German-based Gambian journalist Bakary Ceesay will take part in the fourth edition of re: think media on 8 October 2026 at the Museumsquartier in Vienna. The industry event, organized by Wiener Zeitung under the Media Hub Austria initiative, brings together young journalists, media makers and startups with established news organizations.
This year’s motto is “Wem wird hier noch vertraut?” — “Who can you still trust?” The program examines credibility, fact-checking, public confidence in news platforms, and how media workers can earn and keep that trust. Keynotes, panel discussions, workshops, and open dialogue will run across three stages, covering trust in content, factual accuracy, respectful conduct inside the industry, and self-belief among journalists themselves.
One featured session is the panel “Journalism Worldwide,” which compares media landscapes and daily working conditions across countries. Ceesay will appear alongside Peter Hanák of Slovakia and Milica Vojinović of Serbia. Host Rosa Schmitz will guide a discussion on journalist training, press freedom, and the fight against corruption and misinformation. The panel will contrast those experiences with conditions in Austria and consider how European countries can support independent and resilient journalism elsewhere. Organizers say the aim is to identify both shared problems and country-specific differences, and to underline journalism’s role in democratic societies.
Other confirmed speakers and contributors include Aleksandra Tulej of wz. at content creator Ines Hutter, moderator Rebecca “JustBecci” Raschun, Dennis Pregesaur of the Media Innovation Lab, Gisela Reiter of FH Vienna’s Department of Communication, Jack Brewster of Newsreel, Petra Stolba of the European Parliament Liaison Office in Vienna, Thomas Susanka of Science Note Magazine, and Luisa Fernau, a Google News Lab Teaching Fellow.
re: think media is designed as a meeting place, not a lecture series. Young professionals are invited to network with national media houses while exploring practical questions about credibility in an era of declining trust. Ceesay’s participation is expected to bring a West African perspective to a conversation that organizers hope will travel beyond Austria’s borders.
The event takes place on a single day at one of Vienna’s best-known cultural complexes. Registration and program details are available through the official re: think media channels.
