A Maltese journalist, Christoph Schwaiger, has made waves in Germany by winning the inaugural Potsdam Reporter Slam. His presentation which focused on the disinformation and hatred campaigns targeting the journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia caught the attention of an international audience, and led him to winning their first ever competition.
Schwaiger competed against journalists from Italy, Bulgaria, Ukraine, and other countries. He chose to highlight important moments where Caruana Galizia was targeted during her career, including when the Labour Party in Malta used her face on billboards during the general elections.
Once he won after the final round, Schwaiger shared his thoughts;
“I’m honoured to have had the opportunity to present parts of Daphne Caruana Galizia’s life that may have not been as extensively covered outside of Malta. When I listened to my own presentation it felt surreal that one woman could be the target of so much government-sanctioned hate in an EU member state. The audience was equally as shocked.”
The win serves both as a testament to Schwaiger’s talent and dedication, as well as a recognition of the importance of Caruana Galizia’s work. The co-founder of Headliner, Jochen Markett says “We’re happy that a journalist from Malta won the first edition of our Reporter Slam in Potsdam, with such a strong story about Daphne as we approach the anniversary of her murder.”
The Reporter Slam aims to increase trust in the media and bring journalists closer to their audience, and so highlighting the case of Caruana Galizia could work towards this.
Schwaiger went on to perform in front of an audience of senior journalists and media constultants from various countries. He will next take part in a competition in Berlin, Germany, hosted at the beginning of 2025. In this competition, Schwaiger will compete against journalists who have won other competitions across Germany.