Meet our 2026 Global Grantees

Newsroom evolution, representative journalism, and storytelling grounded in culture and community underpin this year’s projects from our 2026 cohort of Global Grantees.

The Public Media Alliance Global Grants Scheme, supported by The Grace Wyndham Goldie (BBC) Trust, enables public media professionals across PMA’s global membership to engage in mutual learning experiences. This includes exchange visits, collaborative projects, participation in events, or overseas training for up to two weeks. 

This year, the programme continues its strong expansion, with PMA securing enhanced funding to increase the value of nine individual grants. In addition, increased investment in our Trainer Grants will further strengthen hands–on training opportunities across the sector. The Trainer Grants will be announced soon.  

Explore: Find out what our 2025 Grantees got up to!

The scheme aims to promote knowledge exchange, enhance skills, and strengthen public media organisations while fostering international connections.

From the development of robust cultural archiving systems to new approaches to interactive programme design that deepen public engagement: the 2026 PMA Global Grantees’ proposals span a wide range of priorities. Projects focus on strengthening core production and editorial skills, understanding how large multilingual newsrooms operate, and examining how leading media organisations use AI to enhance accuracy, workflow efficiency, and audience connection. Additional themes the grantees are exploring include creating a multilingual news playbook to support more inclusive election coverage, advancing Indigenous youth engagement and culturally grounded storytelling, expanding multiskilled radio capability, and analysing how AI is reshaping newsroom structures across the sector. 

This year’s Global Grantees in full:  

• Thoranin Thepwong, Digital Content Creator, Thai PBS World: Understanding AI’s impact on newsroom structures and workflows
• Makabo Celinah Leteketa, Head of News and Current Affairs, LNBS: Newsroom management in a digital era.
• Leonard Wade Jr, Announcer, ZJB: Integrated broadcast communication skills.
• Josefa Sigavolavola, Multimedia journalist, FBC: Story-telling; climate and Indigenous youth 
• Kajsa Sigvardsson, Radio Journalist, Swedish Radio: Multilingual and multicultural newsrooms.
• Aui’a Vaimaila Leatinu’u, Multimedia journalist, PMN: Building a multilingual news playbook for inclusive elections.
• Md. Iqbal Hossain, Producer, Bangladesh TV: AI driven media production and fact checking.
• Yuhong Chuang, Producer, PTS Taiwan: Innovation in the newsroom.
• Sk. Mohabul Hossain Razib, Deputy Regional Director, Bangladesh Betar: Cultural heritage archival and preservation.

We extend our sincere gratitude to The Grace Wyndham Goldie (BBC) Trust for its continued support of last year’s Global Grants. 

Grantees will be travelling until June 2026, after which we will share their reports and stories. More details about the new Trainer Grants will be announced soon. 

Find out more about each grantee below

Reaction statement:

“I am deeply honoured to be awarded the PMA Global Grant this year, an opportunity that allows me to embark on a professional exchange with ABC in Australia . As a science and technology journalist, I believe this visit comes at a pivotal moment. The global media landscape is currently navigating a profound paradigm shift driven by Artificial Intelligence—a challenge shared by public broadcasters worldwide. 

Australia stands at the forefront of this evolution. The ABC provides a world-class blueprint for how traditional media can successfully integrate disruptive technology, particularly in delivering up-to-date content through a structured approach to AI. For Thai PBS, observing these real-world applications is essential. This exchange will offer a clear lens into how we can adapt our own operations, ensuring we stay ahead of the curve rather than merely reacting to change. 

 My goal is to translate these global insights into local action. By mastering the tools of the AI era, I aim to enhance my ability to produce high-quality, impactful content that resonates with a changing society. Ultimately, this journey is about more than technology; it is about strengthening the role of public media in delivering reliable information in an increasingly complex digital age.”

Reaction statement:

“Receiving the Public Media Alliance Global Grant 2026 gives me so much joy as it affords me a once in a lifetime opportunity of learning from colleagues at Namibia Broadcasting Cooperation, NBC, in Windhoek, Namibia.  

As a new Head of News and Current Affairs at the Lesotho Television, subsidiary of the Lesotho National broadcasting Service, LNBS, I am grateful that I will be able to see and have first-hand experience of Eye on SADC production. This is a news program meant to enlighten and connect people across the SADC region. Both LNBS and NBC together with other regional broadcasters contribute to the mentioned program.  

Besides that, the grant will help me learn from people who have experience of leading editorial team to meet its primary role of giving society well researched information that will help in informed decision making. On my return I hope to lead LTV Newsroom into a direction where it will meet the needs of Basotho in terms of information, with accessibility in several media platforms.”

Reaction statement:

“I accept this grant and express my sincere gratitude to Public Media Alliance and the Grace Wyndham Goldie (BBC) Trust for this opportunity. I am deeply honoured to have been selected for this training. 

The funding is crucial in enabling me to travel to Barbados for this training attachment. It would help me improve my radio production, be more proficient with broadcast technology, improve my verbal communication and interviewing techniques, and create, plan, research, write, and structure engaging content, from music playlists to talk show topics; and engaging with listeners through call-ins, social media, and live chats. 

I am looking forward to meeting fellow broadcasters in Barbados, to exchange ideas, and share insights. It is also my wish to develop a network and establish connections with professionals in the field of broadcasting, thereby fostering future collaborations, partnerships, and knowledge-sharing. 

I am committed to maximising this opportunity to further my expertise in broadcasting and to share these new skills with my colleagues on my return.”

Reaction statement:

“It took me quite a while to respond to the email from PMA, as I was still in a state of shock and I apologise for that, I mean who would have thought a young journalist from a small island country would make it this far and to even be considered for the grant in the first place. 

I started off my journalism career as a volunteer PR during elections for a certain party, I am grateful that the candidate made it to Parliament in a powerful position. I later moved into Fiji’s oldest newspaper as a business journalist, covering everything there is business. 

 Now I work as a multimedia journalist and voluntary online officer at the Fijian Broadcasting Corporation, and the new environment has allowed me to explore new genres of journalism which I am very much grateful for. 

I feel that this grant would equip me with essential skills would enhance my story telling. I feel that with this support I am able to invest in more in-depth and community-based reporting and strengthen my digital reach in this technological age. This support would enhance my capacity and produce more high quality, accurate stories particular around climate change, Indigenous and youth presence on the mainstream media while maintaining professional independent and of course ethical standards.”

Reaction statement:

“I am a radio journalist working at Swedish Radio in southern Sweden, and I strongly believe in the power of independent and truthful media. I am very grateful for the opportunity this grant offers, as it allows me to learn, grow, and gain new perspectives as a journalist. 

This project is important to me because I want to learn from journalists who work in very different conditions than I do. It feels especially meaningful to meet journalists working in public service in an African country. I have for a long time dreamed of going to Ghana, to learn more about the society and about public service journalism there. 

The aim of my project is to understand how public service radio in Ghana works today – especially how they use digital platforms, how they reach young listeners, how they work with different languages, and how they publish and share their stories. I also want to learn how journalists build trust with their audiences and deal with challenges such as political pressure. 

I will be travelling to Accra, Ghana, where I plan to visit newsrooms and meet reporters and editors. The organisation I plan to visit is Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC), a member of the Public Media Alliance, which gives the project a clear public service perspective. 

I hope to bring back new ideas to share with my colleagues and use in my own work.”

Reaction statement:

“I am honoured to be selected as a 2026 Public Media Alliance Global Grantee. I appreciate this recognition greatly and it represents a milestone for my professional journey in journalism over the last few years. 

My upcoming project will be an exchange between us here at Pacific Media Network (PMN), based in Aotearoa New Zealand, and the Fijian Broadcasting Corporation (FBC) residing in Fiji’s capital, Suva. It’s an exciting prospect for me, delving into an integrated, multilingual newsroom model.  

Although it is similar to my current environment, it of course varies greatly in comparison due to differences in region, demographic, flow and medium output – which I’m looking forward to learning from. 

My multimedia expertise spans various roles, where I hold experience in writing, newsreading and implementing the use of AI in our team’s process. Therefore, I’m excited to present the AI tools we use for our newsroom here at PMN to the FBC, including my work with the Google News Initiative.  

I’m confident that this experience will strengthen Pacific-to-Pacific media capability and collaboration, helping to contribute to the continued proliferation of Pacific journalism.”

Reaction statement:

“I am honoured to be selected for the Public Media Alliance (PMA) Global Grants programme and to receive the opportunity to visit Mediacorp in Singapore. I sincerely thank the PMA selection committee for this recognition. 

In an age of information overload, ensuring accurate and credible journalism is increasingly important. The growing use of artificial intelligence has also contributed to the spread of misinformation, making it essential for journalists to identify and counter false content while maintaining public trust. 

This visit will provide valuable firsthand insight into Mediacorp’s strategic use of AI in public service broadcasting. The knowledge gained will enhance my professional skills and will be applied at Bangladesh Television (BTV) to support digital transformation and the responsible use of AI in public broadcasting. 

Thank you once again for this valuable opportunity.”

Reaction statement:

“I am honoured to receive the 2026 PMA Global Grant. As a producer at Taiwan PTS, I see this as a vital mission to strengthen our team. I hope to travel to ABC in Australia to focus on ‘behind-the-scenes’ operational excellence.

First, I aim to study their SoLT (Social Listening Team) and AI technology to combat cognitive warfare and improve news efficiency. Second, I care deeply about our staff. As our team ages, I want to study how ABC retrains senior staff to help them regain their ‘working vibes’ and adapt to digital shifts. Third, with the rise of reality shows, I want to learn how they train crews on filming ethics and provide psychological support for participants before production begins. 

I truly believe that what happens behind the scenes is what makes the magic on screen. Many thanks to PMA for this wonderful opportunity—it is a great blessing for Taiwan PTS. This support provides strong encouragement to our whole team. I look forward to the possibility of learning from international peers and bringing that new energy back to Taiwan!”

Reaction statement:

“I am delighted and honoured to be selected as a Public Media Alliance Global Grantee 2026. I sincerely thank the Public Media Alliance and the Grace Wyndham Goldie (BBC) Trust for this opportunity. 

This grant will enable me to travel to Radio Television Malaysia (RTM) to develop practical skills in heritage audio preservation and digital archiving. The core objective of my project is to develop a pilot concept for a “Bhawaiya Digital Archive” at Bangladesh Betar Rangpur, aimed at safeguarding Bhawaiya- one of the most distinctive and historically rooted folk music traditions of northern Bangladesh. 

During my visit, I plan to study RTM’s achieving processes for legacy recordings, including cataloguing systems, metadata standards, restoration techniques, and long-term digital storage practices. I will also explore how archived cultural content is adapted into cultural radio programming and digital formats for wider audiences. 

The knowledge and documentation generated through this project will inform internal discussions and future planning within Bangladesh Betar, contributing to evidence-based proposals for the preservation and responsible public access of folk audio heritage.”