This edition is all about creating a network of independent media professionals ready to connect, innovate, and inspire across the continent.
On 6 November 2025, La Vallée (Brussels) will host a full day bringing together journalists, activists, and creatives from across Europe. Explore how independent media can adapt to fast-evolving technologies, shifting audiences, and new challenges. This is your chance to meet the people shaping Europe’s media, exchange ideas, and build lasting connections that go beyond borders.
Be more than a spectator!
Everything you need to know is here. All activities are free, but registration is recommended.
Workshops
10:30 – 12:30
Take Back (Tech) Control: Time to Be Concrete
with Louis Van Ginneken (Médor) & Owen Huchon (Médianes)
How can independent media reclaim their online presence in a landscape dominated by major platforms?
This workshop examines the real-world impact of newsrooms leaving X, Instagram, and Facebook, exploring why it’s necessary, the challenges involved, and concrete strategies and alternative tools for a more independent and balanced online visibility.
Develop practical strategies, share alternative tools, and envision a sustainable online presence beyond Big Tech.
How to Survive as a European-Focused Content Creator?
with Chloé Mikolajczak (The Green Monki), Evi Kiorri (Europod) & Vinz Kanté (LIMIT)
In today’s content-saturated world, more creators stand out by tackling important topics with engaging formats. But how can they balance independence with a sustainable business model? How can they produce impactful content on climate, European affairs, social inclusion, or politics?
Three European content creators will share practical tips and tools for navigating social media and create meaningful content while keeping it sustainable and viable.
14:30 – 16:30
AI Ethics Training
with Bárbara Lazarotto (Vrije Universiteit Brussels)
Artificial intelligence is no longer a distant future for journalism: it’s already shaping how news is produced and distributed. From automated writing and fact-checking to algorithmic curation and audience analysis, AI presents both opportunities and ethical challenges, raising questions of transparency, accountability, and bias. This workshop will explore AI’s practical impact on journalism: how it changes newsroom practices, and what frameworks can guide responsible, sustainable use of AI in the media landscape.
Independent Media Against Russian Imperalist Narratives
with Indrė Kiršaitė (NARA), Arysia Chernobay & Yurii Kapluchenko (Lyuk Media)
How can we recognize, respond to, and resist Russian propaganda? This workshop breaks down disinformation strategies, from blatant lies to seemingly “harmless” memes, and offers practical tools to counter them without amplifying the spread. Lyuk Media and NARA will share their experiences as independent journalists, discussing how to spot manipulation, respond effectively, and educate audiences to build a critical and aware community.
Talks
10:30 – 12:00
Challenges and Opportunities of New Technologies for Reporting on Palestine
with James Kleinfeld (journalist), Marwa Fatafta (Access Now), Youssr Youssef (journalist)
How are new technologies transforming journalism in extreme violence contexts? Open-source tools, satellite imagery, and digital platforms allow unprecedented documentation of events in Gaza, but the same technologies, from surveillance to AI-driven misinformation, have also facilitated mass violence, censorship, and propaganda. This talk will explore technology’s dual role as both investigative tool and instrument of oppression.
Moderation: Souria Cheurfi, journalist
14:30 – 15:30
AI, Algorithms, and the Threat to Media Independence
with Francesco Marino (Pillole di Futuro Presente), Heritiana Ranaivoson (Vrije Universiteit Brussels)
Partners: Krytyka Polityczna & VD News
Artificial intelligence poses a major challenge to media independence, playing a dual role in content moderation and curation. This session will examine how these technologies limit access to diverse, high-quality information and steer media consumption toward personalized, commercialized experiences, undermining informed public debate.
15:45 – 16:45
Rethinking Funding Models for Independent Media
with Patricia Reguero Ríos (El Salto), David Kardos (CSM), Julie Majerczak (Reporters Without Borders)
Moderation: Francesca Festa (Médianes)
Independent media are being pushed to rethink how they fund their work. Traditional revenue streams are weakening under market pressure and media concentration, while public funding models remain outdated and ill-suited to digital independents. What new forms of support can sustain independent voices, and how can communities be more meaningfully involved in funding, decision-making, and shared accountability?
18:15 – 19:30
European Media Freedom Under Attack: How Can We Resist the Foreign Agent Laws?
with Gábor Kardos (444), Mariam Nikuradze (OC Media), Ena Bavčić (European Centre for Press and Media Freedom), Manon Moulin (Reset! Network)
Moderation: Alexandra Tyan (Médianes)
Part of the Reset! Live Podcast Series, in collaboration with 444.
Inspired by Russia’s 2012 “foreign agents” law, several authoritarian regimes are introducing similar measures targeting civil society, opposition, and independent media. The pattern is spreading: Georgia passed a similar law in 2024 after months of protests, and in 2025, Hungary considered adopting one too. How can media resist regimes seeking to silence them? Can cross-border solidarity networks help counter these authoritarian trends?
Sphera Documentary Films Screenings
In partnership with StreetPress, Popaganda & VD News
14:00 – 14:35
Hey Mate! French Gen Z Standing Up for the Right to Study
Maria Russo & Samuele Maccolini (VD News)
14:45 – 15:20
Antifas, neo-nazis and Viktor Orbán: The Budapest Complex
Thomas Porlon (StreetPress), Ilaria Salis (Member of European Parliament)
15:30 – 16:05
Working 9 to 9: living or surviving?
Ioannis Tsioulis (Popaganda)
16:15 – 16:45
Beyond the Glitter: When Drag Gets Political
Alexandra Tyan (Médianes), Belligerency (Artist and co-founder of the drag & queer show Popaganda)
The Independent Media Speedmeeting
17:00 – 18:00
Fast-paced, face-to-face networking with media professionals from across Europe:
- Pauline Butel, Médianes
- Alexandra Tyan, Médianes
- Francesca Festa, Médianes
- Giacomo Corongiu & Daria Volpe, VD News
- James Kleinfeld, journalist
- Salwa Boujour, ADIM
- David Kardos, CSM
- Agniweska Wiśniewska, Krytyka Polityczna
- Emmanouil Verigakis & Ioannis Tsioulis, Popaganda
- Aníbal Hernández, El Salto
- Antoine Lheureux, Europod
- Márk Benics, 444
- Diane Ranville, Arty Farty
- Johan Weisz, StreetPress
- Jeannette Marié, Komune Media
- Reha Simon, Histoires crépues
Networking cocktail & DJ Set
With: Coline Cornélis (DJ)
19:30 – 22:00
Networking Drinks & DJ Set
Unwind, connect, and celebrate the power of collaboration with a live set by Coline Cornélis.
📅 6th November 2025 | LaVallée, Brussels
