EU funding opportunities for the news media sector

The media freedom hub

This call for proposals will support one project with € 3 million, to provide core funding to media in exile in the EU from Ukraine, Russia and Belarus. Deadline 28 May 2026 

Call for Proposals: Journalism Partnerships - Pluralism (2026)

With this yearly call, the EU supports organisations/intermediaries that support news media in areas of special relevance to democracy.
EU funding: € 6.9 million

Expected duration of projects: 24 months
 

Third Preparatory Action call for the European Narratives Observatory

This is a call for proposals for EU action grants in the field of pilot projects and preparatory actions. This call will fund two projects:

• The first, with a budget of €1.5 million, will focus on the monitoring of narratives and the detection of malicious campaigns in the EU’s information space.
• The second, with a budget of €1.65 million, will focus on analysing the impact of online disinformation on citizens and developing concrete responses to reduce societal polarisation.

Expected duration: 18 months

Second Preparatory Action call on the Network of European Fact-Checkers to fight disinformation

This Preparatory Action call will fund projects increasing the reach and impact of professional content produced by independent fact-checking organisations in the EU.

Budget: €1.6 million

Expected duration: between 12 and 18 months

Media Ownership Monitoring System

Building on the database created in the first and second pilot projects, the objective is to update and expand a country-based database containing information on media ownership and a systematic assessment of both relevant legal frameworks and risks to media ownership transparency in the twenty-seven EU Member States. The selected project is managed by a consortium led by the Paris-Lodron Universität Salzburg (PLUS).

EU support: up to €500 000

Defending media freedom and pluralism – Rapid response mechanism

This action encompasses fact-finding, advocacy, monitoring, and awareness raising. It will bring violations of press and media freedom to the forefront, and provide practical help to journalists under threat. The selected project is led by the European Centre for Press and Media.Freedom,

EU support: up to €3 000 000

Monitoring media pluralism in the digital age

The Media Pluralism Monitoris a scientific tool designed to identify potential risks to media pluralism. The project is led by the Centre for Media Pluralism and Media Freedom.

EU support: up to €1,1 million

The European Union – The Media Freedom Hub

The Free Media Hub EAST (FMHE) prioritises direct financial support to independent media and will award over €2m (70% of the EU’s contribution) directly to some 20 key Russian and Belarusian outlets in exile. The project  builds on the successful first iteration that has proven to be a reliable, adaptable, and increasingly vital media support instrument. 

EU support: €2 940 000

European Festival of Journalism and Media Information Literacy

This project builds on the success of the aideMedia pilot, expanding the Voices to empower journalists, media professionals, civil society, and citizens. The central objectives are:

• to create an inclusive spaces for dialogue on journalism, media freedom, and democratic resilience;
• to support awareness and implementation of the European Media Freedom Act among key stakeholders;
• to provide a knowledge hub for media professionals, policymakers, and civil society to exchange expertise and improve media and digital policy;
• to bridge the European and local perspectives in promoting media freedom, journalism, and information integrity.

The selected project is managed by a consortium led by the European University Institute – EUI.

EU Support: €3 million

Journalism Partnerships – Pluralism (2024)

This call for proposals supports organisations/intermediaries to set up dedicated funding schemes in news media areas of especial relevance to democracy (such as local/regional media, independent and investigative journalism, and public interest news). Three projects have been selected. 

Budget: €5 million

Expected duration of projects: 24 months

Journalism Partnerships - Pluralism (2025) 

This call for proposals supports organisations/intermediaries to set up dedicated funding schemes in news media areas of especial relevance to democracy (such as local and regional media, community media, investigative journalism or media specialised in public interest news). Two projects have been selected.    

Budget: €5 million

Expected duration of projects: 24 months

Journalism Partnerships - Collaborations (2026)

The 6th yearly call is open for cross-border, collaborative proposals between news media organisations focusing on innovative business models and/or journalistic projects across Europe.

EU funding: € 6.9 million

Expected duration of projects: 24 months

Data space for media (deployment)

Following a call for proposals in 2022, one pan-European consortium sets up and deploys a secure and trusted data space to allow for an enhanced data-based collaboration among EU media organisations at large. It will also create new data-driven business opportunities to support the EU media sector in tackling existing and new challenges of the digital economy.

EU support: €8 million

Duration: from 1 October 2023 to 30 September 2026

Journalism Partnerships – Collaborations (2024)

Through this call for proposals the EU will fund cross-border, collaborative proposals between news media organisations focusing on innovative business models and/or journalistic projects across Europe. Six projects have been selected.

EU funding: €6 million

Duration: approx. 2 years per project

Expected duration of projects: 24 months

Journalism Partnerships - Collaborations (2025)

Through this call for proposals, the EU funds cross-border, collaborative proposals between news media organisations focusing on innovative business models and/or journalistic projects across Europe. Four projects have been selected.

EU funding: €6.7 million

Expected duration: 24 months

EU audio reporting

This call for proposals targets projects focused on increasing independent reporting on European issues through audio formats and expanding its dissemination via broadcasting and/or digital platforms.

Budget: €4.5 million

Expected duration: 24 months

Pan European reporting (2026)

This call for proposals is to support independent pan European reporting on EU affairs by EU media outlets. The call is split into three different topics focusing on audiovisual and on online/digital reporting.

Budget: €16 million

Expected duration:

Topic 1: between 12 and 15 months
Topic 2: between 12 and 15 months
Topic 3: between 18 and 24 months

Supporting a trustworthy social media sphere for young Europeans (2025)

This call for proposals aims to raise awareness among young Europeans about information integrity risks on social media, bolstering media literacy skills.

Budget: €6 million

Expected duration: 24 months

Media Literacy (2026)

This call for proposals aims to boost societal resilience against disinformation and information manipulation through innovative cross-border media literacy projects. 

Budget: €3 million

Expected duration: 24 months
 

Information Measures for the EU Cohesion policy

This call invites media outlets, universities, communication agencies, and both private and public entities to submit their proposals for producing editorially independent content on the subject.

Budget: €3.5 million

Expected duration: 12 months

A European public sphere: a new online media offer for young Europeans (2024)

Four projects were selected to support the production of daily, thought-provoking and trustworthy content on current affairs from across Europe for and by young Europeans.

Budget: €9 million

Expected duration: 14 months

Pan European reporting (2025)

This call for proposals is to support independent pan European reporting on EU affairs by EU media outlets. The call is split into three different topics focusing on audiovisual and on online/digital reporting.

Four projects have been selected.

Budget: €13.5 million

Expected duration:

• Topic 1: between 12 and 14 months
• Topic 2: between 12 and 14 months
• Topic 3: between 18 and 24 months

EU digital reporting (2024)

This call for proposals will support the production and distribution of reliable information, in particular on EU affairs, through digital formats in as many languages and Member States as possible. It aims to provide citizens with a wide choice of online news content, leveraging Europe’s diversity as an asset for democracy and pluralism.

The two selected projects showcase a high use of innovative editorial formats and dissemination strategies, as well as professional journalistic standards and full editorial independence.

Budget: €5 million

Expected duration: 24 months

EU audio reporting

This call for proposals supports the production of innovative audio formats and their distribution across Europe. It aims to increase independent reporting on European issues mainly through audio formats and to increase the reach of such content via broadcasting and/or digital platforms across the EU to as many EU citizens as possible and especially in countries where there is limited information on EU affairs. Euranet Plus has been selected for funding.

Budget: €4.5 million

Expected duration: 24 months

European Media Hubs

Three pan-European projects have been selected to produce and distribute news and factual programming on European affairs through the set-up or expansion of media hubs).

EU support for 2026-2027: €7 400 000

Duration: 2 years per project 

Citizens facing European TV and Video News Portal (2024)

MOSAIC has the objective to develop a prototypical European AI-enhanced platform, serving as a central, scalable hub for broadcasters and news creators, distributors and consumers.

Budget: €2.5 million

Expected duration: 18 months

Establishment of national EDMO hubs

Eight national fact-checking hubs have been selected to increase the capacity of detecting, analysing and exposing disinformation campaigns at national/regional level under the European Digital Media Observatory (EDMO).

EU support: approx. €11 million

Media Literacy

See the beneficiaries of the 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025 calls for proposals at the bottom of each page.

EU support: from €2 000 000 to €2 570 000 per year

Duration: projects last up to 2 years