In 2023, the Media Development Foundation celebrated its tenth anniversary. To mark the occasion, the organization held a special event — Media Development Day — bringing together media professionals to reflect on a decade of independent journalism.
Ten years ago, MDF emerged as an initiative in response to the destruction of independent media in Ukraine by the authoritarian former president, Viktor Yanukovych. After the Revolution of Dignity in 2014, a team of activists and journalists entered his residence, known as Mezhyhirya, and has since hosted an annual conference for investigative journalists there.
Driven by the desire to explore how journalists work in different newsrooms, MDF launched Ukraine’s largest journalism internship program—the Journalism Exchange Program. To date, more than 1,100 journalists have gained their first professional experience in the country’s leading media outlets. Today, this initiative has expanded into a dedicated program for aspiring journalists, offering a scholarship fund, online mentoring, a summer school in the Carpathians, and specialized courses.
MDF has trained thousands of journalists through professional courses covering topics from trauma-informed and tolerance journalism to media marketing and commercial strategy. The organization’s team was among the first in Ukraine to develop one-year accelerators—specialized programs for directors and editors of independent regional media. Over time, individual training courses evolved into comprehensive media support and development programs, which now provide training for 45 independent newsrooms, from news reporters to editorial directors.
Starting with just two team members, MDF has since grown to a staff of 50, launching even more projects to strengthen independent journalism in Ukraine. One of the organization’s key goals is to establish independent newsrooms in every region, ensuring that Ukrainians have access to high-quality, verified content.
The Media Development Day conference took place in August at Mezhyhirya. The event featured four panel discussions, a media services exhibition, an award ceremony for local media, and concluded with a networking session.
