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This page presents EU grants for the news media sector under three main categories: “media freedom and pluralism”, “collaboration and innovation”, and “citizen engagement and public sphere”. Where relevant, the Commission includes an independence clause in the grants signed so that beneficiaries operate with full editorial independence.
In addition to currently open calls for proposals, this page includes current beneficiaries of closed calls for proposals. Once the funding period is over projects are removed from this page.
These calls of proposals are also available in the Interactive mapping tool on funding opportunities for audiovisual and news media. For information about the European Commission support to the news media sector beyond grants, please visit the ‘News Initiative’ page.
Funding opportunities come from different instruments, such as established programmes or pilot projects and preparatory actions. The application process differs from a funding instrument to another. This page offers you the link towards the page where the actual call is published, containing the instructions to apply.
The funding opportunities are split below into the following categories:
- Media freedom and pluralism
- Collaboration and innovation
- Citizen engagement and public sphere
1. Media freedom and pluralism
Media freedom and pluralism are essential principles enshrined by the European Charter of Fundamental Rights. Funding instruments include pilot projects and preparatory actions, and as of 2021 through the Creative Europe programme.
There are currently no open calls for proposals
European Festival of Journalism and Media Information Literacy
The “European Festival of Journalism and Media Information Literacy” is aimed at reinforcing dialogue, cooperation and partnership in the EU among journalists, media outlets including public service media, civil society organisations and media literacy professionals, focusing on crucial questions for the profession. With a special attention on youth, including journalists’ students, people and social media.
Budget: €990,500
Journalism Partnerships – pluralism (2023)
For the first time in 2023, the annual Journalism Partnerships call for proposals includes a topic to support media pluralism. This topic will result in grants to media of particular relevance to democracy and civic participation, such as local media, investigative journalism and public interest news. NB. The call for proposals also maintains its usual topic for media collaborations.
Budget: €5 million
Media Ownership Monitoring System
Building on the database created in the first pilot project, the objective is to provide 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 twelve Member States not covered by the first pilot. The selected project is managed by a consortium led by the Paris-Lodron Universität Salzburg (PLUS).
EU support: up to €500,000
Duration: from October 2022 until September 2023
Supporting local and regional news media in face of emerging news deserts
The “Local Media for Democracy” project will increase understanding around the pan-European news deserts phenomenon, and reinforce the capacities of local and regional media, in light of their key contribution to local democracy, social cohesion and civic participation. The project is coordinated by the European Federation of Journalists.
EU support: up to €1,990,000
Duration: from February 2023 until July 2024
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 projectis led by the European Centre for Press and Media.Freedom,
EU support: up to €3,100,000
Monitoring media pluralism in the digital age
The Media Pluralism Monitor is a scientific tool designed to identify potential risks to media pluralism. The 2022 report was published on 30 June 2022. The project is led by the Centre for Media Pluralism and Media Freedom.
EU support: up to €1,1 million
Press and media councils
This action aims to further strengthen the position of press and media councils in a converged media environment and help in further development of deontological standards. Its outcomes will include the development and maintenance of a database on media self-regulatory bodies; exchange of best practices; support to new media councils; training for journalists; cooperation with media regulators; assistance in developing journalistic standards. The selected project is led by FundacionBlanquerna,
EU support: €1.000.000
The European Union – the media freedom hub
This action aims to support existing and established independent Russian and Belarusian media working in the EU. The selected project Free Media Hub EAST project is led by the Prague Civil Society Centre. It will award over €2.2 million in grants, provide assistance and psychological support, invest in technological solutions and strengthen cooperation between local hubs where these exiled media are located in the EU (mainly Czechia, Germany, Poland, Latvia, Lithuania).
EU support: €3 million
2. Collaboration and innovation
The Commission aims to support the transformation and competitiveness of the news media sector. This support comes from grants under Creative Europe and research programmes (Horizon Europe, Digital Europe) and pilot projects and preparatory actions.
European media platforms (2023)
Grants will support projects that aim to improve citizens’ access to trusted information, by enhancing and expanding technical media systems delivering news media content and/or programming.
Budget: €6,000,000
Deadline: 18 October 2023
Citizen facing European TV and Video News Portal
This new action will help create a European streaming portal that facilitates people’s access to diverse content provided by public and private broadcasters. It will also use artificial intelligence tools and prepare the ground towards more immersive and shared viewing experiences.
Budget: €2.5 million
Deadline: 30 September 2023
Data space for media (deployment)
The grant will fund a project that creates and deploys an infrastructure to process and organise data of media providers across Europe (incl. all media sectors, such as news audiovisual entertainment or gaming),
Budget: €8 million
Journalism partnerships – collaborations (2023)
The third annual Journalism Partnerships call for proposals continues to support collaborations between media. Under topic 1 (collaborations) it will support testing of viable business models, developing business and editorial standards and training and mobility of professionals among others. NB. For the first time in 2023, the call also contains a second topic to support media pluralism.
Budget: €5 million
Journalism partnerships (2021 and 2022)
The first two yearly call for proposals for Journalism Partnerships have resulted in seven projects in 2021 and twelve projects in 2022, to support sector-wide, cross-border collaboration among news media organisations across Europe.
EU support: €8 million in 2021, €14 million in 2022
Duration: approx. 2 years per project.
European media platforms (2022)
Three projects receive support to improve citizens’ access to trusted information, by enhancing and expanding technical media systems delivering news media content and/or programming.
EU support: €6 million
Duration varies depending on the project.
Innovation for Media, including eXtended Reality (IA)
The four selected projects develop new modular tools, components and/or services addressing technical, organisational, commercial and legal aspects of data management and usage for new media applications.
EU support: €26 million
3. Citizen engagement and public sphere
The Commission wants to stimulate a lively and diverse public sphere, in which citizens have access to reliable information about the EU. Support for independent production and dissemination of news content on EU affairs is available through the Multimedia Actions. In addition, the Commission supports the development of innovative and attractive projects to engage with citizens, as well as media literacy.
- The procedure to apply to these funding opportunities changes depending on the funding source.
- Under established programmes (e.g. Creative Europe, Horizon Europe) the procedures are centralised in the Funding & tender opportunities portal as a unique place where the calls for proposals are published, where applicants must upload their applications, and where the list of beneficiaries and project descriptions are published.
European media hubs (2023)
The objective of this action is to produce and distribute news and factual programming on European affairs through the set-up or expansion of media hubs (e.g. physical/virtual newsrooms).
EU support: €8,000,000
Deadline: 25 September 2023
Information Measures for the EU Cohesion policy
This call for proposals aims to promote and foster a better understanding among the general public and stakeholders of the role of Cohesion policy in supporting all EU'’s regions; to increase awareness of projects funded by the EU, and to encourage dialogue and debate on Cohesion policy, its results, its role in delivering on the EU’s political priorities and on its future.
Budget: €7,000,000
Media representation and inclusion for refugees and migrants
The objective of this call for proposals is to identify ways to promote inclusive social media in Europe, and to vulnerable groups like migrants and refugees creating their own narratives about the place and role of the refugees and migrants in European societies and communities.
Budget: €490,500
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
European programmes by Euronews
The Commission signed a new 3-year Framework Partnership Agreement with the TV broadcaster Euronews in July 2021, supporting the production of content on EU affairs in multiple languages.
EU support: €14,584,000 in 2022
Duration: annual grants until June 2024
Coverage of EU affairs through radio
The Commission supports the coverage of EU affairs in radio programmes across Europe. The grant supports Euranet Plus in the production & distribution of content on EU affairs by at least 15 radio stations.
EU support: up to €4,4 million
Duration: from January 2023 until December 2024
Information measures relating to the EU Cohesion policy
DG REGIO regularly issues calls providing support for the production and dissemination of information and content linked to EU Cohesion policy. 31 projects have been selected under this call.
EU support: €1 million
Duration varies depending on the project, maximum 24 months
Coverage of EU affairs through multilingual platforms
A consortium of 18 news agencies coordinated by the German Press Agency will establish the ‘European Newsroom’, a space for news correspondents to work and train together, with a view to improving journalistic quality standards in Europe and produce and disseminate news on EU affairs.
EU support: €1,760,000
Duration: from January 2022 until December 2023
Data-driven coverage of EU affairs
Two media consortia receive support to enrich coverage around EU affairs from multiple perspectives: the European Data News Hub, gathering six leading European press agencies producing infographics, video, audio, podcasts and text stories in nine languages, and the European Data Journalism Network, a network of 12 core partners from across Europe, plus associated media, producing and promoting data-driven coverage of European topics.
EU support: up to €700,000 each
Duration: 2 years, starting spring 2023
A European public sphere: a new online media offer for young Europeans (2022)
Four media consortia receive support to produce and distribute innovative, thought-provoking content around current affairs for young Europeans.The concortia produce innovative content in several languages and spread it in diverse online channels to reach target audiences of up to 34 years old.
EU support: €9 million
Duration: 17/18 months, starting in April 2023
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