As part of the Stronger Together project, we are launching a new initiative — the Norwegian Partnerships Programme, which brings together four Ukrainian and four Norwegian newsrooms for a structured exchange of experience.
The project is implemented by the Association Of Independent Regional Press Publishers of Ukraine (AIRPPU) in partnership with WAN-IFRA and the Norwegian Media Businesses’ Association (MBL), with the support of Norway.
First Introduction and Working Visit to Norway
Today, on February 23, the programme participants held their first online meeting. Representatives of the Ukrainian newsrooms introduced their media outlets and shared the challenges they face while operating during wartime, as well as their business models, digital transformation efforts, and expectations for this partnership.
«The name Stronger Together speaks for itself — we become stronger when we work together and learn from one another», emphasized Randi Øgrey, CEO of MBL, as she opened the programme.
Ukrainian and Norwegian representatives also had their first opportunity to speak one-on-one in an online format, marking the starting point for deeper cooperation ahead.
The Norwegian Partnerships Programme is not limited to introductory visits; it is a year-long collaboration. While part of the programme is structured, a significant portion of the planning will be shaped by the participating newsrooms themselves — through direct dialogue, practical tasks, and peer exchange.
The next stage will be a March visit of Ukrainian media managers to Norway. They will work directly inside Norwegian newsrooms, exploring real editorial workflows, monetization strategies, subscription models, digital tools, and management approaches.
«Our shared journey will begin very soon. On March 16, we will meet in Oslo to officially launch the partnership and have an open discussion about how Ukrainian regional newsrooms operate during wartime and what additional support Norwegian media and Norway as a country can provide to help independent newsrooms in Ukraine remain resilient. Throughout the week, we will have the opportunity to observe Norwegian media operations from the inside, learn from their experience, and at the same time share our own real-life cases of working under wartime conditions», emphasized Oksana Brovko, CEO of the Association.
According to her, the programme will provide not only an opportunity to connect, but also to engage in deeper discussions about the state of the Ukrainian and Norwegian media markets, the challenges of war in Ukraine, financial sustainability, and the future of regional journalism.
Partnership Pairs
The partner newsrooms have been matched based on their profiles and areas of expertise:
Agderposten — Visnyk Ch (Chernihiv)
Altignet — Kremenchutskyi Telegraf (Kremenchuk)
Amedia — Bergensavisen — RIA+ / 20 Hvylyn (Ternopil)
Fædrelandsvennen — Dostup Media (Kropyvnytskyi)
The Norwegian Partnerships Programme is more than an exchange of visits. It is about joint work, open dialogue, and becoming stronger together. The programme aims to strengthen professional connections, provide practical development tools, and support the resilience of Ukrainian media through cooperation with Norwegian partners.
The AIRPPU team welcomes all participants of the project. We will be sharing updates and results from this collaboration — follow our pages to stay informed.
***
The Stronger Together: Transparency and Anti-Corruption program is implemented by AIRPPU in partnership with WAN-IFRA and the Norwegian Media Association (MBL), with the support of Norway.
