Our vision is that of securing a diverse and independent media landscape in Germany and Europe, promoting journalistic innovation, strengthening the democratic discourse and counteracting disinformation.

Our goals

Everybody at Publix is connected by our shared goals:

• We want to strengthen journalism and the essential informational and educational role it plays in society.
• We want to provide everyone with access to reliable information and enable their participation in the public discourse.
• We want to strengthen societal cohesion and counteract digital abuse.
• We want to find answers to technological developments that pose a threat to democracy.
• We want to support media professionals who seek to inform and inspire the public with their work and win over their audience to new perspectives.

Why have we identified these goals?

The freedom of opinion is an invaluable commodity in any democracy. To safeguard it, citizens need independently reported, credible information and access to a multitude of interpretations and views. They require discourses that offer orientation instead of manipulation. The foundation for the free formation of opinions is increasingly under threat.

• Media diversity is declining at the local and national levels.
• Messenger platforms and social media channels are competing with established newsrooms and media startups.
• Places where local media outlets have vanished face the development of “news deserts”.
• People who are immigrants or from immigrant families or have low incomes are not being reached by reliable information.
• There is a lack of open spaces for discussions and debates beyond social media channels.

It is these challenges that we are addressing. Publix is a concrete place where the future of journalism and the public sphere can be conceptualized, debated, explored and shared with society at large.

Publix is an initiative of the Schoepflin Foundation, which is committed to the development of critical thinking, a vibrant democracy and a diverse society. Here you can find information about the activities and history of the Schoepflin Foundation and the family behind it.