Ulrik Haagerup opens Southeastern Europe’s largest media and communications industry festival

How can constructive journalism help regain the public’s trust without giving up the critical role of journalism? Ulrik Haagerup spoke to hundreds of journalists and editors at the opening session of Weekend in Croatia.

The nineteenth edition of Weekend – a huge event in the Croatian city Rovinj consisting of eight parallel festivals under one roof – was opened by Constructive Institute CEO Ulrik Haagerup. His keynote revolved around an important question: are the media, in their constant race for clicks and their focus on sensationalism and negative news, a key reason why people are increasingly avoiding the news and losing trust in the media?

Ahead of the festival, Ulrik Haagerup met with Croatia’s Minister of Culture and Media, Nina Obuljen Koržinek, Danish Ambassador Anne Toft Sørensen, Head of Public Diplomacy and Cultural Affairs Tomislav Gugo and Vice President of the Croatian Media Council (AEM) Robert Tomljenovic to discuss how constructive journalism can help address growing challenges in the region such as polarization, declining trust in institutions, and news avoidance.

The meetings highlighted strong support for expanding the practice of constructive journalism in Croatia and across the region and the visit reflects the increasing momentum behind the global constructive journalism movement.

During a visit to Croatia in December 2025, Ulrik Haagerup participated in a 45-minute interview that was broadcast on Croatian national television, helping introduce broader audiences to the principles of constructive journalism, and ahead of his keynote at Weekend, Croatian Forbes Hrvatska interviewed him about journalism’s role in a time of increasing public disengagement from the news.

“Audiences do not need more news, they need better news.”

Ulrik Haagerup, Founder and CEO, Constructive Institute

As Ulrik Haagerup argues, audiences do not need more news – they need better news. Journalism must remain critical and independent, but that alone is no longer enough. In addition to uncovering what is wrong, journalism should also investigate what is working, examine possible solutions, and provide audiences with a fuller understanding of complex issues.

You can see some of the 2025 interview in HRT with Ulrik Haagerup here.