The International Press Institute (IPI) and IMS (International Media Support) announced this year’s shortlist for the IPI-IMS Free Media Pioneer award. ARIJ was announced one of the nominees along with 9 other organisations from around the world.

The IPI-IMS Free Media Pioneer award is presented to organisations meeting the demands of the moment through innovative models of journalism, media, or press freedom defence. They are opening up new ways of thinking about the free flow of information to strengthen independent journalism and meet the needs of their communities. The International Press Institute (IPI) established the Free Media Pioneer Award in 1996. It is now given annually in partnership with IMS.

For the first time, IPI and IMS are announcing a global shortlist for the Free Media Pioneer award to underscore the scope and diversity of media organisations that are transforming news access and quality, especially in restricted or repressive environments.

The shortlisted organisations, in alphabetical order, are:

Arab Reporters for Investigative Journalism, Jordan

Article 14, India

El Surtidor, Paraguay

Kloop, Kyrgyzstan

Khabar Lahariya, India

Myanmar Now , Myanmar

Project Multatuli, Indonesia

Netgazeti-Batumelebi, Georgia

Somali Journalists Syndicate (SJS), Somalia

Zerkalo, Belarus

One organisation from the shortlist will later be named this year’s Free Media Pioneer award recipient. The award will be presented together with the IPI-IMS World Press Freedom Hero Award at a special ceremony at the 2023 IPI World Congress in Vienna on May 25.