BIRN awarded grants to 15 media outlets from the Western Balkans and Visegrad region as part of its Audience-Engaged Journalism Grants, supporting the production of innovative, audience-engaged journalism across the region.
Over the course of the project, grantees produced stories using BIRN’s audience-engaged tool, which enables journalists to gather anonymous input from citizens and incorporate audience perspectives into reporting. The supported projects addressed a range of topics, from gender-based violence and social protection to healthcare, migration and environmental degradation.
Across two grant cycles, BIRN supported both individual, country-based reporting and cross-border collaborations, encouraging partnerships between media outlets covering shared regional issues.
Each selected media outlet received financial support to produce audience-engaged stories, with grants of up to €4,000 for individual projects and up to €8,000 for cross-border collaborations.
Beyond financial support, BIRN provided continuous mentoring and editorial guidance, helping grantees to develop their stories and strengthen audience engagement practices. Some of the selected stories were adapted and republished on Balkan Insight, expanding their reach to wider regional and international audiences.
Throughout the Audience-Engaged Journalism Grants, participating media outlets engaged hundreds of citizens through surveys, testimonies and direct contributions, enabling more inclusive and evidence-based reporting. The approach proved particularly effective in covering sensitive and underreported topics, while ensuring the anonymity and safety of contributors.
First Cycle of Grants
Individual media outlet grants:
- TRN (North Macedonia) – “Dress Up and Flutter Your Eyelashes for a Job Position”
- Kujto Foundation (Albania) – “Incomplete Justice: Compensation for Former Political Prisoners in Albania May Last Longer Than the Dictatorship”
- Amfora (Albania) – “Between Silence and Clicks: Technology Is Not Helping Victims of Gender-Based Violence in Albania”
- Jugpress (Serbia) – “Voice of Women: Obstetric Violence Is Frequent and Has Serious Consequences”
- Borsod24 (Hungary) – “Why Is Not Enough Money Allocated to Public Healthcare Institutions?”
Cross-border collaborations:
- Nova Ekonomija (Serbia) – “Invisible Network of Addiction: Gambling as a State-Stimulated Vice” & Capital (Bosnia and Herzegovina) – “Invisible Network of Addiction: Gambling as a State-Stimulated Vice”
- Kecsup (Hungary) – “From Vojvodina to Kecskemét: A Difficult Decision but a Chance for a New Life” & Szmsz (Serbia) – “From Vojvodina to Kecskemét: A Difficult Decision but a Chance for a New Life”
Second Cycle of Grants
Individual media outlet grants:
- Lice v Lice (North Macedonia) – “Guaranteed Minimum Assistance: A Path to Dependency and Informal Economy Instead of a Way Out of Poverty”
- Fokus (Bosnia and Herzegovina) – “I Was Punched in the Eye Because I Changed the TV Channel: I Was Pregnant”
- Zoomer (Serbia) – “If You Block Me, I Will Destroy Your Life: Fake Profiles Target Gay Men While Institutions Fail to React”
- Átlátszó (Hungary) – “From Child Protection Home to Austrian Brothel: A Path Shaped by Abuse and Neglect”
Cross-border collaboration:
- Info Radar (Bosnia and Herzegovina) – “Balkan Rivers: Institutional Silence While Excavators Destroy Riverbanks” & Koha (North Macedonia) – “Balkan Rivers: Institutional Silence While Excavators Destroy Riverbanks”
Strengthening Innovation and Collaboration
Media Innovation Europe is an initiative designed to support independent media across the continent through funding, mentoring, and capacity-building, with a strong emphasis on innovation, sustainability, and audience-centred journalism. Across its two editions, the programme helps media organisations adapt to a rapidly changing digital environment while encouraging collaboration and experimentation in storytelling. MIE is managed by a consortium led by the International Press Institute (IPI) with The Fix Foundation, Thomson Media and BIRN. Since launching in 2022, MIE has supported over 100 European newsrooms and media practitioners.
As the second edition of the Media Innovation Europe project comes to a close, the supported stories demonstrate the value of audience engagement and cross-border collaboration in producing impactful journalism.