On March 20, a seminar of the European project S-INFO, dedicated to sustainable information and part of the “No Democracy without Journalism” campaign, was held in Venice. At the heart of the debate — featuring journalist Sara Manisera, anthropologist Francesco Vacchiano, and the student collectives Li.S.C. – Liberi Saperi Critici and Spina — were two central questions: how to defend freedom of expression while combating disinformation, and how to reconcile independent journalism and activism without losing credibility.
Sara Manisera presented the work of the FADA collective, a group of freelance journalists focusing on migration, the climate crisis, human rights, and extractivism. Their journalism rejects individualistic and competitive logics, embracing instead a cooperative and socially engaged approach. Manisera denounced the growing concentration of media ownership in Italy, citing major players like GEDI, Mondadori, RCS, and newer, social media-oriented platforms like Chora Media and Will. Added to this is the widespread precariousness of journalists and the increasing restriction of press freedom, exacerbated by the Cartabia reform. She mentioned the case of FADA’s investigation into ENI and water exploitation in Iraq — awarded internationally but ignored in Italy — as an example of the censorship exerted by powerful actors. Quality journalism, she stressed, requires time, methodological rigor, ethical responsibility, and a deep relationship with the communities involved. Some investigations have led to tangible results, such as the mobilization that stopped the construction of a biomethane plant in southern Italy, where journalism and local activism worked hand in hand.
Francesco Vacchiano offered the perspective of an activist, recounting two cases where media coverage distorted or simplified social struggles: the occupation of the “White House” in Turin and the presentation of Amnesty International’s report on the genocide in Gaza. He emphasized that media narratives are never neutral and actively shape social realities by constructing categories, identities, and polarizations. Journalism not only informs but also creates communities — and the key question is: what kind of communities do we want to build?
The discussion expanded with interventions from student collectives, addressing issues such as content manipulation on social media, the blurred line between entertainment and information, the economic crisis affecting journalists, and the commodification of the profession itself. In conclusion, the seminar highlighted the urgent need to rebuild alliances between journalism, activism, and civil society — to open up spaces for alternative narratives, restore dignity to journalistic work, and dismantle the illusion of neutrality that often serves to legitimize existing power imbalances.