On September 17th, 2024, we gathered at Hotel Continental in Berlin to celebrate a milestone in collaborative journalism: Hostwriter’s 10th anniversary and the launch of Unbias the News in 2021. Over the years, Hostwriter has connected journalists across borders, and with Unbias the News, we’ve taken bold steps to challenge the status quo in journalism—ensuring that stories from underrepresented voices have a global platform.
It was a night that brought together old friends and new faces, all united by a shared mission—making journalism more inclusive, collaborative, and representative of diverse global perspectives.
As we reflect on the journey, it’s impossible not to feel proud of what we’ve achieved together. Misinformation, exclusion, and bias continue to challenge the world of journalism, but we’ve stayed true to our mission: to push for journalism that reflects the diversity of our global communities, that’s built on collaboration, and rooted in fairness and transparency.
Hostwriter has grown from a bold idea launched in 2014 at the re:publica conference in Berlin into a global network of 6,871 journalists from 163 countries. In 2018, we were honored with the Google Impact Challenge Award, which further propelled our mission. The following year, in 2019, we published our book: Unbias The News: Why Diversity Matters for Journalism, solidifying our commitment to fostering cross-border collaboration and supporting quality journalism. In 2021, we took a major step forward by launching our cross-border feminist newsroom: Unbias The News, dedicated to amplifying marginalized voices and challenging traditional media gatekeepers.
From left to right: Bernadette Geyer, Katja Heitmann, Andy Wilke, Tina Lee, Tabea Grzeszyk and Zahra Salah Uddin
This journey wouldn’t have been possible without incredibly committed founders, colleagues, ambassadors, collaborators, reporters, illustrators and our passionate community. We are extremely proud and thankful for each of you who have believed and supported Hostwriter and Unbias The News throughout the years. Here you can watch a short video on Hostwriter and Unbias The News impact in some of the members of our community.
None of this would have been possible without our founders’ incredible vision, passion, and dedication—Tabea Grzeszyk, Tamara Anthony, and Sandra Maria Wild. Hostwriter began as an idea in their minds, but through their hard work, it blossomed into a global platform. We owe them a deep debt of gratitude for laying the groundwork that has brought us to this pivotal moment. (For more reflections and a long list of people behind Hostwriter, check out Tabea’s LinkedIn post).
What Does Pro-Democracy Election Coverage Look Like in 2024?
A highlight of our anniversary evening was our panel discussion, “What Does Pro-Democracy Election Coverage Look Like in 2024?” with insights from Tina Lee, Editor-In-Chief of Unbias The News; Enrique Anarte, LGBTQ+ Reporter of Thomson Reuters Foundation; and Mercy Abang, Hostwriter’s Co-Managing Director and moderated by Gabriela Ramirez, Multimedia Editor of Unbias The News.
It was an engaging and timely conversation that brought together media leaders to explore how journalism can be both a beacon for democratic processes and, at times, an obstacle. The dialogue touched on the importance of free media, the profound impact of information in shaping elections, and the ever-growing responsibility of journalists to combat misinformation while giving a platform to underrepresented voices. It was a conversation that reminded us all of the power and responsibility that journalism holds in upholding democracy.
But the evening wasn’t just about reflection and discussion—it was also about art and celebration. Our Co-Managing Director, Mercy Abang, hosted a lively art auction, offering attendees the chance to acquire original illustrations from our Unbias the News book, created by the talented artist Mosthari Hilal. The auction wasn’t just an opportunity to own a piece of meaningful art, but also to support our mission. To everyone who purchased a piece—thank you. Your contribution helps us continue the fight for a more just and equitable media.
The night ended on a high note, with DJ Mezkalito setting the perfect vibe for networking and inspiration. The room was filled with great energy and conversations, and it was clear that this was not just a celebration of the past but a launchpad for even greater collaborations in the future.
To everyone who has been part of this journey—whether from the very beginning or more recently—thank you. Your support, passion, and belief in our mission have made Hostwriter and Unbias the News what they are today. Here’s to the next decade of collaborative journalism!
Would you like to get one of our original illustrations or a copy from the Unbias the News book? Please get in touch with us—we’d love to share these with you.
Thank you to everyone who has been part of this journey with us. Here’s to many more years of collaborative journalism!