Media Prize awarded in Leipzig

It was the first time that the prize was awarded in fourfold measure. Correspondingly, the total prize money was extraordinarily raised to €40,000, €10,000 for each laureate or pair of laureates. In addition to Brigitte Alfter and Ides Debruyne, prizes were awarded to Indian journalist Tongam Rina, German Middle East correspondents Jörg Armbruster and Martin Durm, as well as journalist Glenn Greenwald and British daily The Guardian.

The Prize for the Freedom and Future of the Media honours journalists and organisations that have dedicated themselves with courage or great commitment for the defense and promotion of press freedom worldwide. Chairman of the board of the Leipzig Media Foundation Dr. Harald Langenfeld: “In many countries in the world the freedom of the press is in danger. Unfortunately, that is also increasingly the case in countries you wouldn’t expect it from at first sight, where press freedom seems to be protected by laws.”

Leipzig mayor and chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Media Foundation of Sparkasse Leipzig, Burkhard Jung, was present at the ceremony, too. “Ever since it was launched, the goal of the Leipzig Media Prize has been the advancement of a public sphere. The Prize is meant to encourage people in their conviction that a worldwide public sphere is indispensable. We want to support people all around the globe who believe that freedom of speech is one of the cornerstones of democracy.”

Alfter and Debruyne received the prize for their work with Journalismfund.eu, recognising “the need for thorough research on European issues without being impeded by national borders.”

More information via www.leipziger-medienstiftung.de.