Draft:Free Press Unlimited

Free Press Unlimited

Formation	2011
Headquarters	Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Executive Director	Ruth Kronenburg
Website	https://www.freepressunlimited.org/

Free Press Unlimited is an international press freedom organisation based in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. The organisation focuses on enabling journalists and media outlets in conflict areas and countries with limited press freedom to provide their audiences with reliable news and information.

History

Free Press Unlimited was founded in 2011 through the merger of three Dutch organisations: Free Voice, Press Now and the International Projects departmend of RNTC, the media training center of Dutch non-governmental organisation RNW Media. The aim of the merger was to combine resources and expertise to more effectively support media freedom and journalists around the world. Press Now itself had been active since the early 1990s, focusing on supporting independent media in Eastern Europe during the transition period after the fall of the Berlin Wall.

Mission

Free Press Unlimited's mission is to ensure that reliable news and information is available to everyone around the world, especially in countries where freedom of expression is under threat. The organisation believes that access to accurate information is essential for people to make informed decisions and hold those in power to account. To achieve its mission, Free Press Unlimited works on several fronts, including journalist safety, media development and press freedom advocacy.

Projects

Around the world Free Press Unlimited has initiated and supported a wide range of projects. These projects range from training journalists, supporting women in the media, promoting media literacy, to developing emergency funds for journalists in distress. The organisation works in countries across Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Middle East, tailoring its initiatives to the specific needs of each context.

One of its most notable projects is the creation of Reporters Respond, an emergency fund that provides direct assistance to journalists and media outlets facing threats or violence. Another major effort is the development of StoryMaker, a mobile app that enables journalists to produce and publish high-quality news stories directly from their smartphones, thereby enhancing their ability to report in challenging environments.

Partnership with Reports Without Borders

In July 2023, Free Press Unlimited formed a strategic alliance with Reporters Without Borders to promote quality journalism and protect press freedom. While maintaining their individual organisational identities, Free Press Unlimited and Reporters Without Borders "seek to align their activities and objectives, including strengthening journalism's freedom, promoting sustainable media markets, and cultivating a healthy public space for journalism to thrive".

Controversy

In 2017, a report emerged that Free Press Unlimited had allegedly censored its own project, Radio Tamazuj, in South Sudan. According to a report by De Correspondent, the censorship was due to Radio Tamazuj's critical coverage of FPU's donors, particularly Internews. In response, the FPU allegedly cut off journalists' access to the station's systems. The organisation denied the allegations and said it had not engaged in censorship.

Funding

Several donors fund the work of Free Press Unlimited, including the Dutch Foreign Affairs Ministry, the Swedish Government Development Agency, the European Commission and the Dutch Postcode Lottery. The US government also co-finances the organisation's work.