Balkan Investigative Reporting Network
PARTNER
UkraineWorld is an English-language multimedia project about Ukraine run by the NGO Internews Ukraine.
The team produces articles, podcasts, video explainers, reports, analysis, and books about Ukraine in English and other languages. UkraineWorld focuses on explaining Ukraine and its culture, covering the most important developments in and around the country, as well as counteracting anti-Western propaganda and disinformation.
Web: https://ukraineworld.org/
PARTNER
Transitions (TOL) is a nonprofit organization established to strengthen the professionalism, independence and impact of the news media in the post-communist countries of Europe and the former Soviet Union.
Transitions does this through a combination of journalism and media training programs, and the publication of Transitions Online magazine.
TOL was established in April 1999, the month after the publication of the final issue of its print predecessor, Transitions magazine.
Web: https://tol.org/
PARTNER
Notes from Poland was founded in 2014. It provides regular summaries of news from Poland, along with the insights, context and background necessary to make sense of what is happening in the country.
This grassroots social-media service rapidly grew into the leading independent source of English-language news about Poland.
The portal is published by the Notes from Poland Foundation – a registered NGO in Poland.
PARTNER
New Eastern Europe is a bimonthly news magazine dedicated to Central and Eastern European affairs.
The mission of New Eastern Europe is to shape the debate, enhance understanding, and further the dialogue surrounding issues facing the states that were once a part of the Soviet Union or under its influence. New Eastern Europe is not a scholarly journal, but takes a more journalistic approach with commentary/analysis from journalists, experts, analysts, writers, historians, as well as leaders and political figures from the East and the West.
Web: https://neweasterneurope.eu/
PARTNER
Kafkadesk is focused on ultra-local news from Central Europe. It relies on a wide network of contributors and partners scattered all over Central Europe to keep the readers up-to-date with the most recent news and events.
PARTNER
Internews Ukraine is an organisation that has expertise in media, communications, education, and consulting.
Innovation, professionalism, and efficiency are three pillars of the organisation. Serving the Ukrainian society has been its priority since 1996.
PARTNER
Insight Hungary provides English language information about Hungary’s current social, political and economic environment.
As part of the regional ‘Media for All’ project, Balkan Investigative Reporting Network will hold a virtual midday debate on September 23 to discuss online media regulation and self-regulation in the Western Balkans.
As concerns grow in the region over fake news, disinformation and propaganda – particularly amidst the COVID-19 pandemic – some governments are pushing forward legislative initiatives to regulate online media outlets’ content through administrative bodies. At the same time, journalists, editors, media stakeholders and civil society organisations have strengthened their efforts to raise the bar of online journalism through improved ethical guidelines and self-regulatory bodies.
BIRN will host a star group of experts from across the region, to discuss the way government and the civil society sector are responding to these new asymmetrical threats to professional journalism in cyberspace and the impact that the COVID-19 pandemic is having on media freedom in the region.
The debate “Online Media Regulation: Between the Legal Gap and Government Pressure”, moderated by BIRN Albania editor Besar Likmeta, will discuss the pitfalls government and administrative bodies come up against in trying to regulate online media ethics and the efforts made to self-regulate by Balkan media and civil society, as a response to state oversight and the threat of censorship.
The debate will also focus on the impact that restrictions, imposed by these countries’ governments to fight the spread of the novel coronavirus, are having on media, the freedom of expression and right to information.
How are online outlets and the industry coping amidst a shortfall of advertising revenue? Is government aid necessary for the media’s survival, or a threat to its independence?
Experts from six Balkan countries will take part in this discussion:
To join our first debate within a series of discussions on online media regulation in the Western Balkans region, connect with us on the platform ZOOM on Wednesday, September 23, at noon CET.
Save the date and register HERE.
As part of Media for All Project, the Balkan Investigative Reporting Network, BIRN, wants to connect students and young journalists who wish to gain practical knowledge in the field by working with media organisations in the Western Balkans, which will host this four-month traineeship programme.
If you are a senior journalism student, recent graduate or a young journalist at the beginning of your career and are looking for an opportunity to learn from highly dedicated media workers and editors in some of the most respected outlets in the Western Balkans, you are welcome to apply for this programme.
Most media receive applications for internships on a rolling basis, but rarely do they have the time and resources to offer a structured programme, with interns usually missing out on proper training, mentoring and feedback. This four-month-long programme, however, will first provide key theoretical foundations, followed by a systematic, yet very practical and realistic demonstration of work in an ever-busy newsroom.
Selected candidates will receive online training on the basics of journalism from an experienced international trainer at the beginning of the programme and spend the traineeship in one media outlet, where they will receive support from senior staff to understand and learn about some of the most relevant editorial procedures.
Trainees will become full-time members of the newsroom for four months, they will attend editorial meetings, learn how to pitch ideas, chose relevant angle for a story, learn how to cover daily events, how to perform different kinds of interviews, write analyses, feature stories, etc.
We are offering 12 traineeship placements in six Western Balkans countries: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia (two placements per country, see the full list of host media here).
Due to the travel restrictions and health concerns caused by COVID-19, applicants will be placed in the outlet in their country of residence. Applicants may express their preferences as to which media outlet they would like to spend their traineeship with, but the organisers maintain the right to make the final decision about placement.
Who can apply?
Senior year journalism students, recent graduates or young journalists from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia may apply.
Applicants must be between 18 and 26 years old.
Candidates from all parts of the country in question are encouraged to apply, as the project can provide funds for travel within one country, as well as accommodation costs.
How to apply?
Applicants should complete and submit only one application that is attached to this CfA.
All applications should be submitted in English before October 4, at midnight Central European Time to [email protected] along with the following documents:
The motivation letter should show how you would benefit from this programme and your motivation to participate.
Applicants who do not have any published work can submit their student assignments from practical courses in journalism.
Applicants should provide evidence of their current status – whether they are students, recent graduates or working as journalists. This evidence includes, but are not limited to, confirmation of enrolment for the following year OR confirmation of graduation in the last two years OR evidence of your current employment.
Language:
All applications must be submitted in English, as well as applicants’ CV and motivation letter, while work samples and proof of status may be in local languages.
Working language of the initial online training on the basics of journalism will be English, so advanced knowledge of English language is required.
Traineeship programme will be delivered in local languages.
Financial support:
All selected participants will receive financial support during their placement to cover minimum living costs.
In case candidates need to travel or relocate within the country during the course of the programme, travel and accommodation costs will also be covered by the organisers.
COVID-19 restrictions:
Initial training will be delivered online, due to the different travel restrictions in the region, as well as relevant health recommendations.
Traineeship programme is set to be delivered in person, if possible, or as a combination of conventional offline approach and online, remote work.
Our main priority is to protect the health of all involved in this process, including the trainees and their mentors in the host media, so we will continue to closely monitor coronavirus-related developments and adjust relevant activities accordingly.
DURATION OF TRAINEESHIP: November 2020 – February 2021
ONLINE TRAINING: Two weeks, November 2020
CALL FOR APPLICATIONS: Download here
APPLICATION FORM: Download here
LIST OF HOST MEDIA: Download here
Applications are now open for submission of investigative articles from Bosnia and Herzegovina and Kosovo for the annual EU Investigative Journalism Award.
Investigative stories published from January 1 to December 31, 2019, and related to freedom of expression, rule of law, transparency, abuse of power and fundamental rights, corruption and organised crime are welcome to apply.
The award fund for BiH and Kosovo in 2020 (for achievements in 2019) is 10,000 EUR. The first prize will be 5,000 EUR, the second 3,000 EUR, and the third will be 2,000 EUR.
Individuals or groups of journalists are eligible to apply in all journalism forms (print, online, radio and TV) published or broadcast in the media in each country in official, minority or international languages.
Articles eligible for submission must appear in print, online, radio and TV media outlets during the 2019 calendar year.
EU Investigative Journalism Awards in the Western Balkans and Turkey aim to celebrate and promote the outstanding achievements of investigative journalists as well as improve the visibility of quality journalism in the Western Balkans and Turkey.
The awards are a continuation of the ongoing regional EU Investigative Journalism Award in the Western Balkans and Turkey and part of the ongoing project ‘Strengthening Quality News and Independent Journalism in the Western Balkans and Turkey’.
The project partners involved all have extensive expertise in the field of media freedom and have been recognised locally and internationally as strong independent media organisations.
The jury for the EU Award comprises media experts, some of them from the project consortia. Others are drawn from the extensive network projects that the consortium members have, such as editors, members of academia and journalists with merits.
Deadline for the submission of application is 18.10 2020.
For more details, contact [email protected]
Individual packages for Bosnia and Herzegovina and Kosovo can be found below.
To download all necessary documents for Kosovo in Albanian click here.
To download all necessary documents for Kosovo in Serbian click here.
To download all necessary documents for Bosnia and Herzegovina in BHS click here.
