Mediahuis is launching the Fellowship “Journalism and Society” to reinforce journalism’s role in a democratic society and to lead the conversation on responsible media. This fellowship is a full-time position and reflects our ambition to be a thought leader on key industry challenges: keeping journalism relevant, navigating polarisation, supporting the sustainability of local journalism, building trust, reaching diverse audiences, defending press freedom and integrating artificial intelligence responsibly in newsrooms.

Why this role matters now

Independent journalism is under growing pressure — not because it lacks relevance, but because the world around it is changing fundamentally. AI and polarisation are reshaping how people engage with information, especially younger audiences, who may not see journalism as essential or even understand its purpose.

At the same time, this shift presents an opportunity. Journalism remains a vital force for truth, connection and democracy. Mediahuis is committed to redefining and defending this mission, both inside and outside our organisation. The Fellowship “Journalism and Society” allows for deep reflection, thought leadership and collaboration across brands, disciplines and audiences.

Three strategic questions at the heart of the Mediahuis Fellowship

1. How can we keep our journalistic mission relevant in a world increasingly shaped by big tech, AI and algorithmic information flows?
2. How can we remain a unifying force in increasingly polarised societies — both nationally and across Europe?
3. How can we make the public value of journalism more visible and tangible to wider audiences, creators, opinion leaders and younger generations

What Mediahuis aims to achieve

Externally: Thought leadership and positioning

• Strengthen Mediahuis’ profile as a mission-driven, forward-thinking media group.
• Actively contribute to the public debate on journalism, AI, trust and democracy.
• Build alliances with other media groups, universities, cultural institutions, opinion leaders and creators.
• Position Mediahuis as a strategic partner for innovation and collaboration.

Internally: Shared mission and cross-brand dialogue

• Encourage reflection and exchange across brands and disciplines.
• Foster conversations that bridge journalism, product, technology and audience teams.
• Support ethical decision-making.
• Keep our journalistic mission focused and relevant as we evolve as a group.

Example outputs (evolving and needs-based)

The Mediahuis Fellowship serves the entire Mediahuis group. It is not tied to fixed deliverables but will evolve based on needs and opportunities. Possible contributions include:

• A cross-brand initiative on trust and the use of AI in newsrooms.
• An internal newsletter on journalism and its societal role.
• A public-facing series (essays, podcasts, interviews) exploring journalism’s role in society.
• Curated internal dialogues, involving young journalists and tech/product teams.
• A guiding framework for teams working with AI and innovation.
• External speaking and networking engagements.
• A reflective synthesis at the end of the fellowship with insights and recommendations.

Our first Mediahuis Fellow “Journalism and Society”: Peter Vandermeersch

Peter Vandermeersch will be the inaugural Mediahuis Fellow. Peter has a long-standing career in journalism, having worked as a journalist in Belgium and a permanent correspondent in France and the United States. He was editor-in-chief of De Standaard (Belgium) for 11 years and NRC (the Netherlands) for nine years.

Over the past six years, Peter has been publisher and CEO of Mediahuis Ireland and a member of the Mediahuis Group Team. He is also a former Fulbright Fellow at Harvard’s Shorenstein Center on Press, Politics and Public Policy, and a Sulzberger Fellow at the Columbia School of Journalism in New York.