerous experts and experienced journalists, a legal consultation program, mentoring, study visits, and a multimedia educational platform. As part of the program, four local media market studies were also conducted, and a database of journalists and media outlets was built, comprising over 11,000 entries. Publications are also an important element of the program, such as the book “We, the Locals: Stories of Journalists and Local Media in Poland” by Andrzej Andrysiak and Jacek Pawłowski, published in 2026.

During the conference, participants also discussed the most important events of the past year in local journalism. Sunday’s meeting with Jarosław Kurski provided an opportunity to reflect on the role of the journalist, the responsibility that comes with one’s words, and the place of the media in public life. The conversation with the veteran journalist and deputy editor-in-chief of “Gazeta Wyborcza” provided a chance to view the experiences of local newsrooms within the broader context of changes in contemporary media. The presentation was preceded by a morning discussion among participants about what has been happening in local media in recent months.

Not Just Training, but Also Relationships

One of the goals of the “Media Forum. Local Development” program is to build a community of independent journalists who can share knowledge, support one another in difficult situations, and work together to find solutions to the challenges facing local media.

The conference demonstrated just how important this need is. Participants left not only with new ideas and inspiration, but also with the sense that their daily work is part of a larger whole. As Kinga Dereniowska, a journalist from Rzeszów, put it when speaking about the mentoring program: “Sometimes you already know and can do a lot, but you still need a ‘push in the right direction”. Such support—both substantive and community-based—is particularly important for local journalists, who often work in small teams while facing pressure, limited resources, and the responsibility to keep their communities informed.