Application Deadline:28 May 2021
The NewsSpectrum Collaborative Reporting Fellowships provide support to joint reporting projects between minority- and majority-language media.
The NewsSpectrum Collaborative Reporting Fellowships provide support to joint reporting projects carried out by journalists working at minority-language media in partnership with a majority-language media outlet.
Up to 20 fellowships will be funded in 2021, providing a total of €240,000 to minority- and majority-language journalists and media outlets in the EU.
The Collaborative Reporting Fellowships provide financial support to specific reporting projects. The Collaborative Reporting Fellowship aims to encourage collaboration and exchange, promote quality coverage of minority-related issues and strengthen the capacity of minority-language media in the EU.
Here’s an overview of the key application criteria:
- Applications for the fellowship must be submitted jointly by a team of:
- A journalist or media worker working at a minority-language media organisation in the EU or the UK. This includes freelancers who are regular contributors to a minority-language media organisation; and
- A majority-language media organisation based in the EU or the UK.
- The reporting project must focus on a topic of public interest to the audiences of both media organisations. The project must be planned to be published by both media organisations and must involve collaboration between the minority-language and majority-language journalists/media organisations.
- Applicants are encouraged to include an in-person portion (at least two weeks) during which the minority-language journalist works in-person at the majority-language media organisation. The fellowship will cover the costs of travel and accommodation for this purpose. However, in light of the COVID-19 situation, applicants may put forward a reporting project in which the team members collaborate remotely, providing that the aims of the fellowship can still be met.
- The Fellowship is open to journalists and media organisations working on all platforms, including print, broadcast, online media and multi-platform story-telling.
Which minority media outlets are eligible?
Minority-language journalists are eligible for the fellowship if their media outlet produces at least 51% of its content in a regional or minority language (including migrant languages and Roma languages) – this means any language that is not a national official language of the country where the media organisation is based. (For more details, see “How do you define minority-language media” on our FAQ page.)
In addition, priority will be given to media that meet the following criteria:
- publish original content on a regularly scheduled basis (e.g., daily, weekly, monthly). Original means self-produced information that is not republished content or a simple aggregation of news;
- have a track record of quality content;
- have at least 2 employed journalists or regular contributors; and
- an audience based primarily in the EU or the UK.
Eligible topics
In general, the reporting project can focus on any public-interest topic that is relevant to the audiences of both media organisations.
However, priority will be given to projects that highlight the specific situation or perspective of minority groups in the EU, that deal with relations between minority and majority groups, and/or that encourage an informed discussion of European affairs in minority-language media and the audiences they serve.
Applicants are encouraged to put forward projects that offer new information or shed new light on issues of public debate. Cross-border collaborations are encouraged.
All types of reporting are welcome, including investigative journalism, feature writing, explanatory reporting, and news analysis. Projects can also be a combination of different reporting types.
Stories can be published in any form, including print, video, and audio. Projects that incorporate digital storytelling techniques and audiovisual formats are especially welcome.
Funding details
Teams may request up to €12,000. However, each partner in the project (the minority-language journalist fellow and the majority-language media organisation) is limited to no more than €6,000.
Applicants must submit a budget as part of their application, using the budget template provided. The budget template provides further details about which costs can be included; please read the instructions on the budget template carefully. Applicants must also state if they have additional funding from other sources for their project.
Official Website: NewsSpectrum Collaborative Reporting Fellowships 2021
