OBJECTIVES OF THE CALL

Goal:

Enhance conditions for sustainability of quality reporting and increased audience trust and outreach, notably through piloting and/or developing innovative media products and content formats.

Specific Objectives: 

- Introduction and/or consolidation of innovative media formats and tools

- Introduction and/or consolidation of mechanisms and processes fostering high-quality journalism

Target: Independent media organisations, national and local media outlets, other media actors from WB6: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo*, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia. 

No of Grants to be awarded: approximately 30 

Grant Size: up to EUR 25.000

Grant Duration: up to 1 year

The grants will support media actors - as provided for in the goals of the Programme  - in piloting and/or developing innovative media products, formats and tools, aiming at increased and diversified audience outreach, including selected target groups, such as young people, women, minorities, diaspora and other underserviced communities in terms of media coverage and inclusion. These products, formats and tools should contribute to sustainable quality reporting, resulting in an increased audience trust and outreach, thus contributing to media business development and sustainability.

Furthermore, the grants will support media actors in piloting and/or developing mechanisms and processes fostering high-quality journalism in their media organization. These mechanisms and processes should enhance journalistic skills and gender-sensitive reporting, but also comprise editorial guidelines, fact-checking and investigative techniques.

By this Call, the Programme will support up to 30 media organizations, national and local media outlets, and other media actors such as civil society organisations1, media production companies; group of media workers, free-lance journalists with recognizable track-record, etc. from the Western Balkans.

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA:

- The applicant should be established and operating in one of the Western Balkans economies.

- Status of applicant: Independent private sector media company; non-for-profit media outlet; civil society organization1; media content production company, media workers; free-lance journalists with a recognizable track record; etc. from the Western Balkans. Public broadcasters and state-controlled media are not eligible.

- Proven commitment to professional and ethical standards of journalism (e.g. through membership in press councils; adherence or compliance with other relevant recognized mechanisms, platforms, etc. established to promote professional and ethical standards in journalism)

- Transparent ownership and/or composition, with no involvement of state or state-affiliated entities; nor of senior political actors or their close relatives