IMS will drive forward solutions in “our own backyard” 

Since IMS was founded 20 years ago, the organisation has focused on promoting freedom of expression and safety of journalists in countries affected by armed conflict, political transition, weak democratic systems and authoritarian rule. This has meant that nearly all of our work has been done outside of EU.

However, in recent years it has become clear that challenges such as threats to journalists and media, state laws targeting freedom of expression and the decline of local media are very much also present within the EU countries. For this reason, IMS is working in partnership with other media development organisations and key stakeholders on two projects that are strengthening plural and diverse news ecosystems within the EU. 

“IMS recognises that even within western Europe there are significant territories that persistently fall outside of media development agendas yet where the need for support in order to achieve social impact is undeniable. Countries which only five years ago were relatively robust now have weakened infrastructures, high levels of media capture and declining press freedom because of democratic backsliding,” says Clare Cook, Head of Journalism and Media Viability at IMS.  

Western Europe is no exception 

The main focus of IMS’ work has traditionally been outside of the EU, but according to Regional Director for Global Response and Eastern Europe, Gulnara Akhundova, it no longer makes sense to view EU as a region which is exempt from the need for media development.  

“IMS cannot just focus on what is often referred to as the Global South countries without looking for solutions to challenges in our own backyard. Media freedom in the European Union has been in steady decline for the past couple of years. In some EU countries, independent media are targeted by state rhetoric, restricted by draconian laws and haunted by SLAPPs. Also, individual journalists are subject to violence and threats, online and offline, often disproportionately targeting women journalists.”

Rapid technological developments, changing media habits, unstable revenue streams and disinformation are all trends that are affecting media outlets no matter what national or regional contexts they are working within.  

“Western Europe is not an exception. Functioning media ecosystems are challenged in western Europe. Media actors and their audiences are faced with complex, interlinked challenges which take the shape of a decline in local journalism, the spread of disinformation and challenges to media viability, partly due to highly dysfunctional regulation of the internet,” says Akhundova. 

Strengthening local media is strengthening democracy 

The Local Media for Democracy project launched on 12 April and will support local media in EU news deserts. Around the world, local media outlets are key contributors to democracy, social cohesion and civic participation, but a changing media landscape has made it difficult for local media to thrive and survive – including in EU countries.

The Local Media for Democracy project will consist of two components. The first component is an analysis of the phenomenon of news deserts and a mapping of areas at risk in order to investigate which communities have lost or are at risk of losing access to quality, independent and plural news at local and regional levels. 

The second component will consist of a media funding scheme to support local, regional and community media. At least 30 grants will be awarded to outlets looking to bring innovation into their revenue strategies, content format offer or engagement approaches. In addition, outlets will benefit from technical assistance and mentoring to help them build their long-term resilience. 

Project Oasis launched on 18 April; it is a new research study into the sustainability of digital native media organisations in more than 40 countries across Europe. Digital native media are outlets that started online (as opposed to media that started in broadcast or through print publication), and they are taking up more and more space in the media ecosystem. The aim is to look for promising trends and innovative business models that can enable independent online media and help them grow, develop and better inform their communities. 

Western European media has a lot to learn 

Even though the regional context is different, Clare Cook sees the two new projects as a natural continuation of IMS’ overall mission. 

“Our initiatives, partnering on projects in western Europe, are underpinned by our core belief: that good journalism can ultimately better inform communities in ways that strengthen their democracies for years to come. As in all the areas we work, we seek to support innovative, bottom-up initiatives that are best placed to impact human rights and help improve how communities and audiences are served through relevant and plural information,” Clare Cook says.  

From decades of experience working with media partners in other regions of the world, Gulnara Akhundova thinks that media in EU countries could learn a lot from their non-European counterparts and media outlets working under difficult circumstances in Eastern Europe. 

“Media actors in western Europe have a lot to learn from their resilient counterparts in other challenging contexts, media actors who continue their work despite non-existent media markets and strategic disinformation campaigns which are confusing their audiences and pose direct safety threats. IMS recognises that a holistic approach with new partner constellations and multi-stakeholder dialogue needs to be established, regardless of geographical location,” she says. 

Creating knowledge and taking action  

Both projects are made in close collaboration with research institutions, media development organisations and other stakeholders and practice a holistic approach to the issues that they are confronting. 

“We are taking a multi-pronged approach,” says Clare Cook. “Firstly, this includes supporting the knowledge base of the regional, local and community news media and mapping digital natives in the EU to better understand the broad range of media that are making up this rich ecosystem – and illuminate where gaps exist. This enables us to provide quality and comprehensive data for practitioners, academics and policymakers to make relevant and useful decisions that support independent and public interest news media, especially those innovating. It also serves as important indicators as to where crisis areas of polarisation, at risk communities or deepening news deserts exist.” 

However, knowledge production is only one part of the work.

“We are also supporting innovation and technical capacity building of initiatives seeking to reach underserved communities and audiences with innovative products and services. This support helps strengthen journalistic scaffolding, to ensure the growth of access to high quality information, increase media pluralism and citizen’s participation in democratic processes, both close to and far away from home,” says Clare Cook.

The Local Media for Democracy project is an 18-month project co-funded by the European Union and launched in February 2023 by a consortium of partners: the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ), the Centre for Media Pluralism and Media Freedom (CMPF), International Media Support (IMS), and Journalismfund Europe.

Project Oasis is in partnership with SembraMedia, European Journalism Centre (EJC), Google News Initiative (GNI), Media and Journalism Research Center (MJRC) and Global Forum for Media Development. The project is funded by Google News Initiative.