Call for Journalists and Researchers on Media Freedom and Journalists’ Safety in Albania

• Eligibility Criteria
  – The call on Media Freedom and Journalists’ Safety only applies to journalists and researchers from Albania with previous experience on these topics;
  – They will also work with experienced editors as mentors to guide them through the process of writing in accordance with BIRN standards;
  – They support various forms, including investigations, data-rich stories and research papers.
• Type of Funding: Programmatic
• Target Region: Albania
• Application Language: Albanian

The Balkan Investigative Reporting Network in Albania (BIRN Albania) has announced an open call for applications, offering grants to local journalists and researchers to produce research papers and in-depth analyses on media freedom and journalists’ safety in Albania.

The call is part of the project “Strengthening Media Freedom, Professionalism and Journalists’ Safety in Albania”, funded by the European Union and implemented by BIRN Albania in partnership with the Science for Innovation Development Centre, SCiDEV and Qendra Faktoje.

The project aims through training and mentoring to build the capacities of local media and journalists to monitor Albania’s progress on media freedom and flag freedom of expression violations and other issues related to the overall safety of journalists.

Topics

The grants to local journalists and researchers to produce research papers or media analyses should prioritise one of the following topics:

• Impact of media concentration and political interference on editorial independence;
• Impact of social media and technology on professional journalism;
• Threats and online harassment of journalists;
• Protection mechanisms / impunity for attacks on journalists;
• Challenges in reporting from local and rural areas;
• Barriers to female journalists’ safety and advancement;
• Ethical reporting on gender, minorities or marginalised communities;
• Working conditions and labour rights of journalists and media workers in Albania;
• Role of disinformation, propaganda or foreign information manipulations and interference (FIMI) in the information ecosystem.

Funding Information

• BIRN is offering three grants for journalists and researchers to cover their expenses while conducting investigations and research on topics related to media freedom and journalists’ safety in Albania, as well as mentoring by experienced editors.
• Awarded journalists and researchers will receive a scholarship of 1,500 euros gross (minus personal income tax).

See here to learn more and apply.

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