Journalism on Stage
Following successful editions in Helsinki (2022), Toronto (2023), and Tilburg (2025), we are bringing the International Live Journalism Festival to Berlin for the very first time! On 19 November 2026, pioneers of this genre will come together with inspiring voices from both the media landscape and the performing arts.
What is live journalism and why should you join? Live journalism brings reporters and artists together on stage to present compelling stories directly to a live audience. Originating on the US West Coast in 2009 with Pop-Up Magazine, this dynamic movement has since expanded to European stages in France, Finland, Spain, the Netherlands, and Germany. In an era where almost everything carries a performative quality and meaningful offline encounters - whether intimate or grand - matter more than ever, we are exploring the boundaries and potential pitfalls of this intersection alongside experts from both the theatrical and journalistic worlds. This also includes how a sound financial foundation for the contributions of both media and the arts is ensured.
Live journalism creates a unique information space where the stage acts as a catalyst for connection. Join us this November as we redefine how we tell the stories that matter - transforming hard facts into meaningful, collective conversations.
What to expect from the Live Journalism Festival (LJF) in Berlin:
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Insights into new storytelling formats that bring journalism to life on stage
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Inspiration for your own work - from research to staging and audience engagement
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Opportunities to exchange ideas with pioneers from Germany and around the world
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Network that reimagines the intersection of journalism, art, and audience
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Showcases from our network and German live journalism practitioners
The International Live Journalism Festival 2026 is hosted by Headliner at Publix. This edition has been made possible through the generous support of various foundations and institutions:
Festival Programme
We are thrilled to be welcoming media professionals and artists from 14 countries to Berlin this November! Over the past few weeks, we’ve been working hard to put together a programme that brings together local and international voices, explores different approaches to live journalism, and looks at the various ways it can be financed. Here’s what we have in store for you!
19 November 2026
Please note: Your festival ticket covers all daytime activities, including lunch, coffee and tea breaks, as well as the evening live journalism showcase with finger food.
09:00 am | Registration & Welcome Coffee
09:30 am | THE WORLD OF LIVE JOURNALISM
Christine Liehr & Jochen Markett (Co-founders Headliner)
Vera Penêda (Director of Programmes & Impact, European Journalism Centre)
10:00 am | KEYNOTES ON LIVE JOURNALISM
Herman Grech (Editor-in-chief, Times of Malta)
Kgaugelo Masweneng (Editor & Initiator Reporter Slam, South Africa)
10:30 am | SPOTLIGHTS ON LIVE JOURNALISM
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Jasmijn Apte & Stijn Postema (Researchers Fontys University of Applied Sciences, Netherlands)
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Jaakko Lyytinen (Producer & Features Writer Helsingin Sanomat, Finland)
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Heidi Wiley (Director, European Theatre Convention)
@Horst Warneyer
11:00 - 12:00 pm Breakout sessions
INVESTIGATIONS ON STAGE
(THEATRE)
Heidi Wiley (Director, European Theatre Convention)
David Schraven (Founder & Director, CORRECTIV)
Helge Schmidt (Freelance Theatre Director, Germany)
Moderation: Hanna Guggenberger (Head of Production & Art, CORRECTIV)
VOICES IN THE ROOM
(RESEARCH)
Jasmijn Apte & Stijn Postema (Researchers, Fontys University of Applied Sciences, Netherlands)
Robert Trafford (Director, Forensic Architecture, UK)
Kathlyn Wuyts (Journalist & Theatre Maker, Netherlands)
Moderation: Jasmijn Apte
YOUNG AUDIENCES
(OUTREACH)
Tuomas Kaseva (Producer & Journalist, Helsingin Sanomat, Finland)
Jochen Markett (Co-founder, Headliner, Germany)
Abbas Mpindi (CEO, Media Challenge Initiative, Uganda)
Moderation: Jochen Markett
Lunch break - with a surprise
@Jörg Farys // Die Projektoren
1:30 - 2:30 pm
Parallel sessions
LIVE JOURNALISM SPECIALS
Prune Antoine (Journalist & Author, REPORTAGEN, Switzerland)
Sanita Jemberga (Editor-in-chief RE:BALTICA, Latvia)
Jochen Wegner (Editor-in-chief, DIE ZEIT, Germany)
Moderation: Herman Grech (Editor-in-chief, Times of Malta)
BUSINESS OF LIVE JOURNALISM
Vanessa Rousselot (Founder & Editor, Diario Vivo, Spain)
Florian Skrabal (Editor-in-chief, DOSSIER, Austria)
Merian Garde Gräs & Jakob Bonde (Editors, Zetland Live, Denmark)
Moderation: TBA
2:30 pm | LOCAL LIVE JOURNALISM
Marie Johannsen (Dramatist & Artistic Director, Theater Neuss, Germany)
Katarina Schul (Head of Live Journalism Programmes Debalie, Netherlands)
Teresa di Mauro (Freelance Journalist, FADA COLLECTIVE, Italy)
Celeste-Sarah Ilkanaev (Freelance Journalist, Austria)
Moderation: TBA
3:30 - 4:00 pm | Coffee break
4:00 pm | COLLABORATION IN LIVE JOURNALISM
Catarina Carvalho (Founder & Director, Mensagem de Lisboa, Portugal)
Sonya Fatah (Journalist, Lecturer & Co-founder of stitched!, Toronto Metropolitan University, Canada)
Christine Liehr (Co-founder, Headliner, Germany)
Moderation: Glenda Cooper (Head of Journalism Department, City University London, UK)
5 pm | Break & changeover for the evening showcase
6:30 pm | DOORS OPEN
7:00 pm | STORIES IN MOTION - A GERMAN-PORTUGUESE SHOWCASE (presented by Headliner & Mensagem de Lisboa)
Kalaf Epalanga (Artist & Producer, Angola/ Portugal/ Germany)
Simon Kamm (Journalist & Author, Switzerland/ Portugal)
Music by members of Stegreif - The Improvising Symphony Orchestra
7:45 pm | Q&A
8:30 - 10:00 pm | Chat & connect
10:00 pm | The End
@Jörg Farys // Die Projektoren
Meet the members
of the International Live Journalism Network
Spanning from Canada to South Africa, our global community brings together pioneers of live journalism from around the world. Don't miss the chance to meet them in Berlin! The European Journalism Centre (EJC) is tracking this exciting development.
@private
Kick-off
18 November 2026, evening
If you cannot get enough of live journalism, we invite you to join us for our special anniversary show "10 Years of Reporter Slam," at the historic Heimathafen in Berlin-Neukölln.
18.11.2026
Doors open: 6:30 PM | Show starts: 7:30 PM
Please note: This anniversary show is a separate event and is not included in the festival pass. Tickets are limited, so we recommend booking yours early.
Kick-off
10-Year Reporter Slam
@Andi Weiland
Special anniversary show on 18 November at Heimathafen
Good to know
Contact us
Tickets:
Your festival ticket covers all daytime action and evening programme on the main festival day (19 November). This includes full-day catering with lunch, coffee and tea breaks, and evening finger food. If you just want to join us for the showcase in the evening, make sure to get a ticket here.
Accommodation:
Traveling to Berlin for the festival? We are currently trying to arrange a special discount at a nearby hotel just a 10-minute walk from the venue, Publix. As soon as we have more information on that, we'll post it here.
Accessibility:
We want everyone to be able to join us. If the ticket price is a barrier for you, please reach out to us at info@headliner.eu, and we will find a solution together.
Publix offers high accessibility standards. All rooms are designed to be wheelchair accessible. The elevators feature Braille displays and acoustic announcements for orientation.
For any questions, don't hesitate to contact us:
Christine Liehr (co-founder Headliner)
Katharina Finke (festival coordination)
We look forward to seeing you in Berlin!
The venue & how to get there
From the airport (BER)
Take the S-Bahn line S45 (heading towards S Südkreuz Bhf) directly from Flughafen BER station to the S+U Hermannstraße station. The ride takes about 30 to 35 minutes, and Publix is just a short, few-minute walk from the station.
From the main train station (Hauptbahnhof)
Take any eastbound regional train (RE-lines) or the Airport Express (FEX) one or two stops to Berlin Ostkreuz or Südkreuz. From there, switch to the S-Bahn Ringbahn (line S41) and ride it directly to the S+U Hermannstraße station. Total travel time is around 25 to 30 minutes, and Publix is a short walk away upon arrival.
@Kevin Fuchs
Zusammenfassung
Das Internationale Live-Journalismus-Festival kommt nach Berlin!
Live-Journalismus bringt Geschichten auf die Bühne, schafft bleibende Erlebnisse und entwickelt sich rasant: Neue Formate entstehen, Redaktionen experimentieren, und immer mehr Akteure entdecken die Bühne als journalistischen Raum.
Als Headliner bringen wir diese Dynamik nach Berlin und versammeln die internationale Live-Journalismus-Szene erstmals in Deutschland am 19. November 2026. Nach Helsinki, Toronto und Tilburg ist Berlin die vierte Station dieses besonderen Treffens. Der 19. November ist der zentrale Festivaltag und findet im Publix in Berlin statt. Am Vorabend macht unsere Jubiläumsshow “10 Jahre Reporter Slam“ den Auftakt.
Was Sie beim vielfältigen Programm des Live-Journalismus-Festivals in Berlin erwartet:
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Einblicke in neue Erzähl-Formate, die Journalismus auf der Bühne erleben lassen
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Impulse für Ihre eigene Arbeit, von der Recherche über die Inszenierung bis zur Einbindung Ihres Publikums
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Austausch mit Vorreitern dieses Genres aus ganz Deutschland und der Welt
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Netzwerk, das Journalismus, Kunst und Publikum neu zusammen denkt
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Showcases aus unserem Netzwerk & von deutschen live-journalistischen Akteuren
Wir freuen uns sehr darauf, mit Ihnen ein unvergessliches Erlebnis in Berlin zu schaffen!
Bei Fragen stehen wir Ihnen gerne zur Verfügung:
Christine Liehr (Mitgründerin Headliner)
Katharina Finke (Festivalkoordination)