IPI, MIDAS, and ERIAC announce today, August 18, the third and final call for applications for the NewsSpectrum Fellowships programme.
The fellowship is open to staff and freelance journalists and other media professionals working for minority-language media in the EU and the UK (including Roma and migrant languages). It aims to encourage working partnerships between minority-language media and their majority-language counterparts across the EU.
NewsSpectrum expects to fund around 40 fellowships in 2021 through two schemes: the Collaborative Reporting Fellowships (CRF) and the Professional Placement Fellowships (PPF), providing grants of up to €6000 to both minority-language fellowship applicants and their majority language partners, for a total of €480,000 in funding in 2021.
The Collaborative Reporting Fellowship supports reporting projects carried out by journalists working at minority-language media (including regular freelance contributors) in collaboration with a majority-language media outlet.
The Professional Placement Fellowship supports custom short-term work placements or study visits by minority-language media professionals at majority-language media. It can be used to support collaborative skills and knowledge exchange on various aspects of the newsroom, including news reporting, digital transition, business models, audience engagement, and community building.
The deadline for all applications is September 27, 23:59 CEST. See full information and FAQs
Eligibility and application details
In general, minority-language media professionals are eligible for the fellowship if their media outlet is based in the EU or the UK and produces at least 51 percent of its content in a regional or minority language (this includes migrant languages and Roma languages). Exceptions may apply in contexts where it is difficult to fulfil this requirement. Freelancers are also eligible to apply if they are based in the EU or the UK. Read more about which languages are eligible here. The majority-language reporting partner or host must also be based in the EU or the UK. Cross-border collaborations are welcomed.
In-person fellowships are encouraged, in line with NewsSpectrum’s goal of building sustainable partnerships between minority- and majority-language media. This applies especially to the Professional Placement Fellowship
In general, both fellowships are expected to last at least two weeks, but flexible durations are possible. Fellowships funded under the third round of the project must be carried out any time between the end of September and January 15, 2022. This means that all collaborative reporting projects must be published and all professional placements must be completed by January 15, 2022.
Both the minority-language media fellow and the majority-language reporting partner or host can each request up to €6,000 per fellowship. For minority-language fellows, the grant can cover salary costs (directly reimbursed to the employer) as well as a stipend for local costs (e.g., accommodation and subsistence). Travel costs will be covered additionally. For majority-language media, the grant can also cover salary costs as well as travel costs, if relevant.
To apply, interested media professionals should read the full description, eligibility and selection criteria, and application instructions on the NewsSpectrum website. Applications must be sent in English. Applicants are strongly encouraged to secure a reporting partner or host organisation before applying. However, the NewsSpectrum project partners stand ready to try to connect promising applicants with suitable host organisations.
Get inspired and read about our first batch of NewsSpectrum fellows, who are partnering with leading media outlets across Europe!
Fellows will be chosen by a five-member independent selection committee. The programme is committed to strictly protecting the editorial independence of all grantees.
The NewsSpectrum programme aims to support the innovation and sustainability of minority-language media as crucial members of a free, diverse and pluralistic media environment in Europe. It also seeks to support media coverage that reports knowledgeably on minority issues and includes the perspective of representatives of minority language groups in news coverage.
NewsSpectrum is co-funded by the European Commission within the framework of the pilot project “Internship opportunities for Minority Language Media”, with additional financial support from ERIAC.
Questions?
We encourage interested applicants to visit the NewsSpectrum website and our FAQs page on applying. If you still have questions, feel free to get in touch with us.
Contacts
Josh LaPorte (IPI): [email protected]
Anna-Kira Pirhofer (MIDAS): [email protected]
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