Space in Berlin for Diverse, Independent Journalism and Public Interest Organizations

Publix

The Action

In the Neukölln district of Berlin, a six-story, 6,000-square-foot building is now a hub for diverse and independent journalism. Newly opened in September 2024, Publix provides brick-and-mortar infrastructure for journalists, media professionals, and nonprofits and other organizations whose mission is to fortify democracy and advocate for the public interest. The goal of the Publix space is to support independent journalism that offers reliable information from a diversity of perspectives, allowing people to become better participants in their democracies and build social cohesion among people of different backgrounds and views. Democracy works only if people are informed and prepared to use good information, and Publix boosts both residents’ ability to engage with their government and the quality of that engagement.  

Democracy Challenge

The freedom of opinion is essential to functioning democracy, and the need for accessible, independent, and credible information from a range of interpretations empowers people to make up their own minds. Diversity of thought is based on how different members of society engage with the facts, and the Publix vision is to provide access to various political and social orientations without manipulation. Currently, the most accessible space for engaging in the political discourse at the heart of democracy is on the soulless pages of social media and messaging platforms. This new space is meant to work as a catalyst for innovative conversations that reckon with current political divides and the role of media and journalism in democratic societies. 

How It Works and How They Did It 

The Publix building at Hermannstraße 90 in Berlin offers vital public space where the work of independent journalism can be done in a spirit of mutual support and collaboration. The space offers several meeting rooms, event and coworking spaces, offices, studios, an in-house cantina and catering service, and even apartments for short-term rentals.

City of Berlin, Publix City of Berlin, Publix City of Berlin, Publix City of Berlin, Publix City of Berlin, Publix

Publix is a nonprofit entity, and any income is reinvested into the building. An administrative office manages the tenants and ensures that those who lease space or engage with the organization align with its democracy-oriented values and mission. Originally an initiative of the Schöpflin Foundation, Publix now partners with organizations with similar missions of delivering independent journalism and advancing civil society.

One such project is a partnership with the Allianz Foundation to recruit promising independent journalists through a Civic Journalism Fellowship, with Kurdish/Turkish journalist and political scientist Nalan Sipar named the first fellow in May 2024. Sipar is the founder of MedyaN, an independent media outlet focused on delivering essential news to immigrant communities and pushing diverse perspectives on behalf of these communities into the mainstream news cycle. 

Sipar and her team have been using the Publix workspaces to provide reliable news to Turkish-German communities and give a voice to the 27% of Germany’s population who identify as migrants. She believes that democracies are strong only when their citizens are well-informed, and she hopes to eventually open a migrant journalist academy where young newcomers can carry the torch of diverse independent journalism safeguarding democracy into the future. Sipar emphasizes, “With our community journalism, we are filling a gap and making the future of journalism more diverse. We are the medium of the diverse society. We come from the community and do journalism on behalf of the community, in the interests of society as a whole.” Publix offers Nalan Sipar and others who share her passion for engaging communities in democracy a physical space that can be used to advance their goals.

How’s It Going?

Publix was initially conceptualized in October 2016. Cities from all over Germany submitted applications proposing plots of land as locations for the house of independent journalism. With a new building opened in 2024, Publix has high levels of tenant occupancy and other cities are reaching out to inquire about starting similar initiatives.

Considerations

  • Cities can play a key role in securing and financing the infrastructure to house a nonprofit such as Publix, thereby supporting local democracy and journalism without concerns that officials will jeopardize the freedom and independence of local news organizations.
  • The real estate prospects are strong in Germany, so the return on investment is seen as stable and self-sustaining.
  • The building helps prevent pro-democracy entities and individuals working on democracy issues from being priced out of cities as it provides a long-term base and helps protect against gentrification.

Point of Contact

Publix 
Hermannstr. 90
D-12051 Berlin
T +49 (0)30 62 72 45 59
https://share-eu1.hsforms.com/18Xl66AtoTqmzbFlkzLiwHAfun0m

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Who Else Is Trying This?

  • The City of Warsaw rents to Res Publica Nowa at a discounted rate for one of its primary office spaces.
  • The City of Athens supports synAthina, a crowd-sourcing input platform for resident participation in civic decision-making.