NEWS: Journalism partnerships - Pluralism

The European news media sectors play a crucial and valuable role in Europe. Yet, they are facing multiple challenges. Partially as a result of the digital shift, with readers shifting to online sources and traditional news outlets losing advertising revenues, the economic sustainability of professional journalism has come under pressure. Media pluralism has also been weakened over the years: many media at the local level as well as those putting their public interest mission before profits, have had to close down, posing risks for the good functioning of democracy.

Topic 2. “Journalism Partnerships - Pluralism”. This topic will support civil society organisations activein media, and help them in setting up supporting schemes for news media organisations and independent journalism, as well as other capacity-building measures. These actions, including third party support, will target media active in sectors of special relevance to democracy and civic participation, such as local and regional media, community media, independent and investigative journalism and other organisations delivering public interest news.

Expected Outcome

• Increased innovation and creativity in business models, journalistic production processes and distribution processes
• Increased interest in journalism, among various social groups, language groups and age groups
• Increased viability of professionally produced journalistic content
• Increased resilience, pluralism and editorial independence of media sectors at European level, such as local, regional and community media, investigative media or media specialised in public interest topics
• Increased resilience of civil society organisations active in the news media sectors and protection of the news media landscape
• Improved uptake of new technologies across the targeted media sectors in as much this contributes to media pluralism and a diverse media landscape
• Fostering repositories of knowledge about media sectors delivering public interest news (e.g. by detecting areas with low provision of high-quality content and/or in which media pluralism is strained)

Activities that can be funded

Independent media play a crucial and valuable role in societies, in particular by upholding the essential principles of media freedom and pluralism. However, new consumption patterns and revenue models are impacting the viability of media, exposing the sectors to phenomena such as shrinking newsrooms, media deserts and a deterioration of pluralism. In this context, media sectors that are important for democracy lack the means of adapting to the digital environment, and more support is needed for them to continue providing a first-hand source of original reporting to citizens and help keeping decision-makers accountable.

Civil society organisations active in the news media landscape are uniquely placed to provide this support, while guaranteeing the sectors’ independence and diversity. Thus, this topic invites these organisations to setup supporting schemes for news media organisations and independent journalism, as well as other capacity building measures. The proposed activities must be run by civil society organisations and must focus on news media sectors of special relevance to democracy and civic participation, in particular:

- Local and regional media

- Independent and investigative journalism

- Organisations delivering public interest news/public service journalism (such as community, legal and civic journalism and media, or news increasing transparency about the media)

Applicants must present, develop and implement funding schemes focusing on independent media and organisations primarily active in one or more of these sectors, in view of the role the latter play in enhancing democracy, shaping the public debate and bringing benefits to their audiences and communities, instead of focusing on profit.

These funding schemes shall take the form of financial support to third parties. They will cover as many areas and news media organisations as possible. They shall focus on activities that contribute to sustaining, improving or transforming the work of the targeted parties. Activities can consist of:

- Editorial production, coverage and innovations

- The development of governance standards and editorial oversights

- The improvement of distribution and dissemination of news

- The development and engagement of audiences

- The development or maintenance of technical tools applying to the above topics

- Training on the above topics, legal advice and sectorial events

In addition to funding schemes, applicants can propose capacity building measures benefitting their chosen sector/s (e.g. development of deontological standards, budgetary readiness, development of criteria and indicators framing their support, repositories of knowledge, legal advice or trainings of journalists for example on how to address cases of unfounded court proceedings against public participation).

All projects need to respect widely accepted professional media standards. The chosen standards and criteria should be indicated in the proposal and confirmed with a signed Declaration on Standards & Independence (Annexed to the Application form). In cases of support given to editorial work, third parties need to operate with full editorial independence.

A minimum of 80% of the projected budget per action must be used within entities based in the European Union –either through direct or third party support. Applicants are invited to focus on areas with low provision of the specific news described above or in media markets where media pluralism is strained. They are also invited to include the needs of smaller newsrooms.

Activities must actively provide support in minimum 4 European Union countries.