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The total EU support amounts to approximately €14 million over two years. Since 2021, the Commission launches yearly calls for proposals for journalism partnerships under Creative Europe, as part of the NEWS initiative in the Commission’s Media and Audiovisual Action Plan.
These calls support cross-border projects that aim to strengthen the wider news media sector. Applicants could propose multiple activities, such as the development of common business and editorial standards, testing of new types of newsrooms and new formats, or training programmes. Proposals were evaluated by independent experts and the selected projects receive 80% EU co-financing during two years. Their editorial independence is guaranteed within the grant agreements.
The first call, issued in 2021, attracted 32 proposals from across Europe, resulting in seven selected projects. The second call, issued in 2022, attracted 64 proposals, out of which the following 12 projects will receive funding. More details and contact details for each of these projects can be found at the bottom of this page.
Selected projects
- Collaborative and Investigative Journalism Initiative
The Collaborative and Investigative Journalism Initiative (CIJI2) equips media outlets and professionals with resources in at least 15 languages, training activities, standard-based methods and a networking structure consisting of 6 media hubs across Europe. EU support: €2,388,989.
- Collaborative Journalism Europe in a Global Context
Collaborative Journalism Europe in a Global Context (CJEGC) is a project proposed by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) and 3 partners from across Europe. It will mainly support cross-border investigations with digital tools for data use and professional collaboration. EU support: €2,000,122.
- Come Together – Strengthening community media in Europe
Come Together aims to strengthen community media across Europe, by sharing best practices in business models, audience engagement and content dissemination. The project is based on partnership and peer-to-peer learning between 7 partners from 6 countries. EU support: €1,032,853.
- Promoting and Expanding Deaf Journalism in Europe through Sign Languages
Deaf Journalism in Europe (DJE) aims to enhance tools and skills for deaf journalists, to produce articles on deaf communities and to promote the use of sign languages in visual news across Europe. It gathers 7 partners from 7 countries. EU support: €1,062,639.
- IQMEDIA
IQMedia gathers 6 partners to support the digital upskilling of news media professionals in Greece, Cyprus, Portugal and France through an online academy for journalists and publishers, an R&D lab and concrete collaborations. EU support: €934,683.
- Monetising Value, towards financial sustainable independent public-interest journalism
Monetising Value (MV) aims to support independent public interest media become financially sustainable. It uses surveys, sets up a reference network, and facilitates meetings between media and funders. It gathers 5 partners from across Europe and is coordinated by Arena for Journalism. EU support: €519,896.
- NEWAVES
Newaves focuses on the needs of radio and community media. It aims to set up a pan-European network and platform to facilitate the exchange of content and best practices. The project gathers 7 partners from 4 countries. EU support: €733,052.
- NEWLOCAL
NewLocal gathers 10 partners from Croatia, Serbia, Montenegro and Slovenia to develop new relations with their audiences through the development of mobile apps with features allowing better interactivity and discoverability. The project also includes knowledge-sharing activities withing the consortia and publicly. EU support: €391,748.
- The Eastern Frontier Initiative
The Eastern Frontier Initiative (TEFI) brings together 5 independent publishers from 5 countries to collaborate on content and business development. The project focuses on fact-based information on European defence and security and includes journalist training by Bellingcat. EU support: €1,076,718.
- WEPOD
The project aims to create collaborations around the production, distribution, promotion and monetisation of journalistic podcasts. The consortium gathers 10 partners from 7 countries and is coordinated by Prisa Media. EU support: €2,440,714.
- XQ.EUJOY
The European Youth Journalism project XQ.EUJOY gathers 5 partners from Spain, Portugal and Italy and aims to expand the existing project revistaXQ across Europe through the involvement of young journalists and media focusing on youth. EU support: €499,972.
- YoCoJoin
The Youth Community Journalism Initiative (YoCoJoin) aims to boost youth representation in local media, which in turn can help local media reach young audiences. The project gathers 7 partners from 7 countries, foresees training of at least 30 young reporters in each country, and will spread lessons learned to non-partner media. EU support: €923,009.
2023 call for proposals for Journalism Partnerships
The third call for proposals for Journalism Partnerships was published in December 2022 with a deadline on 27 April 2023, for projects starting early 2024. The evaluation is ongoing, and grants will be signed by the end of 2023. The next call for proposals is expected to be published by the end of 2023.
Background
Journalism Partnerships are part of the NEWS initiative in the Commission’s Media and Audiovisual Action Plan. As part of this initiative, the Commission has also increased dialogue with the sector, among others through a European News Media Forum. In addition, the European Democracy Action Plan announced a range of actions to strengthen media freedom and media literacy.
For an overview of these and other grants to news media, see updates on this page or the infosheet of July 2023.