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We extend a warm thanks to these organizations from around the world who support this award with their help and encouragement.
All contribute concretely themselves to the cause of helping youth do journalism and to inventing new ways to keep local news media alive. Each has provided a judge and will help make known both the competition and what will be learned from the results.
They are listed in the order in which they joined the project.
WHO THEY ARE
A supporter from the start of these awards in 2018, the France-based nonprofit News Decoder will again serve as our main media partner. Founded in 2015 as an activity of the the French nonprofit Nouvelles Découvertes, News Decoder empowers young people to take control of their futures and be active and engaged citizens locally, nationally and globally. Through partnerships with nearly 50 schools in 20 countries on five continents, it teaches and models the tools and techniques of journalism that help young people better understand complex international issues.
Educational services include mentoring by professional journalists, training workshops in pitching and interviewing, webinars on global issues, e-learning courses and handbooks on reporting and writing. Its educational news service reaches thousands viewers each day in more than 100 countries.
WHAT THEY SAY
“This particular award theme of successful youth - local news collaborations resonates particularly strongly with us. All around the globe, student journalists are telling important stories, but often those stories aren’t heard outside their schools. This competition will rightfully recognize the important work youth are doing to help inform local communities.””
Managing Director of News Decoder“
WHO THEY ARE
The USC Annenberg Center on Communication Leadership and Policy (CCLP), located within the USC Annenberg School for Journalism and Communication in the United States, unites research, dialogue, and education to foster insights into the future of news and civic discourse.
CCLP launched the Local News and Student Journalism Initiative in 2024 to explore how secondary school and university journalists can address the loss of local news coverage. Its white paper, A Possible Role for Student Journalists and Student Journalism in Providing Communities with Local News, presents research into the emerging publication models that have supported student journalism across America.
WHAT THEY SAY
"Young journalists, including high school and college journalists, are uniquely well positioned to cover local news and to help fill the information needs of local news deserts.
We are delighted to partner with Global Youth & News Media to celebrate impactful local news stories produced by young journalists around the world, as well as to share and amplify their efforts with the goal of inspiring more young people to cover the news of their communities."
Geoffrey Cowan,
Director of the USC Annenberg Center on Communication Leadership and Policy
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WHO THEY ARE
The Asian American Journalists Association (AAJA) is a membership, nonprofit educational and professional organization with more than 1,500 members across the United States and Asia. Launched in 1996, AAJA's Asia Chapter is open to all media professionals and students who strive for fair representation and editorial excellence in the Asia Pacific region.
AAJA's mission is to
• Strengthen trust in public interest journalism
• Empower voices from underrepresented communities
• Contribute to building more democratic and harmonious societies through fair representation of Asia news
WHAT THEY SAY
"One of AAJA-Asia's key mission is to nurture the next generation of journalists. With students making up 25% of our membership, their voices are integral to our work. Student representatives sit on our board and help shape programs designed to support young people to start a successful career in journalism. But tackling the concerning decline of vocations in journalism and the growing talent shortage in newsrooms is only part of the challenge. Equally vital is helping young people understand the essential role that trustworthy, independent journalism plays in sustaining democratic societies. We are thrilled to partner with the Global Youth & News Media Prize, as we work to inspire youth across Asia to value and support their local news media—and to see themselves as part of its future."
—Gilles Demptos
Director for Asia Pacific, AAJA-Asia
WHO THEY ARE
The Media Lab is a community interest organization focusing on the disconnect between news media and the public. With a dedicated lens on gender, youth, and marginalized communities, The Media Lab aims to understand the critical information needs of groups and individuals disengaged from mainstream news—and explore how they can be meaningfully re-engaged. They do this work through research, listening campaigns, participatory dialogue, capacity building, and training in relevant areas.
WHAT THEY SAY
“Young people are co-creators of trust, relevance, and resilience in journalism. This award celebrates their fundamental role in helping local news survive and evolve, and we’re proud to champion that spirit of collaboration through The Media Lab.”
— Lara Ayoub
Founder, The Media Lab ( Jordan)
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WHO THEY ARE
Founded in 1950 and based in Vienna, Austria, the International Press Institute (IPI) is a global network of editors, media executives and leading journalists in nearly 100 countries who share a common dedication to quality, independent journalism. Part of IPI's innovation portfolio, IPI delivers long-term training and network development through their Local Media Accelerator and Local News & Innovation Network, unlocking unique opportunities for local, investigative, regional and niche media to sustainably deliver relevant content for local audiences. Check out case studies and their methodology in their 2024 Innovation Impact Report!
WHAT THEY SaY
"Local news is one of the areas with the greatest demand for experimentation and innovation in the news business today. People want to know what’s going on in their community, and they’re increasingly not getting that from national publishers or social media. They’re unsure what information to trust, which creates an incredible opportunity for innovation."
— Ryan Powell,
Head of innovation and media business, IPI
Source:Report for the World, January 2025
WHO THEY ARE
Founded in 1997, The Media Diversity Institute encourages accurate and nuanced reporting on race, religion, ethnic, class, age, disability, gender and sexual identity issues in media landscapes around the world. While MDI work is grounded in the principles of freedom of expression and values of diversity and inclusion, our day-to-day work focuses on cultivating practical skills to combat negative stereotypes and disinformation, improve media and information literacy, and influence the conversation on diversity and the media. Though its Global division in Brussels, MDI most recently initiated the Youth Community Journalism Initiative and LIMENet: Strengthening Local and Community Media Across Europe
WHAT THEY SAY
"Local news is one area where a diversity of voices can play an important and even outsized role in making youth audiences feel they have a real stake in their communities. The Global Youth & News Media Prize journalism award recognizes the role these youngest journalists can play in this process of engagement."
— Josh LaPorte
LIMENet project manager, Media Diversity Institute Global (Belgium)
WHO THEY ARE
Africa Media Perspectives (AMP) was launched in 2023 by Food For Mzansi Group to nurture a vibrant and independent media landscape across Africa. Focused on strengthening local news ecosystems, AMP empowers media entrepreneurs, journalists, and innovators who are reimagining how news is created and delivered in their communities. As a growing movement, it offers a platform for African media leaders to share insights, forge partnerships, and drive the future of independent journalism, one local newsroom at a time.
WHAT THEY SAY
“Local journalism isn’t dying. It’s evolving, and young people are the driving force behind its rebirth. At Africa Media Perspectives, we believe that for local news to survive and thrive, it must become a true reflection of the communities it serves, which means opening our newsrooms and our storytelling platforms to new voices. Our work is grounded in the belief that youth are not just consumers of local news – they are creators, collaborators, and changemakers. When we invest in their creativity, innovation, and deep connection to their communities, we are not just securing the future of journalism; we are reinventing it for a new era of impact and relevance.”
— Ivor Price
Co-founder of Africa Media Perspectives
WHO THEY ARE
European Youth Press (EYP) is a network that supports and promotes the role of youth media and press freedom throughout Europe. Headquartered in Berlin, it coordinates a wide range of local and European initiatives to strengthen young people's journalistic skills. In particular, we give a European voice to all 34 organisations in the network by creating journalistic training and networking events dedicated to them, such as FOMO, our annual event. We recently launched the PULSE Z project. Whether you're into politics, journalism, or multimedia, Pulse Z platform is built to pull you into the conversation and amplify your voice on the big European topics. This isn't your run-of-the-mill news feed; it's a cross-border, digital-first platform. Visit it!
WHAT THEY SAY
"This award complements our work to empower youth voices through journalism, ensuring their stories resonate within their local communities and beyond. Celebrating successful collaborations between young journalists and local media helps foster greater press freedom and media literacy across Europe.”
— Stefano Zamparo
Executive Board Member, European Youth Press (Germany)
WHO THEY ARE
The International Center for Journalists (ICFJ) enables a global network of journalists to provide the trustworthy news essential to free and strong societies – vital work that strengthens democratic ideals and spurs change. Our International Journalists’ Network (IJNet) is the world’s most comprehensive site for journalists, publishing expert advice, tools and opportunities for news media in multiple languages. For students and recent graduates, IJNet offers IJNotebook, a monthly newsletter with tips and resources. Learn more at icfj.org and ijnet.org.
WHAT THEY SAY
"Student journalists are a critical part of our news and information ecosystems today. The reporting they provide is especially important for communities with no other local news sources. This award is a meaningful way to recognize these contributions, inspire journalists by example, and foster greater support for student media."
— Patrick Butler
ICFJ senior vice president for content and community
WHO THEY ARE
Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism, Media, Integrated Marketing Communications takes a multifaceted approach to the issue of local news survival under the umbrella of its Metro Media Lab founded in 2020. Lab programs focus on engaging with local news outlets through initiatives that help support the journalists and public they serve. Its Local News Initiative has assembled a team of experts in digital innovation, audience understanding and business strategy to help reinvent the relationship between community news organizations and audiences to elevate enterprises that empower citizens. Its Teach for Chicago Journalism project concentrates on supporting youth civic engagement and media literacy practices as they help secondary school students do and understand journalism. A new report looks at the growing movement of news-academic partnerships that aim to fill local coverage gaps
WHAT THEY SAY
"We started the Local News Initiative seven years ago, wanting to use the R&D capacity of Medill to help local news outlets, journalism organizations, scholars and scholastic media at a time of crisis in the industry. Our research provides insights about trends and issues in local news in this fast-changing landscape. And through our programs, we're helping news organizations with things like business strategy and product development at a time when many can't do R&D themselves. We’re also creating opportunities to inspire young people to pursue careers in journalism."
—Tim Franklin
Director, Local News Initiative, and senior associate dean, Medill School of Journalism, Media, Integrated Marketing Communications, Northwestern University
WHO THEY ARE
The Youth Community Journalism Institute provides community journalism opportunities to students of any age. Launched in March 2024 at the Strong Mind Strong Body Foundation, a national youth and community development organization based in Minneapolis (Minnesota, USA), it provides training, tools, resources, services, and support for any community to use journalism as a vehicle for positive change and social good.
WHAT THEY SAY
"Community journalism has the power to change the world. It's great to see students of all ages getting more opportunities to realize this power."
Eric Ortiz
Executive Director, Youth Community Journalism Institute
WHO THEY ARE
The Panhellenic Federation of Journalist's Union (PFJU), founded in 1994, unites all journalism unions across Greece. Among its initiatives for local news media is the Samothrace Conference that connects these news outlets with young journalists. PFJU has agreements with all the journalism departments of Greek universities that help connect students with workplace opportunities. Next, it will organize seminars for local journalists on digital journalism at the prefecture of East Macedonia and Thrace in collaboration with Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. Other conferences educate journalists on topics such as AI and Ethics.
WHAT THEY SAY
"In every neighborhood, there’s a story waiting to be told, and young journalists including university journalism students are uniquely equipped to tell it with fresh eyes, fearless questions, and a deep sense of purpose. By shining a light on their own communities, they’re not only informing the public but also helping build the future of trustworthy, independent journalism from the ground up. PFJU supports local journalism all over Greece and is thrilled to partner with the Global Youth & News Media Prize."
— Dr. Sotirios Triantafyllou,
President of PFJU
WHO THEY ARE
The Local News Research Project, founded in 2008 at Toronto Metropolitan University’s School of Journalism, combines content analysis and digital mapping to explore issues related to local news. The project's news poverty research examines local coverage in Canadian communities at a time when print and broadcast outlets are scaling back, consolidating or closing, and many online local news sites are struggling to stay afloat. Project initiatives include the Local News Map, a crowd-sourced resource that tracks what is happening to local newspapers, broadcast outlets, and online/digital news sources in places across Canada. Researchers produce a report of the data every two months, the latest from April 2025.
WHAT THEY SAY
"Young journalists bring a unique and important lens to local news coverage. We are delighted to support this initiative and the encouragement it provides for the next generation of storytellers to report on and in their communities."—
— Nicole Blanchett
Associate professor at Toronto Metropolitan University School of Journalism and co-director of its Local News Research Project
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