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Barbara Massing took office as director of Deutsche Welle on October 1, 2025. Immediately before Peter Limburg, who had headed the international broadcaster for twelve years, handed over the reins, the Ambassadors Club succeeded in persuading the new boss to engage in an exchange with ambassadors.

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The topic of “Free media under pressure — Europe's responsibility in times of global censorship” met with great interest among the forty diplomats who had accepted the invitation to the Waldorf Astoria Berlin. The new DW director spoke about the independence of state media, about the challenges for journalists in crisis areas, but also about the need for more coverage of positive stories.

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“In authoritarian regimes, our broadcasts are often the only window to the outside world,” stressed Massing. “We don't just inform - we also strengthen. We deliver information with journalism that creates trust instead of sowing division. ”

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“Dangerous vacuum”

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The need for independent journalism from international broadcasters such as Deutsche Welle, BBC World Service and France Médias Monde is all the greater as international partners withdraw. The recent cancellation of funding for the US Agency for Global Media has created a dangerous vacuum. Massing was referring to the drastic measures taken by US President Donald Trump shortly after the start of his second term in office. The United States Agency for Global Media (USAGM), whose broadcasters, such as Deutsche Welle, could only be received abroad, was an independent agency of the US government. Trump cut the budget so drastically that only around 15 per cent of the workforce could remain.

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“In times of global censorship, standing idly by is not an option,” Massing added. “Europe must act — not in a partisan way, but in accordance with principles. Our response must be clear and consistent and based on transparency and the basic human right of access to information. ”

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The invitation came from the Ambassadors Club, chaired by Mania Feilcke-Dierck and Vice-President Martin Hoeck.

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Deutsche Welle is funded directly by the federal government and not through broadcasting licence fees. The approximately 400 million euros per year come from the budget of the Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media. DW provides programming in around thirty languages. There is 24-hour programming in German, Spanish and Arabic. DW also provides media training for prospective diplomats on behalf of the Foreign Office.

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Barbara Massing is the first woman to head the international broadcaster, where she has worked since 2006. She initially worked in strategic planning, became administrative director in 2014 and was elected director general last June, taking up the post on 1 October.

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