One notable example is their collaboration with the non-profit organization “Forbidden Stories.” One project of this partnership has recently been recognized with an Emmy Award nomination.

Forbidden Stories is a unique, global nonprofit organization dedicated to continuing the work of reporters who have been silenced. All over the world, journalists are imprisoned, abducted, and murdered for their work. Forbidden Stories strives to prevent this by protecting the work of threatened journalists and pursuing the investigations of those who can no longer do so themselves.

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Since its inception in 2017, Forbidden Stories has garnered numerous awards, including the prestigious European Press Prize and the George Polk Award. It has also been praised by prominent journalists, including 2021 Nobel Prize laureate Maria Ressa, who said, “If you stop the story today, it will come back tomorrow.”

Forbidden Stories has successfully rallied support for its mission, now comprising over 150 investigative journalists and 90 media outlets worldwide. This extensive network includes prominent German media partners such as DIE ZEIT, Süddeutsche Zeitung, WDR, NDR, DER SPIEGEL and paper trail media.

One of the supporters of Forbidden Stories is Bastian Obermayer, the Pulitzer Prize-winning German investigative journalist and founder of the journalistic investigative start-up paper trail media. His involvement underscores the commitment of German media to this important cause.

In 2021, Forbidden Stories and its partners, including German publications DIE ZEIT and Süddeutsche Zeitung, uncovered the Pegasus Project. This investigation revealed the existence of over 50,000 potential victims of spyware sold by the Israeli company NSO Group. The victims included at least 180 journalists, activists, human rights defenders, academics, businesspeople, politicians, and several heads of state. The revelations from the Pegasus Project sparked the biggest cyber-surveillance scandal since the Snowden revelations. In addition to Amnesty International's Security Lab, the Canadian organization Citizen Lab was also involved in the forensic analysis of the cell phones in question.

Following the Pegasus Project, the documentary “Global Spyware Scandal: Exposing Pegasus,” based on the investigation, has been nominated for an Emmy Award in the Outstanding Investigative Documentary category.

The involvement of German media companies in such high-impact investigative projects highlights their commitment to uncovering the truth and protecting the freedom of the press. By working alongside Forbidden Stories and other international journalists, they ensure that important stories continue to be told, even in the face of adversity.

This collaborative effort not only brings to light critical issues but also honors the legacy of journalists who have been silenced. As German media companies continue to support and engage in investigative journalism, they play a vital role in maintaining the flow of information and upholding the principles of a free press.