Second edition: Stars4Media exchange and training programme call for application out
The second edition of the Stars4Media exchange and training programme is now open for media professionals from different EU countries who wish to develop new editorial products or test innovative ideas. The call for application will run until 1 July 2021.
The EU-funded programme is born with the ambition to make the media sector more sustainable by fostering innovation and quality journalism and building new partnerships between media organisations across Europe. The first edition started at the end of 2019, shortly before the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite a turbulent year, it successfully supported 105 media professionals from 42 media outlets in 17 European countries.
The European Federation of Journalists ( EFJ), as the main representative of journalists in Europe, is one of the partners alongside the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Europe’s MediaLab (Fondation EURACTIV) and the World Association of News Publishers (WAN-IFRA). They came together around the same idea: media organisations and professionals, facing similar challenges, should be given opportunities to learn from each other and benefit from cross-border collaboration.
“With the ongoing coronavirus-fuelled media crisis we need to create trust in the media, go with the digital shift, diversify the newsrooms and production, and tackle disinformation. There are some glimmers of hope with interesting new journalistic start-ups and a project like Stars4Media is a great chance to get support both financially and through professional coaching, said EFJ Director Renate Schroeder. Last year we had some excellent innovative projects, two winning ones coming from freelance journalists,” she added.
Concretely, Stars4Media allows media professionals (reporters, web developers, AI experts…) to work during four months on an innovative collaborative project, involving at least two media organisations from two different EU countries to cooperate at editorial, technological or organisational levels. Media organisations, but also freelance journalists, can participate with a multidisciplinary team to address one of the following topics:
- Journalism, Trust and Participation
- Media Technology and Marketing
- Other Innovations
In order to participate, interested media professionals, journalists and media organisations should read the Call for initiatives and submit an application by the two deadlines: May 1st, 2021 and July 1st, 2021. Following the two opportunities for submission, an independent jury composed of media experts will select the proposals for initiatives which will receive funding.
In addition, Stars4Media provides guidance, coaching and training thanks to a pool of media professionals experts in their field. Read more about coaching opportunities here.
All information about the application process can be found on www.stars4media.eu
