Multimedia Actions

Currently, the following types of actions receive support:

1. Pan-EU audiovisual reporting
2. EU audio reporting
3. EU digital reporting
4. The production of news on EU affairs and its dissemination by media hubs

The 2024 Financing Decision on Multimedia Actions allocates €20,7 million to support this years’ actions.

Pan-EU audiovisual reporting

This action aims to enhance the quantity, quality and impact of independent audiovisual (AV) reporting on EU affairs by pan-European media outlets in as many languages and EU member states as possible. This includes delivering content on EU affairs in areas where such content is scarce (for example, through an AV news service in Hungarian).

This action is supported through a call for proposals as of 2024.

Until now, the pan-EU audiovisual reporting has been covered through successive Framework Partnerships Agreements (FPA) signed directly with the TV channel Euronews. The current FPA with Euronews was signed in 2021 and will run until the end of 2024. This FPA is implemented through specific, annual grant agreements, which are monitored through external audits and evaluations. These partnerships cover the production and broadcast of European programmes, a network of correspondents, and several language services (Hungarian, Greek, Portuguese and Arabic).

EU audio reporting

Radio is a trusted source of news for the public in many Member States and, more recently, new audio formats such as podcasts have become ingrained in people’s news consumption habits. This action aims to stimulate innovative reporting on EU affairs using multiple audio formats, whether through traditional or digital stations and platforms. It encompasses the production and dissemination of audio programmes on EU affairs by European media, both on air and/or on digital platforms.

Support to radio has been provided through successive calls. Following the last call, a 2-year grant agreement (€4.4 million) covering 2023 and 2024 was signed with the radio network Euranet Plus. Under this agreement, each of the 15 radio stations from the network produce and broadcast at least 10 minutes per week of content that explain EU affairs to their listeners through multiple viewpoints.  

A new call for proposals will be published in 2024.

EU digital reporting

Online information is becoming increasingly popular among citizens as one of the most consumed mediums, and digital technologies are providing new opportunities for debate. This action aims to support trusted, shared EU public spaces online, where Europeans can access information and take part in pluralistic debates, overcoming language barriers.  

The Commission has been supporting digital reporting through different projects and actions. This action builds on the results of the preparatory action European Media Platforms. The Multimedia Actions has also covered the provision of data-driven news on EU affairs. Following a call in 2022, two projects, European Data News Hub and European Data Journalism Network (EDJNet), will run until spring 2025.

A new call for proposals on digital reporting will be published in 2024.

EU news by media hubs

Since 2020, the Commission invites applicants to join efforts and come with new ideas to increase the curation, production and circulation of professional news content and non-fictional programming (e.g. documentaries) through digital media platforms and production hubs.

In 2021, following a call for proposals, support worth €1.76 million was granted to a consortium of 16 news agencies, coordinated by the dpa (German Press Agency). The partners established the 'European Newsroom', a space for correspondents to work and train together in Brussels with a view to producing and disseminating news on EU affairs. The EU co-financing covered two years (2022-2023). Following up on this action, the Commission launched in 2023 a new €8 million call for proposals ‘European Media Hubs’. Results will be announced in April 2024 and projects will run until end of 2026.

This action is part of the News Initiative