Episode 02: How to survive and thrive in disputed territories with Salam Omer, Iraq

Our second guest of 2024 is Abaas Mpindi, CEO of the Media Challenge Initiative in Uganda. The youth-driven NGO prides itself in training the next generation of journalists – while also running a solutions journalism newsroom. Get in touch: dw-akademie.surviveandthrive@dw.com

"Survive and Thrive" is back for season two. After wrapping up reporting on the recent presidential elections in the country, Sherry Lee, COO of nonprofit media outlet The Reporter in Taiwan, spoke about how she and her colleagues deal with the threat from China and manage to be economically successful amid a propaganda war. Get in touch: dw-akademie.surviveandthrive@dw.com.

For the eighth episode of "Survive and Thrive", our guest is Isabela Ponce. She is the co-founder and editorial director GK.city, a media outlet from Ecuador specialized in explanatory long-form journalism. On the podcast, Ponce talks about how GK's focus on women, the environment and accountability intersects in their reporting. Get in touch: dw-akademie.surviveandthrive@dw.com.

For the seventh episode of "Survive and Thrive", our guest is Said Nazir. He is the founder and director of Peshawar-based Tribal News Network, or TNN. TNN serves audiences near the Afghan border where people have very limited access to the media. On the podcast, Nazir talks about how TNN stays afloat by amplifying marginalized voices. Get in touch: dw-akademie.surviveandthrive@dw.com.

For the sixth episode of "Survive and Thrive", our guest is Diogo Cardoso. He is a journalist and director of Divergente from Portugal. The multi-award-winning online magazine specializes in long-form deep-dive reporting. On the podcast, Cardoso talks about how they stay afloat while staying true to their goal of stirring social debate. Get in touch: dw-akademie.surviveandthrive@dw.com.

Imani Henrick is the station manager of commercial radio station Kings FM in the highlands of southern Tanzania. On the Survive and Thrive podcast, she talks about community outreach and the strong human rights focus of the station. Get in touch: dw-akademie.surviveandthrive@dw.com

Laura Aguirre is a journalist and media manager from El Salvador. She co-founded the feminist media outlet Alharaca. On the Survive and Thrive podcast, she talks about why she thinks feminism has a role in journalism and why she and her team are looking for business models outside El Salvador. Get in touch: dw-akademie.surviveandthrive@dw.com

Andrii Dikhtiarenko is a Ukrainian journalist, editor, and TV presenter. He owns the online media Realnaya Gazeta which specializes in the situation of the occupied Donbas. On the Survive and Thrive media viability podcast, he spoke about working in wartime, revenue streams and hopes for the future. Get in touch at dw-akademie.surviveandthrive@dw.com.

For episode two, we spoke to Salam Omer, former editor-in-chief and currently a consultant of KirkukNow in Iraq. Launched in 2011, it is the only specialized media platform for citizens in Iraq's disputed territories. On the podcast, he talks about crisis preparedness, the importance of a diverse newsroom, and funding for his organization. Get in touch: dw-akademie.surviveandthrive@dw.com

In Episode 01, our guest is Iryna Vidanava, the CEO of CityDog, an internet magazine focusing on Minsk, Belarus. It has seen plenty of difficult times and is currently exiled. Vidanava talks about how much CityDog's business model has changed, how serious safety concerns are for her team of journalists, and what her core mission continues to be. Get in touch: dw-akademie.surviveandthrive@dw.com.