Excellence and ethics in journalism : Partnership of RSF, FPU, Copeam, CMFE and COMMIT receives EU funding
Reporters Without Borders (RSF) is pleased to announce the signing of a grant agreement with the European Union to continue its support for cross-border partnerships in journalism. In a first round of the newly launched Creative Europe programme to promote collaboration, excellence and pluralism in the media, the consortium led by RSF will further invest in existing regional networks, the Journalism Trust Initiative (JTI) to drive compliance with professional standards, and three topical clusters to focus on. A new push for excellence, ethics and collaboration in journalism.
Over the course of the next two years, targeted offers are to be developed for participating media outlets, regional networks and individual journalists to facilitate excellence in reporting and eventually to contribute to a more diverse information space. Partners in the programme include the Amsterdam- and Prague-based media development organisation Free Press Unlimited (FPU), the Permanent Conference of Audiovisual Media Operators in the Mediterranean (Copeam) and the Community Media Forum Europe (CMFE) with its leading Austrian member COMMIT.
RSF’s Secretary General Christophe Deloire welcomed the grant decision of the European Commission in favour of this consortium. “In the context of the upcoming European Media Freedom Act we see the EU more and more living up to its responsibility to support structural and meaningful change in our information space”, he said and added: “We believe, however, that financial means and innovative ideas will never suffice without a co-regulatory framework that unlocks competitive advantages to those providers of information that adhere to basic journalistic standards, such as the JTI.”
In times where trustworthy information is needed more than before, but also where disinformation and propaganda flourish to the extent of threatening national and regional security, the excellence of journalism is considered a critical component of societal resilience and social inclusion. The unique composition of this consortium brings together an unparalleled network of member organisations, partnerships and individuals across Europe. By joining forces and expertise, it combines a range of preceding initiatives to build on, like for example the JTI and the Collaborative and Investigative Journalism Initiative (CIJI).
With a combination of those existing and new tools, support to journalists will include traditional training formats, mentoring and fellowships, micro grants and dedicated, collaborative spaces and resources online. Around three topical clusters, participants are expected to focus on climate change, public health and migration in particular.
First activities are planned to be announced as early as September 2022.
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More informations : https://www.journalismtrustinitiative.org/
Creative Europe (Cross Sectoral Strand) is funded by the European Union.
Disclaimer: Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.
