Tag: Hub

Members of civil society, media, experts and researchers, at a webinar entitled “Rights in the Digital Space 2024”, said internet freedoms are deteriorating at an unprecedented pace in Southeast Europe.

The event was jointly organised by the Balkan Investigative Reporting Network, BIRN, and the European Centre for Press and Media Freedom, ECPMF.

BIRN and ECPMF represented their latest works – BIRN’s Digital Rights Violations Report 2023-2024 and ECPMF’s Media Freedom Monitoring Report, as other speakers shared observations on digital rights violations, press freedom and topics such as big tech’s influence on internet freedoms.

“In 2024, BIRN was able to identify more than 1,700 significant digital rights violations [but] these are not all the violations that are happening in the digital space but violations … that are either examples of viral trends, or of something that has a lot of consequences, or something that is an emerging trend,” Ivana Jeremic, Digital Content Lead at BIRN’s Digital Rights Programme, said.

“Discrimination, genocide denial, foreign influences and disinformation are key violations in the region,” Jeremic added. She underlined that the use of artificial intelligence, AI, had caused a major spike in digital violations in 2024.

Usual suspects: Turkey, Serbia and Hungary

Cara Raeker, from ECPMF, said their monitoring recorded 1,548 press freedom violations in 35 European countries, including Southeast Europe.

In Albania, Bosnia, Croatia, Hungary, Turkey, Serbia, Romania, North Macedonia, Montenegro and Kosovo, “we found 417 cases with 756 people affected. We have found most cases in Turkey, Serbia and Hungary,” Raeker said.

Raeker underlined that online and digital attacks are the most common forms of attacks on press freedom.

Gurkan Ozturan, from ECPMF, who is also Turkey rapporteur for Freedom House’s Freedom on the Net project, said Turkey remains a major violator of digital and internet freedoms.

“Turkey remains still ‘not free’ in the digital space, with continuous restrictions on press and media fields as well as in the field of freedom of expression, access to information and digital privacy,” he said.

He shared examples of internet and digital platform restrictions, the use of draconian laws to censor internet and media as well as major violations of citizens’ online data.

Mila Bajic, from Share Foundation and Freedom House’s Freedom on the Net project, said internet freedoms continue to deteriorate in Serbia as well.

“In 2024, Serbia fell to 70 points [on the Freedom on the Net rankings] which is basically the line between ‘partly free’ and ‘free’, which is the lowest score the country ever got,” Bajic said.

She expected the situation to continue to deteriorate. “We will be falling … under the ‘free’ line and will be chartering into ‘partly free’ territory,” Bajic said.

In a panel on big tech companies, Bojana Kostic, a Human Rights and Tech Researcher, noted an “asymmetry” between big tech and citizens’ rights.

“Incredible power asymmetry will not play out well at the end, to the detriment of freedom of expression and other human rights and all citizens’ wellbeing,” Kostic said.

Journalists among most-targeted groups

Speakers agreed that journalists are among the most-targeted groups online because of their work.

The threats often result in real-life consequences, such as the case of jailed Georgian journalist Mzia Amaglobeli.

Teona Sekhniashvili, Network and Advocacy Officer at the International Press Institute, IPI, said Amaglobeli has been prisoned unjustly.

“A veteran Georgian journalist who has been fighting against injustice and for full press freedom for years … is now unjustly held in pre-detention,” Sekhniashvili said, adding that Amaglobeli was one of the first to stand up against the Georgian government’s notorious foreign agents law.

“The law would basically require NGOs and newsrooms to register as organisations pursuing the interests of foreign power,” Sekhniashvili explained.

Azem Kurtic, Bosnia correspondent of BIRN, said that Bosnia’s Republika Srpska entity is another government preparing a similar foreign agents law, at the cost of press freedoms and civil liberties.

“The law gives a lot of legal rights to the Justice Minister [of Republika Srpska] to mark anyone receiving money from abroad as an agent of foreign influence. In the end, they could be banned from existence and from actually conducting their activities,” Kurtic said.

More about digital rights violations in Southeast Europe can be found in BIRN’s Digital Rights Violations Report 2023-2024 and in the latest ECPMF Media Freedom Monitoring Report.

The webinar can be watched here:

On February 18, a webinar brought together 44 journalists and media professionals from six Western Balkan countries to gain deeper insights into the state of the digital environment, and equip them with the tools to navigate an increasingly complex and threatening digital landscape.

Cyber Guardian: Journalists’ Digital Resilience is a collaborative initiative between two BIRN projects – Western Balkans Media for Change and Reporting Digital Rights and Freedoms.

The online training presented findings on digital threats and attacks while equipping participants with practical tools and strategies to enhance their protection in the digital space.

The online sessions were led by Donika Elshani, a cybersecurity expert and researcher, who presented findings from the research paper, “Navigating the Evolving Threat Landscape and Institutional Responses to Cybersecurity Threats in the Western Balkans”.

This report serves as an expanded addition to BIRN’s Digital Rights Violations Annual Report 2023-2024 and provides a comprehensive regional analysis of emerging trends and recurring breaches in the cybersecurity landscape of the Western Balkans.

It highlights critical vulnerabilities in infrastructure and media exposure to cyberattacks, offering a detailed assessment of institutional responses to cybersecurity threats across all Western Balkans countries.

Findings revealed that most states in the region have adopted a reactive rather than proactive approach to cyber threats, often driven by external pressures rather than making genuine, forward-looking efforts.

Progress appears to stem more from the urgency of responding to crises than from careful planning or foresight. The report underscored the need for a multisectoral approach to create a safer digital environment.

The second session was also the final Learning Circle under the Western Balkans Media for Change project. The objective was to enhance participants’ knowledge of digital safety practices – an essential skill in today’s world. The training provided advice on identifying phishing threats, implementing preventive measures, and utilizing practical tools and applications.

Participants were guided on protecting electronic devices, safeguarding against remote intrusions (including hacking, malware, and phishing attacks), and adopting safe internet browsing practices. The session concluded with practical demonstrations, allowing participants to observe real-life examples of cyberattacks and understand their mechanisms firsthand.

This training is part of the Western Balkans Media for Change Project, funded by the UK government and implemented by the British Council in partnership with BIRN, the Thomson Foundation, and INTRAC, as well as part of the Reporting Digital Rights and Freedoms project, funded by the EU.

On February 18, BIRN Montenegro launched a new version of its website, birn.me, aiming to meet the needs of a new generation of readers.

The improved portal design allows for easier navigation and access to key information. Thanks to the new homepage structure and section layout, visitors can quickly find content that interests them.

To stay updated with the portal’s content, readers can now subscribe to our newsletter, and will be sent the best stories via email.

“BIRN Montenegro will continue to provide its readers with investigative stories from the country and the region and strengthen collaboration with citizens and various social groups,” BIRN Montenegro editor Samir Kajosevic said.

“The new portal design is another step toward enhancing communication with our audience. As always, we expect readers to actively participate in creating our portal’s content by reporting illegalities and suggesting topics they believe are insufficiently covered in the media,” he added.

Kajosevic noted that BIRN Montenegro will continue to publish monitoring reports of institutions, policies and laws, and provide suggestions for improving laws and policies in the areas it covers.

Applications are invited under this year’s theme, Resilience. An independent committee will select the successful applicants to participate in our annual professional development programme, which provides intensive editorial support and resources to produce a long-form investigative or analytical story for publication by BIRN, its media partners, and regional media outlets.

Our published work includes features, analysis, and investigative reports presented in depth for a global audience. We prioritize strong storytelling and rigorous, on-the-ground reporting, hallmarks of high-quality magazine journalism.

Who Can Apply?

Journalists with demonstrable professional experience from the following countries are eligible:

Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Greece, Hungary, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Poland, Romania, Serbia, and Slovakia.

Applicants must hold citizenship or permanent residence in one of the eligible countries.

What the Fellowship Offers?

Selected fellows will receive:

• A bursary of €3,000 to support their reporting
• Intensive training and mentoring from world-class editors
• Ongoing editorial and networking support from BIRN’s leading regional journalistic network across 14 countries of the Central and SEE region
• An introductory seminar in Vienna (May 13-17) focused on advanced reporting and storytelling techniques
• Additional awards ranging from €1,000 to €3,000 for the three best stories
• Global and regional publication in English and local languages through BIRN’s media network
• Membership in the Fellowship alumni network, fostering collaboration among journalists since 2007

How to Apply?

The application deadline is March 18. To apply, submit your proposal using the official application form.

To increase your chances of selection, we encourage you to explore more details about the programme, including expert tips from our editors.

Here’s what our editor, Neil Arun, has to say about this year’s theme:

Resilience is a great thing, we are told. Resilient individuals easily bounce back from life’s setbacks. Resilient organisations readily adapt to changing market conditions. Resilient supply chains keep the shelves stocked through wars, trade wars and pandemics. As European societies brace for a seismic jolt from a new political reality, you may want to consider what resilience means in this context. Perhaps your proposed story has protagonists who embody resilience in the face of hard times. Or perhaps your proposal itself embodies that spirit, in seeking to deploy journalism as a tool to address a persistent problem.

There is another way of thinking about resilience as a quality embodied not by principled journalists or activists – the usual “good guys” – but rather, by their adversaries. Seen this way, the new order emerging in Europe is testament to the resilience of the forces that are now in the ascendant. How did they succeed despite so many apparent setbacks? If resilience played a part in their ascent, was it the only factor? Or was their ascent also aided by the lack of resilience, the fragility and rigidity, of the alternatives on offer?

I hope that’s enough to get you thinking and don’t stress if the story you want to pursue for the Fellowship has no obvious link to resilience. It is better to propose a strong story that loosely fits the annual theme rather than pitch a weak story that fits the theme perfectly. The annual theme is, as always, our way of testing your ability to re-mould your proposal. It is a test, in other words, of your resilience. Have fun with it.

About the Fellowship for Journalistic Excellence

Since 2007, the Fellowship has provided journalists with funding, mentorship, and editorial guidance to produce agenda-setting investigative stories. Designed to foster a strong and responsible press, the programme has played a vital role in shaping journalistic standards across the region while advancing the careers of its fellows.

Established by the Balkan Investigative Reporting Network (BIRN) and Erste Foundation, the Fellowship originally focused on South-Eastern Europe and expanded in 2020 to include Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, and Slovakia.

To read past Fellowship stories and learn more about the programme, visit the official Fellowship page.

The event will explore the intersection of digital rights, media freedom and the role of big tech companies in shaping the online environment. By bringing together digital rights experts, researchers and representatives from tech companies, the discussion will focus on the latest findings from key reports published by civil society organisations, the challenges faced by independent media and the influence of big tech on internet freedoms.

Sign up here to attend the webinar.

Date: February 20, 2025

Time: 2 pm (CET)

Don’t miss the opportunity to engage with digital rights experts and learn about key trends shaping digital and media landscapes in Europe.

More about digital rights violations in the Balkans can be found in BIRN’s Digital Rights Violations Report 2023-2024 and the latest ECPMF’s Media Freedom Monitoring Report.

Agenda

1. Welcome and Opening Remarks
   Time: 5 minutes

• Host: Amina Mahović, Digital Rights Programme Manager, BIRN

2. Keynote Address: Brief overview of BIRN’s Digital Rights Annual Report 2023-2024 and Freedom House’s Freedom on the Net
   Time: 15 minutes

• Ivana Jeremić, Digital Rights Content Lead, BIRN
• Cara Räker, Monitoring Officer, ECPMF

3. Focus Session: State of Digital Rights in Targeted Countries
   Time: 25 minutes

Moderator: Hamdi Firat Buyuk, Turkey Correspondent for Balkan Insight, BIRN

Speakers: Gürkan Özturan, Turkey; Mila Bajić, Serbia; Đurđa Radulović, Montenegro; Bojan Stojkovski, North Macedonia

4. Big Tech’s Influence on Internet Freedom
   Time: 20 minutes

Moderator: Aida Mahmutović, Project Manager, BIRN Kosovo

Speakers: Bojana Kostić, Human Rights and Tech Researcher; Feđa Kulenovic, Information and Communication expert

5. Media Freedom
   Time: 20 minutes

Moderator: Gürkan Özturan, Media Freedom Monitoring Officer, ECPMF

Speakers: Camille Magnissalis, Press Freedom Monitoring and Communications Officer, EFJ; Teona Sekhniashvili, Network & Advocacy Officer, IPI; Azem Kurtić, Correspondent from Bosnia and Herzegovina, BIRN

6. Closing Remarks
   Time: 5 minutes

• Host: Amina Mahovic, Digital Rights Programme Manager, BIRN

Gentiana is a human rights activist and capacity-building expert for Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) with experience in project cycle management, a background in Economics, and extensive training in gender equality, among other related fields.

No wonder her passion for human rights and strong civil society have led her to BIRN.

“I believe access to rights, reliable information and civic engagement empowers individuals to drive real change, while BIRN’s commitment to transparency and accountability and public participation are values I share deeply,” she says.

“I dedicated over 15 years of my career to human rights activism, fundraising and strengthening civil society across the Western Balkans, and throughout this journey I’ve learned firsthand how to build resilient organizations and achieve lasting impact.

“I’m thrilled and excited to work alongside BIRN’s team and diverse stakeholders, bringing people together to shape strategies and develop impactful initiatives that empower independent media and civil society, contributing to a more transparent and accountable region and ultimately driving positive change,” she adds.

Now, as Head of Programmes, her key responsibilities include setting programme goals aligned with BIRN’s strategic objectives and overseeing their implementation.

She works closely with Programme Managers, providing guidance and problem-solving support and ensuring smooth coordination between programme, editorial, operations and finance teams.

These are all very important tasks because BIRN Hub has four core programmes. Gentiana explains how those programmes contribute to the overall strategy of the organisation.

“BIRN’s programmes strengthen independent journalism, hold power to account, and promote transparency and democracy in Southeast Europe,” she says.

• Capacity Building and Strengthening of Independent Media: This programme focuses on enhancing journalistic skills and media sustainability by bridging gaps in education and professional development. It provides mentorship and training and promotes innovative approaches such as engagement journalism. BIRN serves as an intermediary between large media development organisations and local outlets, offering direct support through sub-grants and capacity-building initiatives to strengthen independent media across the region.
• Transitional Justice Initiative: The Transitional Justice Initiative is a cornerstone of BIRN’s work, taking a regional approach to addressing war crime denial, relativization, impunity and conflicting narratives. Through investigative journalism, legal accountability efforts and public awareness initiatives, the programme aims to foster reconciliation and advance justice. A key component is the preservation of data and archival materials, ensuring that documented evidence and testimonies remain accessible for future generations, strengthening collective memory and historical accountability.
• Investigative Reporting Initiative: This flagship programme uncovers corruption, public spending fraud, environmental crimes, human rights violations and organised crime, among others. BIRN produces in-depth investigations with compelling storytelling, trains journalists through the BIRN’s Summer School of Investigative Reporting for 15 years and BIRN’s Fellowship for Journalistic Excellence for almost 20 years, and collaborates with universities to develop investigative journalism curricula.
• Reporting and Monitoring Human Rights and Freedoms: This relatively new programme grows together with the increase of human rights violations in the online sphere. It focuses on monitoring digital rights violations, misinformation, and online abuse, providing training for journalists, compiling annual Digital Rights Violations Reports, and engaging with policymakers to advocate for stronger protections of digital freedoms and media rights.

Gentiana also focuses on risk management, reporting and impact assessment, including developing monitoring and evaluation tools. Her responsibilities here include strengthening BIRN’s visibility, building partnerships and enhancing interdepartmental cooperation.

Additionally, she ensures compliance with policies, supports staff capacity building, and contributes to budget planning to drive BIRN’s mission and long-term sustainability.

But what does her typical working day look like?

“As the Head of Programmes at BIRN, a typical working day is dynamic and involves overseeing multiple responsibilities across various programmes and spending a significant part of the day in meetings. Morning (or sometimes a whole day 🙂) starts with briefings and prioritizations, meaning reviewing emails, requests and updates from Programme Managers, followed by prioritizing tasks based on deadlines, ongoing projects and any emerging issues.

“I check in with team members to track the progress of ongoing activities, address any challenges, and ensure alignment with BIRN’s strategic objectives. We discuss timelines, goals, and any adjustments needed to stay on track,” she says.

After that, she usually reviews project reports, ensuring they meet donor requirements and reflect the impact of BIRN’s work.

“During the day, I participate in strategic planning, working with the team to resolve issues related to resource allocation, risks or changes in direction. I also engage with external partners like media organisations, donors and stakeholders. I work with the Operations Department on budget allocation and resource use,” she explains.

“A key part of my role is ensuring that the Programme Managers and other team members have the tools and support they need to succeed. This includes providing guidance on project management, facilitating professional development, and mentoring staff to enhance their skills.

“Every day brings new challenges but the goal is always the same: ensuring the success and impact of BIRN’s programmes. And yes, I rely on a lot of coffee to keep up with the fast pace! 🙂” she says.

As in every job, there are favourite – and least favourite – parts of being a Head of Programmes for Gentiana.

“My absolute favorite part is planning—I’m obsessed with it! I firmly believe that a well-structured plan is half the work done. On the other hand, my least favorite part is when time constraints don’t allow me to plan as thoroughly as I’d like! Hahaha. 🙂

“But seriously, one of the most rewarding aspects of my role is working with an incredible team. You might wonder how, given that we are a large group with diverse personalities, experiences, backgrounds and expectations. Yes, it can be challenging, but I’m an eternal optimist who finds inspiration in every small step our team takes forward.

“Since we spend so much time at work, I believe we have a unique opportunity to learn from, support, and inspire each other every day. And when challenges arise, we step away from our laptops, grab a coffee, and let a good conversation spark fresh ideas!” she concludes.

On January 27, journalists from Albania, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina attended an online fact-checking training session, which focused on practical demonstrations of tools that journalists can use to produce fact-checked content.

Participants were introduced to journalistic verification tools, including crowd counting with Mapchecking, face recognition with Pimeyes, and email verification with Hunter.io. They also learned about tools for photograph and time verification, such as TinEye, RevEye, Yandex and Suncalc. Trainers demonstrated how to apply these tools in content production, enabling journalists to use them immediately after the training.

The session also featured a presentation of BIRD, a digital platform developed by BIRN that serves as an investigative tool and facilitates experience and document sharing among investigative journalists. This innovative interactive platform is designed for journalists who want to stay current with rapidly evolving technology while maintaining ethical standards and professional journalism practices. Participants were introduced to the BIRD Directory, which is a database of expert contacts across various fields from the six Western Balkan countries.

The online training was conducted by Ivana Jeremic and Kreshnik Gashi. Jeremic is an award-winning journalist and editor specialising in digital rights, organised crime investigations, public fund misuse and AI impact. She has served as a fact-checker at OCCRP since 2013 and as an External Assessor at the International Fact-Checking Network since 2017. Her awards include the European Press Prize, the Anthony Lewis Prize and the Balkan Fact-checking Award.

Kreshnik Gashi, editor-in-chief of KALLXO.com, is a law graduate who has won over 20 journalistic prizes for his in-depth corruption investigations. Since joining BIRN in 2012, he has produced more than 300 investigative TV programmes and about 1,000 investigative articles. His work has led to significant outcomes, including the arrest and charging of over 10 prosecutors and judges, the arrest of more than 30 police officers, and 10 corruption indictments against public officials, including ministers and mayors.

This training is part of the Western Balkans Media for Change Project, funded by the UK government and implemented by the British Council in partnership with BIRN, the Thomson Foundation, and INTRAC. The project supports media outlets and individual journalists throughout the Western Balkans.

This initiative aims to combat corruption, enhance transparency, and promote accountability to fortify democratic institutions and foster a more resilient media landscape in the region.

By leveraging investigative journalism and engaging directly with local communities, the initiative seeks to drive lasting reforms and ensure the voices of underrepresented groups are heard. A key component of the project is the provision of grants to support local media outlets in adopting audience-engagement journalism practices in six Western Balkan countries: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia.

The Western Balkans continue to grapple with systemic issues such as corruption, inefficiencies in the judiciary, restricted media pluralism, and threats to fundamental freedoms, as underscored by recent European Commission progress reports. These challenges highlight the urgent need for enhanced accountability and increased citizen participation in governance processes.

Audience-engagement journalism emerges as a powerful tool to address these issues. By creating a two-way dialogue that places citizens at the center of the storytelling process, this approach empowers communities, shines a light on systemic challenges, and ensures that public discourse reflects the concerns of ordinary people. In a region often hindered by misinformation and opacity, audience-driven reporting can uncover critical issues, provide actionable solutions, and amplify marginalized voices.

Through innovative storytelling and investigative reporting, BIRN aims to equip citizens with the tools to hold decision-makers accountable, advocate for transparency, and demand meaningful reforms. This approach not only reinforces democratic values but also cultivates a well-informed and engaged citizenry, essential for creating a more transparent and accountable public sector in the Western Balkans.

1.    SCOPE AND OBJECTIVES

The Balkan Investigative Reporting Network (BIRN) has been actively engaging communities in reporting and supporting media outlets and journalists through grants, training, and mentoring. To enhance their reporting and production skills, BIRN developed the Engaged Citizen Reporting (ECR) tool, a digital platform that enables journalists to gain insights from communities and involve audiences in the reporting process.

This innovative ECR tool allows journalists to report on specific issues recognized by citizens at the local level, utilizing well-structured crowdsourced information that can be easily analysed. The approach amplifies the voices of underrepresented communities, including women, young people, marginalized groups, and ethnic minorities, ensuring their stories are heard. By engaging their communities, media outlets increase trust and credibility, uncovering underreported stories that provoke meaningful impact. Ultimately, this fosters an inclusive media landscape that supports democracy and free speech both regionally and locally.

The audience-engaged grants aim to achieve the following outcomes for project-supported media outlets:

• Access to Digital Tools: Provision of the ECR tool to actively involve communities in story development.
• Training: Comprehensive instruction in engagement journalism and effective tool usage.
• On-the-Job Mentoring: Support for journalists in producing audience-engaged and investigative stories.
• Production of Local Stories: Creation of impactful stories grounded in crowdsourced, community-identified issues.
• Collaboration Support: Facilitation of cross-border cooperation, sharing knowledge and expertise among journalists.
• Sustainability: Encouragement of continued use of the ECR tool, fostering a culture of community engagement in media production.

Through this initiative, BIRN empowers local media outlets to use innovation and collaboration to build an engaged, informed public while championing the principles of transparency, accountability, and democratic governance.

2.    TYPE, SIZE AND DURATION OF GRANTS

Local media outlets from six Western Balkan countries: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia can apply for grants up to €5,000.

Two following types of grants are available under this Call for Applications:

• Individual Grants for media outlets wishing to cover national / regional / local topics using their own newsroom resources.
• Cross-border Grants for media outlets interested in investigating cross-border topics in partnership with the other media outlet. The Audience-Engaged Journalism Grants foster a collaborative environment where media outlets can come together to share their proficiency and expertise. By working together media outlets not only enhance their reporting capabilities but also increase their reach and impact.

Partnership can be:

• Pre-established; in situations where a media outlet already has a media partner for a cross-border story, they may apply together for a grant of €10,000 to cover expenses for both parties (up to €5,000 per each).
• Teamed up with BIRN’s support; in a situation where a media outlet proposes a cross-border story and does not have a pre-established partnership, BIRN can assist in finding a possible match partner for collaboration.
• Individual story pairing; in cases where individual applicants are proposing the similar story or share an interest, BIRN might propose that outlets pair up to complement their expertise and knowledge.

Under this Call for Applications, 12 local media outlets will be selected (two per country) and will receive grants to implement their ideas for stories using the ECR tool.

Media outlets are expected to begin implementing their project’s activities on 1 May 2025 and can last up to a maximum of eight (8) months from the date of contract signature. All activities should conclude no later than 31 December 2025.

3.    AVAILABLE FUNDING AND ALLOCATIONS

The overall indicative amount expected to be distributed under this Call for Applications is up to €60,000. The table summarises grants foreseen to be given.

Type of Grants	Maximum Amount per Grant	Number of Grants Foreseen	Estimated Amount
Individual Grants	€5,000	10	€50,000
Cross-border Grants (two media outlets)	€10,000 (up to €5,000 per each)	1	€10,000

BIRN reserves the right to fund any or none of the applications submitted, as well as to discuss with applicants allocating actions as needed within the aforementioned categories towards achieving the overall goal of the programme.

No co-financing from the applicant’s side is expected or is obligatory within this Call for Applications.

The Audience-Engaged Journalism grants process starts with this Call, which will be open until 02 March 2025. To provide more accurate information and directions for applicants, the BIRN team will organise two info sessions, on 31 January 2025 at 09:00 and 24 February 2025 at 14:00. Please see 5.4.3. Clarifications, Question & Answers.

4.    APPLICATION

This section includes important information on the rules for application, including eligibility criteria, activities and costs eligibility, application and evaluation procedures, among others.

5.1.     ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

In order to apply, applicants must fulfil the following criteria:

1. Demonstrate a commitment to producing high-quality, independent journalism that serves the public interest.
2. Propose a story with an investigative and in-depth angle, impactful for the community. The story proposed can be a story only relevant to the local community in one city/region/country, but it can also be a cross-border story. If so, the story must address an issue relevant to audiences in two Western Balkan countries, and reflect collaborative effort.
3. Express clear intention and means of including underrepresented communities in stories. These communities may include marginalised groups such as minorities, youth, women and other underreported communities.
4. Be a legally registered entity within the country of application on or before 1 January, 2024.
5. Be prepared to submit supporting documentation as outlined in Section 5.4.1 Application Form Content or provide a clear justification if unable to do so.
6. Demonstrate a commitment to actively participate in on-the-job mentoring in engagement journalism and the professional use of Engaged Citizen Reporting (ECR) tools, following the guidance provided by mentors.

5.2.     ACTIVITIES ELIGIBILITY

The types of activities eligible for support will include but are not necessarily be limited to:

1. Producing the content based on information and data obtained via the Engaged Citizen Reporting (ECR) tool. Grantees will receive individual access to the ECR tool, along with appropriate training and mentoring. Content may comprise news, analysis, investigations, different news formats: audio, text, video or multimedia. Some examples from media outlets which BIRN supported before to use the ECR tool produced a range of audience-engaged stories, some examples of which you can read here:

• Image-based sexual abuse in Kosovo
• Mapping illegal landfills in the Balkans
• Secret hospital registers in Hungary
• Transgender and non-binary Serbs document job discrimination

1. Promoting content through social media channels of the respective outlets.
2. Promoting engagement journalism and the ECR tool by introducing dedicated sections on the website, additional information in the ‘about’ and ‘contact’ section, banners, and other relevant means.
3. Encouraging citizens to use the ECR tool as a platform to suggest topics, indicate interest in future reporting and participate in various investigations. These activities may be facilitated through social media channels and innovations on the website described above.
4. Collaborating with a mentor to prepare a story for Balkan Insight. The most successful engagement stories will be considered for publication on the Balkan Insight. The BIRN team and mentors will oversee the selection process to ensure the stories align with the project’s objectives and BI’s publishing standards.

Applicants may propose additional activities beyond those listed above, ensuring their alignment with the project’s vision and goal. These activities should complement the existing ones and may include any relevant investigative engagement stories.

4.3 COSTS ELIGIBILITY

While developing the budget for the proposal under this Call for Applications (budget form enclosed in 5.4.1 Application Form Content) the following eligible and ineligible costs should be:

Eligible Costs
Category	Explanation
Human Resources Costs	Costs of organisation’s staff and experts directly involved in implementing the proposed activities and proportionate to their level of involvement.
Production / Research / Communication Costs	Costs related to the production of the stories, including communication with stakeholders, research costs, as well as costs of promotion of the stories on social media.
Travel Costs	Any travel costs needed to produce the story, especially if it’s a cross-border story or story covering citizen’s experiences in some local or more remote areas in the country
Ineligible Costs
Include costs of office equipment, construction costs, entertainment and excessive transport and event costs.

5.4 APPLICATION SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS

In order to ensure a fair and competitive application process, applicants should complete and submit only one application / proposal under this Call for Applications.

5.4.1. APPLICATION FORM CONTENT

In order to apply for the Audience-Engaged Journalism Grants, media outlets should:

• Fill out an online application form which should:
• • Be completed in the English language. Please use your own words. ChatGPT applications will be downgraded or not considered.
  • Outline general information, current audience data, and a story proposal.
• Submit the following supporting documents within the embedded application form:
• Financial Proposal. Download the budget template HERE.
• Financial Statements for the 2023 and 2024 fiscal years, if applicable.
• Certificate from relevant tax authority that the media outlet is a regular taxpayer.
• A Court Certificate that the media outlet does not have ongoing legal proceedings nor is awaiting the final judgment of cases against the organization.
  • If obtaining a Court Certificate confirming no ongoing legal proceedings is challenging (e.g., due to SLAPP lawsuits), applicants may submit a detailed explanation of their legal status and the nature of such cases. This ensures equal opportunities for all while maintaining transparency and compliance with administrative requirements.
• Editorial policy, if applicable.
• Business Registry Certificate or any other document certifying that the applicant is registered as a legal entity in (country) as of January 2024.

5.4.2 APPLICATION DEADLINE

The applicant must submit the application by 2 March 2025, midnight.

Applications submitted after the deadline will not be considered for funding. The deadline applies to all parts of your application, including supporting documentation.

5.4.3. CLARIFICATIONS, QUESTIONS & ANSWERS

Info sessions are an integral part of this Call for Application and will be conducted online in the English language. During the info sessions, the Call for Applications and Application Form will be explained and questions answered. The schedule of the planned info sessions is as follows:

• Information session 31 January 2025 at 09:00 join here HERE. 
• Information session 24 February 2025 at 14:00, join here HERE.

Questions about the Call for Application and Application Form may be sent in English language to the Programme Manager at the email address: [email protected] until the deadline for clarifications has passed.

5.5 EVALUATION AND SELECTION PROCESS

All received proposals will go through the following three steps:

1. Administrative and eligibility check by BIRN to ensure applicants followed the application procedure set in the Application Form, according to the eligibility criteria and submitted all required documents by the deadline.
2. Evaluation by the international independent jury.
3. Notification of the application outcome.

STEP 1: BIRN ADMINISTRATIVE AND ELIGIBILITY CHECK

BIRN will undertake administrative checks to ensure the applicants have followed application procedures and submitted all the required documents. If any requested information / document is missing or incorrect, the application may be rejected and will not be evaluated further. Any rejected application will be replaced by the next best-placed application on the reserve list that falls within the available budget for this Call for Applications.

An application that passes the administrative check will be assessed further as part of the evaluation by the independent international jury.

STEP 2: EVALUATION BY THE INTERNATIONAL INDEPENDENT JURY

After the call is closed, all applications that meet the administrative requirements and eligibility criteria will be subject to evaluation by an international jury. A jury consisting of media professionals, acting independently, will assess the proposals based on their Relevance of the Proposed Story, Capacity, Financial Proposal and Potential, including the Social impact.

Please refer to the criteria list for further information on quality assessment.

CRITERIA	MAXIMUM SCORE
1.     RELEVANCE OF THE PROPOSED STORY ●       The proposed story tackles an issue relevant to national / regional / local communities in the case of individual grants. ●       The proposed story tackles an issue relevant to communities in Western Balkan countries in the case of collaborative grants. ●       The proposed story has investigative and in-depth potential. ●       The proposed story contains specific cross-cutting issues, such as the promotion of gender equality, respect of human rights, and marginalised groups.	10 points
2.     CAPACITY  ●       Applicant demonstrates available capacity within the organisation to implement activities. ●       Applicant demonstrates significant reach in its community. ●       Applicant demonstrates previous experience in engaging communities. ●       Risks and challenges are clearly identified and are manageable.	10 points
3.     FINANCIAL PROPOSAL ●       Budget demonstrates value for money – organisation clearly shows it will manage to implement activities according to the proposed amount.	10 points
4.      POTENTIAL ●       Story reflects how the Engaged Citizen Reporting (ECR) tool will be used to encourage the audience to get involved. ●       Story proposal addresses problems in particular communities and demonstrates how the community will be engaged. ●       Media outlet is dedicated to producing meaningful and quality content. ●       The proposed story will engage new audiences strategically, focusing on underrepresented groups (such as women and girls, younger people, or ethnic, social, sexual, and other minorities).	10 points
MAXIMUM TOTAL SCORE	40 points

STEP 3: NOTIFICATION OF THE APPLICATION OUTCOME

Applicants will be notified of the outcome, whether it was successful or not by e-mail. The applicants will be able to ask for clarifications.

BIRN will also notify applicants about suggestions for teaming up in the collaborative cross-border stories. Notification is conducted during two phases of the evaluation:

• Notification 1: Not passing the administrative and eligibility check
• Notification 2 (final): Selection or non-selection upon the qualitative assessment

Upon positive notification, successful applicants will sign the contract with BIRN and become a recipient of the grant. Successful applicants will receive notification on training dates and programmes.

5.    TRAINING AND MENTORING

Following the signing of a contractual agreement by both parties, participants will undergo comprehensive training and be assigned a mentor.

Training

Four-day online training programme is mandatory for all project participants. Each media outlet will choose at least three participants to follow the training programme. The training curriculum, established by BIRN, will provide journalists and project participants with an in-depth understanding of the Engaged Citizen Reporting (ECR) tool and its various features, as well as teach them how to effectively engage their audience in reporting and create high-quality and valuable journalistic reports. Towards the end of the training programme, the participating journalists will be expected to plan and develop their proposed stories for implementation.

Mentoring

After the training, media outlets will continue to collaborate with mentors to create a provisional activity plan that will be further confirmed. Access to the Engaged Citizen Reporting (ECR) tool will be established. Throughout the project, BIRN mentors will be available to provide guidance and support to the participating media outlets, while respecting editorial independence.

6.    TIMELINE OF CALL ACTIVITIES

The following is the indicative table of the application, evaluation, notification process and online training:

ACTIVITY	DATE
Call for Applications issued	27 January 2025
Information Sessions	31 January 2025 at 09:00 24 February 2025 at 14:00
Deadline for Requesting Clarifications	24 February 2025
Deadline for Submission of Applications	2 March 2025
Notification to Rejected Applicants on the Results of the Administrative Check	Last week of April               2025
Notification to Applicants on the Results of the Qualitative Assessment	Last week of April 2025
Contract Signature & Online Training	First week of May 2025

 

A four-day online training was held on January 21 to 24 for a new cycle of grantees in Audience-Engaged Journalism. The grants are part of the Media Innovation Europe MEI project: Independence Through Sustainability.

This two-year initiative is led by the International Press Institute (IPI) and its partners: The Fix Foundation, Balkan Investigative Reporting Network (BIRN), and Thomson Media (TM).

The programme provides business needs assessments and personalised advisory, grants, training, hackathons and mentorship to media managers and journalists working in newsrooms that are moving towards a full digital transition.

BIRN’s role in MIE is to advance audience engagement using the BE-engaged tool, a specially designed tool to crowdsource input from citizens and engage them in journalistic reporting.

During the first cycle of grants, 19 participants from nine media outlets in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Hungary, North Macedonia and Serbia attended training delivered by international and regional experts in audience engagement.

During the first day, Ariana Tobin, an award-winning editor of ProPublica, a New York-based organisation specialized in engagement journalism, introduced participants to ways of engaging citizens. She focused on the “reporting cycle” of engagement stories and crowdsourcing “when you have a fair reason to do it”.

“Engagement reporting, crowdsourcing is creating a space for sources to share information they have been collecting, that has been part of their own life, and we hope it will have an impact – by impact, something in the world changes for the better,” she said.

Paul Myles, co-director of On Our Radar, explored their toolkit, designed to break barriers that prevent communities from sharing their knowledge, experiences, and concerns.

On Our Radar builds networks to report about underrepresented communities, supporting organisations to be more participatory in their work, to achieve “an equal exchange of skills and knowledge between the producer and the person with lived experience”.

“We see collaboration as truly equal. The communities we are working with bring access and deep knowledge of the story from living really close to it. They bring more authenticity when telling that story, connect with the audience, and bring alternative viewpoints which we may not have considered,” Myles said.

The third and fourth days saw regional trainers Katarina Zrinjski, Besar Likmeta and Gyula Csak, discuss BIRN’s particular method of engagement using a specialized tool and callouts inviting communities to share their experiences.

Milica Stojanovic and Karla Junicic demonstrated the specific usage of BIRN’s tool for audience engagement, designed to collect experiences and analyse crowdsourced results to find the best storytelling approach.

Participants learned how to design callouts that invite people to share their stories, how to create safe spaces for community input, and how to transform crowdsourced experiences into stories following analysis.

Grantees will continue their work under BIRN’s mentorship, shaping their reporting into collaborative and audience-driven storytelling.