Sharing spaces and the beautiful new public sphere

In this broadcast, you will hear a report on the offerings of the „Fairteiler“ from the foodsharing association and how social media are changing news consumption among young people and what impact this has on journalism, credibility, and democracy.

Together against food waste!

This is the motto of the cooperation between the Linz City Library and the foodsharing association. With a so-called “Fairteiler,” still edible food gets a second chance. There, food can be handed in and taken away free of charge. Since August, such a Fairteiler has also been available in the Wissensturm City Library – now the seventh location in Linz.

The foodsharing association was founded in 2012. It has now developed into an international movement with more than 500,000 users in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and other European countries. The concept of “Fairteiler” is supported by volunteers who manage the respective locations, pick up food from businesses, and regularly stock the “Fairteiler.”

foodsharing also offers opportunities for further education and participation. These include, for example, the so-called food baskets. Through these, private individuals can offer surplus food, which can then be collected free of charge by others.

Yasmine Elsalakawy visited the Wissensturm and interviewed Anna Lischka (Wissensturm) and Ruth (foodsharing) about the concept and collaboration!

 

Beautiful new public sphere

Our public sphere is changing, especially that of young people. News today is primarily consumed via social media. This raises the question: What does this do to our news landscape?

The public sphere in social media is a space full of information of all kinds. Almost anyone can become an unfiltered media creator and make their perception accessible to a broad audience.

But it is important to differentiate: Which information is researched? How can it be verified? How do traditional media find their place in this new public sphere? And what role does a broad, diverse media and public landscape play for our democracy?

Tamara Ehs is a political scientist and works as a democracy advisor. She researches what constitutes democracy and how media and their credibility are intertwined. On September 21, she gave a lecture as part of the press conference “Beautiful New Public Sphere,” organized by the PR Ethics Council, about young people's access to journalistic work and what this means for their understanding of democracy.

Content creation: Anneta Trimis