Author: Eleni Stamatoukou

Summary:

Across Europe, populist movements are changing the political landscape and eroding faith in democratic institutions. In some countries, governments are cracking down on independent media, the judiciary and civil society. They are rolling back progressive social policies and demonising minorities and migrants. Amid rising nationalism, Euroscepticism, far-right extremism, inequality and disenchantment with globalism, they have brushed aside values at the heart of the European project: pluralism, multilateralism, respect for the rule of law.

The result is Europe’s biggest political transformation since the end of the Cold War. At stake are not only the liberal democratic foundations of the Western postwar order. Many fear for democracy itself, as authoritarian alternatives enter the mainstream.

Our goal is to unleash the power of independent journalism to scrutinise the issues, trends and events shaping the future of democracy in Central, Eastern and Southeast Europe.

Our geographical focus spans Central and Eastern Europe and the Balkans, from the Baltic Sea to the Aegean. We have correspondents in the Visegrad Four countries of Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary as well as in the Balkan states of Romania, Moldova, Bulgaria, Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Kosovo, Albania and North Macedonia. Our coverage also touches on Greece, Turkey, Ukraine and Russia.

Donor:

ERSTE Foundation, Isocrates Foundation

Main objectives:

The specific objective is to create a networking and granting scheme for journalists from the V4 and WB regions and set up a system of financial and editorial support that enable them to explore in-depth trends and phenomena, locally or through cross-border collaboration, and communicate this to the widest possible audience through multiple channels.

The overall goal of the initiative is to establish an international journalism network and distribution platform aimed at strengthening the capacity of journalists to report systemically on populist, authoritarian, and other illiberal trends in the V4 and WB countries and so contribute to public understanding of these trends and their consequences.

 Main Activities:

 There are two main activity streams:

1. Strengthening journalistic production of public-interest content:

–           Prominent correspondents’ network in V4 to provide regular coverage and be a focal point in the targeted countries.

–           Fellowships for Journalistic Excellence – 10 fellows will be selected each year to participate in the renewed professional development program.

–             Grants for journalists – up to 20 grants awarded annually through open calls

–           Fund for collaboration with authors and outlets, to foster quality coverage of topics related to democratic developments

–           Outreach of stories produced to be secured through social media and syndication to media partners on a national, regional, and international level.

2. Networking and outreach opportunities:

–       Working visits for journalists from the Visegrad region who want to do research and field reporting in Balkan countries,

–      Annual networking event, gathering fellows, contributors and partners.

Target Groups:

• Journalists and media
• Public at large

Main Implementer:

BIRN HUB

 

 

 

Summary:

The media industry in the region has been developing slowly and gradually, which has contributed to a lack of response to contemporary challenges such as the advertising collapse, fake news, digital innovation and other challenges.

Threat to free speech and democracy have grown, as populist governments took power in parts of Europe. Increasingly, these governments employ “media capture” tactics to control the press, abusing state administrative and regulatory competencies and creating a bias in the media market against independent outlets and artificially strengthening propaganda voices.

The Covid-19 pandemic has accelerated disruptions in the media environment but has also pointed out a need for urgent innovation in the sector. Only by empowering journalists and media outlets can quality journalism be produced and public trust in media and democracy restored.

Citizens are also becoming more vulnerable to fake news and disinformation, which is why improving their engagement with independent media will help increase their resilience to harmful narratives and equip outlets with new and more creative content.

Researchers say news media within Europe have an urgent need for transition support infrastructure, to work with communities, media and journalists both to carry existing media through the digital transition and kick-start new media voices. Specifically, research has identified that the transition infrastructure existing in Europe is fragmented and narrowly focused. This means there is little sector- or continent-wide sense of all being in this together or frameworks for sharing. This is particularly true in Central and Eastern Europe, in countries under political pressure and in different language communities.

There is also a gap in representation of different communities in the media, such as youth, women, sexual or national minorities and other underrepresented groups, meaning there is a need to make journalism more inclusive and accessible to different communities. Only by inclusion of different communities can long-term goals of making newsrooms more resilient to contemporary challenges be achieved.

Considering these factors, the project Media Innovation Europe: Energizing the European Media Ecosystem will:

Support local media outlets in creating sustainable models of trusted journalism;

Grow the wealth of knowledge and experience that the International Press Institute , IPI, network offers;

Build a community of practice and support and learn from alumni and project participants;

Build new and engaging ways to interact with audiences;

Build diversified revenue models that allow media companies to be sustainable and independent;

Pivot business and technology to remain relevant and meet long-term goals;

Support news media to better serve existing audiences and increase trust in media.

Donor:

European Union

Main objectives:

1: Implementation of engaged citizen reporting and the B-engaged tool, which will enable newsrooms to crowdsource information from citizens for the production of stories of local importance and content that attract new and diverse audiences, including women, young people and marginalized groups, so strengthening relationships of trust between news media and audiences.

2: Level up the business capacities of middle-sized, regional and local print and online media outlets that need strategic guidance to set a path towards business viability.

3: Organise two three-day focused creative media events aimed at establishing cross-border and cross-company ties in the media sector and generating and developing new ideas and innovative solutions into working models and/or prototypes for the pan-European media market.

4: Mentorship will build lasting systemic cooperation, regional networks, journalism partnerships and collaborations, journalism viability and competitiveness.

5: Accelerate media outlets’ digital transition of journalism, products, business models or revenues (or a combination of these) to become viable and competitive.

 

 Main Activities:

1. Transition Accelerator

1.1. Accelerator Bootcamp

1.2. Online training

1.3. Online content production – promotion

1.4. Structured learning

1.5. 1:1 Coaching

2. Deep Dive Business Consultancies

2.1. Business strategies’ implementation

2.2. Evaluation of results and impact

2.3. Tailored business-mentoring program

2.4. Development of business roadmaps

3. Audience-Engaged Journalism Grants

3.1. Online training and mentoring

3.2. Implementation of B-engaged tool and engagement journalism

3.4. Upgrade of B-engaged tool

3.5. Promotion

4. Hackathon

4.1. Organisation of Hackathon

4.2. Promotion

4.3. Reporting

Target Groups:

Media outlets and journalists from Balkans and Visegrad countries.

Main Implementer:
International Press Institute (IPI).

Partners: 
Thomson Foundation and Media Development Foundation.