
The M20 Johannesburg Declaration, adopted at the summit, synthesises months of global consultation and eight policy briefs. It builds on and supports existing global frameworks, including the Windhoek Declaration of 1991 on a Free, Pluralistic and Independent African media, and the Windhoek+30 Declaration of 2021 on Information as a Public Good. It is aligned to the UN’s Global Principles for Information Integrity, which recognise an independent, free and pluralistic media as one of five pillars. Its aim is practical: build a common voice and concrete policy proposals so the G20 integrates information integrity, press freedom and media sustainability into development financing, climate policy, and AI governance as the presidency baton moves from South Africa toward the United States in 2026.
Read the full M20 Johannesburg Declaration
Global voices, local impacts
Speakers at the summit highlighted the dual pressures facing journalism: structural challenges and immediate threats. Shrinking donor funding, weak intellectual property protections, biased digital platforms, and fragmented AI policies have left independent media financially precarious. At the same time, coordinated disinformation, physical assaults, online harassment, and the exclusion of African journalism from AI governance are eroding the ability of news media to serve the public.
Paula Miraglia (Momentum Journalism & Tech task force) cautioned that “disinformation played a key role during COVID-19 and in coup attempts,” while welcoming Brazil’s new laws on algorithm transparency, child protection, and fair media compensation. From South Africa, Izak Minnaar (SANEF) called for stronger African participation in G20 processes.
Other experts underscored similar concerns: Anya Shiffrin (Columbia University) highlighted fragmented regulation and shrinking donor funding; Jesper Højberg (IMS) argued that sustainable change requires “well-organised, long-term efforts,” and Leslie Richer (African Union) stressed the need for media literacy, cross-sector collaboration, and fair revenue-sharing from tech platforms across Africa.
Adding to the discussion, Zoé Titus (GFMD & NMT Media Foundation) moderated the September 1 session “Cenesetter: Global Developments on Information Integrity, Media Viability and the Future of Journalism”, which framed the discussions around global trends and local implications, while Ivana Bjelic Vucinic, Director of GFMD IMPACT, spoke at the session “Quickfire Inputs on Key Issues for the Information Ecosystem”.

From left to right: Zoé Titus (GFMD & NMT Media Foundation), Jesper Højberg (IMS), Leslie Richer (African Union), Anriette Esterhuysen (Association for Progressive Communications)
Threats to Journalists and the Public Good
Throughout the summit, participants shared firsthand accounts of the escalating dangers facing journalists worldwide. Glenda Daniels (SANEF) described a worsening landscape of physical assaults and harassment, while Hopewell Chin’ono (Zimbabwe) explained how authorities increasingly target journalists’ reputations rather than formally accusing them of wrongdoing. Yemisi Akinbobola (African Women in Media) highlighted the disproportionate impact on marginalised reporters, warning:
“We are losing women journalists to gender-based threats and discrimination”.
Legal expert Dario Milo noted that both outdated and newly enacted laws are being weaponised against the press, creating a chilling effect on free expression.
The summit also examined the structural pressures eroding journalism’s resilience. Paula Fray (SA Competition Commission’s Media and Digital Platforms Market Inquiry) highlighted the bias of digital platforms that favour English-language content at the expense of local voices, while Khadija Patel (International Fund for Public Interest Media) called for national and regional journalism funds to ensure independent reporting survives. Addressing the intersection of technology and news, Guilherme Canela (UNESCO) stressed that “information is a public good, but not easy to protect,” urging structural accountability for AI rather than relying solely on content moderation. Amy Mitchell (CNTI) added that of more than 100 AI-related policies, only 17 even mention journalism, and Athandiwe Saba (Code for Africa) and Emmanuel Dogbevi (African Editors’ Forum) warned that African media risks being excluded from AI development, leaving the continent dependent on external systems.
What the policy briefs recommend
The summit’s eight policy briefs outlined the critical steps needed to strengthen journalism and information integrity worldwide:
SA National Editors’ Forum, Media Monitoring Africa
Supporting independent journalism is not just about a sector’s viability but about fulfilling a fundamental societal need crucial for informed decision-making, democratic participation, and human flourishing. Media engagement on the G20’s interest in “information integrity” can make a difference as to whether journalism’s strength and standing can make gains – or if current troubling media trends stay as they are, or go more horribly wrong.
Dr. Anya Schiffrin, Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs
The rapid growth of generative AI has upended the global copyright system, necessitating a robust discussion of enforcement and protections for journalistic content used in Large Language Models (LLMs). Without a change of course, the current system, under which LLM/AI firms use journalism content without paying for it, will undermine the production of original news and erode the much-needed quality news ecosystem.
Katharina Zuegel, Policy Director at the Forum on Information and Democracy
Only in recognising and tackling the effects of the information space on climate sustainability, environmental protection and energy transition can the G20 effectively promote and implement dedicated policies. Disinformation, which is coordinated and well-funded, coupled with insufficient access to reliable information, in part due to attacks against environmental journalists, has become a key factor hindering effective action on climate change and the environment.
Scott Timcke and Zara Schroeder
As the G20 advances its AI for Africa initiative, media organisations across the continent face a twin challenge. This is providing journalistic coverage of developments in AI governance with appropriate scrutiny while simultaneously navigating AI’s direct impact on journalism itself. This brief argues that these two factors mean the media’s role as watchdog becomes more vital – not less – in an era of concentrated digital power, and that the G20’s AI policies require robust media oversight to prevent the entrenchment of technological dependencies that marginalise African interests.
Phakamile Madonsela, Media Monitoring Africa programme manager
The urgency of centring young voices in media integrity discussions is underscored by the 2024 Children in G20 findings, which reveal that 2.2 billion children and youth globally lack home internet access, while those who are connected face significant rights violations, including commercial exploitation, relentless data harvesting, behavioural profiling for advertising, and inadequate protection standards. The G20, as a global leader in digital governance, has a critical role to play in setting standards and fostering international cooperation that puts children’s rights at the centre of the digital future.
Martin Scott, Professor of Media and Global Development, University of East Anglia. With additional inputs from the Media Viability Manifesto Core Group (UNESCO, DW Akademie, IMS).
In many contexts, the enabling economic conditions for journalism are now so weak that independent news organisations are not financially viable. Independent, pluralistic media is a prerequisite for information integrity, press freedom, and citizens’ ability to access this information — all of which are foundational to the achievement of development goals and safeguarding democratic rights. Media viability is, therefore, a necessary step in working toward the G20’s goals of solidarity, equality, and sustainability.
Glenda Daniels, Associate Professor, Media Studies, Wits University; Secretary-General, SA National Editors’ Forum (Sanef)
The M20 is an opportunity to “showcase” to the G20 the increase in killings, murders, kidnappings and detentions of journalists around the world – especially in war zones such as Gaza, Sudan, Ukraine, Syria, DRC, among others. This year’s G20 themes of solidarity, equality, and sustainability must apply directly to stop attacks on journalists. These G20 ideals cannot be realised unless journalism as a public good, which values Information Integrity, is fought for and protected as a treasure to democracy. Alliances with civil society (and governments whose values align for a more peaceful and just world), and international collaboration are needed.
Pierre Dagard and Sadibou Marong, RSF/Reporters Without Borders
Press freedom is a cornerstone of democracy, but it faces growing challenges in G20 countries and beyond – not only from censorship and political interference but also from media financial instability. The 2025 World Press Freedom Index revealed the dire state of the news economy and its severe effect on editorial independence and media pluralism. According to RSF’s survey, media outlets in 160 out of 180 countries reported achieving financial stability ‘with difficulty’ or ‘not at all’.
If the G20 intends to uphold its 2025 priorities of solidarity, equality and sustainability, it must treat the information ecosystem as critical infrastructure — with financing, legal protection, platform accountability, and policies that include local languages, women, youth, and marginalised communities.
The M20 provides detailed, actionable asks that can be integrated into G20 tracks (Digital Economy, Climate, Finance and Development, and AI), giving leaders a roadmap to protect journalism — and, by extension, democratic resilience and effective policymaking.
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