Citizen Forum (Press Foundation Baden-Württemberg)

Since June 2025, the Press Foundation Baden-Württemberg has been supporting a participatory format that strengthens social cohesion and democratic participation. In professionally facilitated meetings, randomly selected residents from all four administrative districts come together to provide constructive impulses for the future of the media and communication landscape in Baden-Württemberg through open dialogues. Taking into account age, gender, educational level, size of place of residence, and migration background, a representative cross-section of the population aged 16 and over is formed. A separate discussion group for 16- to 24-year-olds enables targeted exchange on youth-specific perspectives. Participation is by invitation and offers participants an intensive, multi-day opportunity for exchange and reflection.

The program's objective is to systematically capture the needs and expectations of citizens, make the current state of the media landscape transparent, and jointly develop concrete courses of action. In moderated workshops, not only are current deficits examined, but visions for a diverse, trustworthy, and financially sustainable information supply are also developed. The process culminates in a final report with well-founded recommendations for policymakers, media organizations, and other stakeholders. Through continuous follow-up meetings, a sustainable dialogue process is established that promotes democratic participation beyond the format itself and sharpens the focus on the future viability of public relations in Baden-Württemberg.