Uvod
Tuzla
Why is online fundraising relevant for local media?
As
local outlets often experience issues of financial sustainability, it is of
utmost importance to learn about alternative financing models and the opportunities
that online fundraising and crowdfunding provide.
What do our trainers say?
What do our trainers say?
Sanja Lazić - trainerWhen we talk about crowdfunding for media, what do you actually mean?
In recent years, crowdfunding has become
one of the buzzwords in the civil sector. It is and is believed to be an easy
and almost instant solution to all the problems of non-profit organisations,
and as of recently, also the media in the Balkans. However, the reality is
different. Crowdfunding involves loads of preparation and fulfilment of several
important prerequisites, but this by no means suggests that we have discovered
a secret ingredient in the recipe for the sustainability of organisations.
However, let’s start from the beginning. What are we actually talking about
when talking about crowdfunding? This short text gives an answer to that
question.
Crowdfunding is often used synonymously with online fundraising, as a broader, umbrella term that implies, simply put, a method of raising funds online. Payments are usually done on a separate page, the website of the organisation / company / team, or on an external, specialised platform. Crowdfunding is one of (four) models, and before presenting these models, let us look at the definition!
Crowdfunding or joint funding (there is no consensus on translation of terms, and you will often find alternative translations in texts such as group or community funding) involves a large number of small donations paid to a time-limited campaign to support a specific idea/project.
Unlike other online fundraising models, crowdfunding requires a concrete, sustainable idea for which funds can be raised within 30 to 60 days. If, for example, you run a local television station and want to modernise your studio – you can seek support for a new camera, microphones and teleprompter with a crowdfunding campaign.
This is, at the same time, the simplest model of online fundraising. For beginners in online fundraising, crowdfunding is advised for it is a good way to test the community’s willingness to support you, the costs are the lowest and require the least resources due to its limited duration.
For those more advanced, who have already tried crowdfunding, which proved successful and are now considering introducing a more complex model into their fundraising plan, a donation and membership model may be the solution.
These other, more complex models, involve higher costs – so it is advisable not to dive into this process unless certain that you enjoy a sufficiently loyal and active community that faithfully monitors and respects your media, so much so that it financially supports it on a regular basis.
Crowdfunding is often used synonymously with online fundraising, as a broader, umbrella term that implies, simply put, a method of raising funds online. Payments are usually done on a separate page, the website of the organisation / company / team, or on an external, specialised platform. Crowdfunding is one of (four) models, and before presenting these models, let us look at the definition!
Crowdfunding or joint funding (there is no consensus on translation of terms, and you will often find alternative translations in texts such as group or community funding) involves a large number of small donations paid to a time-limited campaign to support a specific idea/project.
Unlike other online fundraising models, crowdfunding requires a concrete, sustainable idea for which funds can be raised within 30 to 60 days. If, for example, you run a local television station and want to modernise your studio – you can seek support for a new camera, microphones and teleprompter with a crowdfunding campaign.
This is, at the same time, the simplest model of online fundraising. For beginners in online fundraising, crowdfunding is advised for it is a good way to test the community’s willingness to support you, the costs are the lowest and require the least resources due to its limited duration.
For those more advanced, who have already tried crowdfunding, which proved successful and are now considering introducing a more complex model into their fundraising plan, a donation and membership model may be the solution.
These other, more complex models, involve higher costs – so it is advisable not to dive into this process unless certain that you enjoy a sufficiently loyal and active community that faithfully monitors and respects your media, so much so that it financially supports it on a regular basis.
Donation model implies one-off and/or recurring donations, usually on the website
of the media/organisation itself. Unlike crowdfunding, the campaign leader (in
this case the media) calls for general support – support for the work of
the media. Another feature of this model is free access to its content – so
readers are not restricted from accessing your stories, but instead are only
given an additional option to support independent journalism. An excellent
example of this approach is the Slovenian investigative
media Pod črto.
The next model is membership-based and implies greater commitment from your community than the previous, donation model. This means that your readers identify their values with your media to the extent that they are ready to become “members” of your brand. Those who choose to support the media with regular monthly or annual donations get access to exclusive content, awards, the opportunity to suggest topics, talk to authors and many other benefits. For an example of a membership model, see The Guardian , or Serbia's KRIK. It is important to note that both the donation and membership models require constant campaigning and reminding the community of the importance of donating, which requires a lot of creativity and dedication.
The third model, peer-to-peer, is usually organised around events and is not common in the media industry. It requires more individuals collecting funds for a certain central goal – most often a non-profit organisation. A good example are marathoners who run to help an individual or a charitable goal, and pay all the funds they collect to the organisation whose mission they believe in.
Last but not least, transparency is the central part of the whole online fundraising process (regardless of the chosen model). It is achieved through regular reporting on funds spent, successes achieved, disclosure of costs or unforeseen situations, openness to one’s community and gratitude for support. Although it seems like a default, the cycle of seek support – express appreciation – report is the most important part of fundraising, whether online or not, for it builds trust with your readers, strengthens support and becomes the most important resource at your disposal in the long run.
The next model is membership-based and implies greater commitment from your community than the previous, donation model. This means that your readers identify their values with your media to the extent that they are ready to become “members” of your brand. Those who choose to support the media with regular monthly or annual donations get access to exclusive content, awards, the opportunity to suggest topics, talk to authors and many other benefits. For an example of a membership model, see The Guardian , or Serbia's KRIK. It is important to note that both the donation and membership models require constant campaigning and reminding the community of the importance of donating, which requires a lot of creativity and dedication.
The third model, peer-to-peer, is usually organised around events and is not common in the media industry. It requires more individuals collecting funds for a certain central goal – most often a non-profit organisation. A good example are marathoners who run to help an individual or a charitable goal, and pay all the funds they collect to the organisation whose mission they believe in.
Last but not least, transparency is the central part of the whole online fundraising process (regardless of the chosen model). It is achieved through regular reporting on funds spent, successes achieved, disclosure of costs or unforeseen situations, openness to one’s community and gratitude for support. Although it seems like a default, the cycle of seek support – express appreciation – report is the most important part of fundraising, whether online or not, for it builds trust with your readers, strengthens support and becomes the most important resource at your disposal in the long run.
Luka Božović - trainerMedia support – necessity or a unfortunate consequence
Local
media in the region have established themselves as a
place for information and have become indispensable in informing the local
community. Local audiences have made it a habit to learn about local topics on
local television, portals or radio stations. Some are highly recognisable by
the audience and influential at the local level, but also at the national
level.
From the day one, the content published by these media was free, and their funding models differed. Do readers wonder who finances the work of the media they read, listen to and watch every day? Well, not really, why would they? Readers are there for content that is important to them for a variety of reasons. They form communities around that content, discuss it, go back to the sites of local portals because of it, switch channels or change the radio station.
Quality content is hence one of the preconditions for local media to receive additional funds for their work, apart from the audience. Audiences that regularly follow and consume content created by local media are key to successful fundraising campaigns.
How will the audience react if asked for financial support? This question often plagues the local media, but it is important to understand that the answer to this question is in their hands. The audience will react depending on the tone in which the local media address it. At times it also depends on the needs of the local media at a given time.
Financial support to local media is not charity, and is not sought under the slogan ‘charity for journalists’, but under the slogan ‘support the media you follow’. Funds can be sought in a crisis, and that is also fine. For example, when the media under pressure are penalised for their work. On the other hand, when seeking financial support is not conditioned by a crisis situation, it is important to keep in mind that the public should understand that their support is also a guarantee of media independence.
One should not forget that the success of the fundraising campaign for the work of the media is dependent on informing the public about the way the media is financed, why it is important to donate money, as well as what is at stake in the absence of such support. Through their work, local media have created communities around themselves, and they depend on those communities. However, as much as that community means to the local media, so much does the local media mean to the communities. This should be noted, because the local community that wishes to continue to be informed has the opportunity to impact the content it consumes in the sense of maintaining its regular nature and high quality.
To know if your audience is willing to give you money and thus support your work, you need to start with the first step – explain to them why it is important to support you financially, and then ask them to support you. Asking the public for money is always certain to give better results than when you do not ask for it.
From the day one, the content published by these media was free, and their funding models differed. Do readers wonder who finances the work of the media they read, listen to and watch every day? Well, not really, why would they? Readers are there for content that is important to them for a variety of reasons. They form communities around that content, discuss it, go back to the sites of local portals because of it, switch channels or change the radio station.
Quality content is hence one of the preconditions for local media to receive additional funds for their work, apart from the audience. Audiences that regularly follow and consume content created by local media are key to successful fundraising campaigns.
How will the audience react if asked for financial support? This question often plagues the local media, but it is important to understand that the answer to this question is in their hands. The audience will react depending on the tone in which the local media address it. At times it also depends on the needs of the local media at a given time.
Financial support to local media is not charity, and is not sought under the slogan ‘charity for journalists’, but under the slogan ‘support the media you follow’. Funds can be sought in a crisis, and that is also fine. For example, when the media under pressure are penalised for their work. On the other hand, when seeking financial support is not conditioned by a crisis situation, it is important to keep in mind that the public should understand that their support is also a guarantee of media independence.
One should not forget that the success of the fundraising campaign for the work of the media is dependent on informing the public about the way the media is financed, why it is important to donate money, as well as what is at stake in the absence of such support. Through their work, local media have created communities around themselves, and they depend on those communities. However, as much as that community means to the local media, so much does the local media mean to the communities. This should be noted, because the local community that wishes to continue to be informed has the opportunity to impact the content it consumes in the sense of maintaining its regular nature and high quality.
To know if your audience is willing to give you money and thus support your work, you need to start with the first step – explain to them why it is important to support you financially, and then ask them to support you. Asking the public for money is always certain to give better results than when you do not ask for it.
Herceg Novi
Why is countering misinformation important for local media?
In
the era of misinformation, local outlets are by no means unaffected and in fact
face the same challenge: how to recognise fake news, and limit its
distribution? Raising media-literacy levels and maximising audience engagement are
other key responsibilities for local outlets.
What do our trainers say?
What do our trainers say?
Stefan Janjić - trainerData verification: Why it is difficult to find truth and how to persevere in the search?
Picture a heated debate in the public and media over legalising marijuana.
Doctors, lawyers and activists are weighing in, and one politician told at a
press conference: “Many argue that marijuana is harmless, but it is one of the
greatest plagues of the 21st century. Anyone who develops addiction
to marijuana finds it difficult to resist hard drugs. Just look at the Bahamas –
since marijuana was legalised in 1991, the number of drug addicts in that
country has doubled by year.” The statement comes across as striking and
memorable. However, is there any truth to it?
First, not every claim is verifiable. One can say that his mother is the best mother in the world, but there are no precise measuring instruments that would rank that particular mother on the global list of two billion other mothers competing. It is also almost impossible to rank marijuana on the list of plagues, because the criteria are unclear. What exactly are we measuring? Number of addicts, number of fatal outcomes, number of crimes committed under the influence of marijuana, long-term damage? Sentences such as the opening line in the politician’s statement are often deliberately formulated so that they sound pompous and are essentially unverifiable.
Secondly, one of the key problems of data verification is embodied in the so-called Brandolini’s law, which indicates that the time needed to deconstruct some nonsense is inversely proportional to the time it took to invent it. In other words, one can come up with stupidity in a flash second, but it may take hours and even days of data rummaging to determine if there is truth in what has been said. Such is the case with the second sentence from the statement, which brings the use of marijuana and “hard drugs” into a cause-and-effect relation. That claim is not unverifiable, but fact-checking would require an exhaustive digging through scientific papers and statistics. If we, all weary, were to summarise all the data in one place, it would be difficult to have a precise picture: drug records, and especially the correlation between different types of drugs, cannot be kept with the same precision as fuel or vaccine records.
Third, certain false claims often seem unquestionable, as if common sense . The Bahamas legalised marijuana in 1991? Yes, so what? What is suspicious here? Isn’t this an exotic country, within everyone most certainly playing samba, drinking beer and being high all day long? We are only 15 seconds of Google search away from the conclusion that the politician deliberately or accidentally lied to us: the use of cannabis is criminalised in the Bahamas, and draconian fines and prison sentences are foreseen for those in possession. Apophenia poses a special problem for our brains – the tendency to spot patterns where they don’t exist, from clouds that form an image of an elephant in the sky, to conspiracy theories that deceive us that the MMR vaccine causes autism. In the same way, the Bahamas fits perfectly with the idea of the consequences of too liberal a policy.
Fourth, even if we ignore the fact that the story of the Bahamas is fictional, does that example make sense in statistical terms? Not in the least. We don’t have a calculator in our head, and even if we did, we would rarely turn it on . If we start from the incredible, minimum assumption that there was only one drug addict in the Bahamas in 1991, the argument of doubling numbers would take us to the following math: in 1992 the Bahamas had two drug addicts, in 1993 four, in 1994 eight, in 1995 sixteen, in 2000 five hundred and twelve, in 2005 sixteen thousand three hundred and eighty-four, in 2010 more than half a million, and in 2021 more than 536 million. That would mean that in 2005, drug addicts outnumbered inhabitants in the Bahamas, and that today there are 1.36 million drug addicts per capita in that exotic destination. We are faced with ample misinformation daily, but it is impossible to dedicate ourselves to each and every one and check them in detail. If we were to take that route, we would not do anything else in life. However, that does not mean that we are helpless in the face of misinformation. If we make an effort, we can train ourselves to notice certain red flags, as useful signals that we have incorrect content before us. Particular attention should be paid to information with a strong emotional charge, to calculations with large numbers, to conclusions expressed in hyperbole, and – ultimately – to information that sounds appealing to us. The most successful lie is the one that strikes three goals: to remember it, to fall for it and to feel compelled to share it with others.
First, not every claim is verifiable. One can say that his mother is the best mother in the world, but there are no precise measuring instruments that would rank that particular mother on the global list of two billion other mothers competing. It is also almost impossible to rank marijuana on the list of plagues, because the criteria are unclear. What exactly are we measuring? Number of addicts, number of fatal outcomes, number of crimes committed under the influence of marijuana, long-term damage? Sentences such as the opening line in the politician’s statement are often deliberately formulated so that they sound pompous and are essentially unverifiable.
Secondly, one of the key problems of data verification is embodied in the so-called Brandolini’s law, which indicates that the time needed to deconstruct some nonsense is inversely proportional to the time it took to invent it. In other words, one can come up with stupidity in a flash second, but it may take hours and even days of data rummaging to determine if there is truth in what has been said. Such is the case with the second sentence from the statement, which brings the use of marijuana and “hard drugs” into a cause-and-effect relation. That claim is not unverifiable, but fact-checking would require an exhaustive digging through scientific papers and statistics. If we, all weary, were to summarise all the data in one place, it would be difficult to have a precise picture: drug records, and especially the correlation between different types of drugs, cannot be kept with the same precision as fuel or vaccine records.
Third, certain false claims often seem unquestionable, as if common sense . The Bahamas legalised marijuana in 1991? Yes, so what? What is suspicious here? Isn’t this an exotic country, within everyone most certainly playing samba, drinking beer and being high all day long? We are only 15 seconds of Google search away from the conclusion that the politician deliberately or accidentally lied to us: the use of cannabis is criminalised in the Bahamas, and draconian fines and prison sentences are foreseen for those in possession. Apophenia poses a special problem for our brains – the tendency to spot patterns where they don’t exist, from clouds that form an image of an elephant in the sky, to conspiracy theories that deceive us that the MMR vaccine causes autism. In the same way, the Bahamas fits perfectly with the idea of the consequences of too liberal a policy.
Fourth, even if we ignore the fact that the story of the Bahamas is fictional, does that example make sense in statistical terms? Not in the least. We don’t have a calculator in our head, and even if we did, we would rarely turn it on . If we start from the incredible, minimum assumption that there was only one drug addict in the Bahamas in 1991, the argument of doubling numbers would take us to the following math: in 1992 the Bahamas had two drug addicts, in 1993 four, in 1994 eight, in 1995 sixteen, in 2000 five hundred and twelve, in 2005 sixteen thousand three hundred and eighty-four, in 2010 more than half a million, and in 2021 more than 536 million. That would mean that in 2005, drug addicts outnumbered inhabitants in the Bahamas, and that today there are 1.36 million drug addicts per capita in that exotic destination. We are faced with ample misinformation daily, but it is impossible to dedicate ourselves to each and every one and check them in detail. If we were to take that route, we would not do anything else in life. However, that does not mean that we are helpless in the face of misinformation. If we make an effort, we can train ourselves to notice certain red flags, as useful signals that we have incorrect content before us. Particular attention should be paid to information with a strong emotional charge, to calculations with large numbers, to conclusions expressed in hyperbole, and – ultimately – to information that sounds appealing to us. The most successful lie is the one that strikes three goals: to remember it, to fall for it and to feel compelled to share it with others.
Milovan Nikolić - trainerAdvanced Google search and photo forensics
If you come
across a bunch of seemingly unimportant links in online searches, use these
advanced Google search tricks to narrow your search. Since Google search is one
of the easiest ways to verify the authenticity of media content, here are the
most useful commands to help you with your search.
Minus (-): If you want to see all the results for a term that do not contain another term, all you need to do is put a minus next to the term you want to exclude. Note that there is no space between the term you want to remove and the minus symbol. Example: term1-term2
intitle: If you are looking for links in the title of the texts whose text contains a certain term, type ‘intitle’ and the search term without spaces. Example: intitle: term1
inurl: If you repeat the same method with ‘inurl’ command, you will get the results of only those pages whose URL contains the search term, which can come useful if you search text titles for a specific term, as text titles are often found in URLs. Example: inurl: term1
Quotation marks (“”): Looking for a specific phrase or sentence from a newspaper article? Are you trying to determine if a particular text has appeared elsewhere online? If you put the search term in quotation marks, Google will search the net exclusively for a combination of words, and will thus drastically reduce the number of search results. Example: “search term”
When searching Google, clicking on the Tools feature will open additional options for narrowing Google search. You’ll be able to narrow your search by time period by choosing a start and end date for your search results. You will also be offered options to narrow your search by country of origin, but also the language in which the results are displayed. And don’t forget, if you come across results in a language you don’t understand, Google Translate and Bing Translator always come in handy!
If you suspect that the text you are reading is plagiarism, the easiest way to check it is to use QueText tool which will include sentences or entire paragraphs in the search and as a result remove the links that contain the text.
You are looking at the photo, but can’t trace its origin, and you are not sure if the photo is photoshopped? Google’s reverse photo search platforms can help: Google Images, Yandex Images, Bing Images and TinEye. It is recommended to search for the same photo in different search engines in parallel, because each has certain advantages. Unfortunately, there is no possibility to automatically search all the mentioned platforms at once, so you will have to perform the searches “manually”. Google Images, for example, recognises shapes and patterns well, while Yandex handles faces much better. Bing Images will quickly translate the text from the photo, if it is in another foreign language, and TinEye can be useful if you are looking for the oldest version of an image that is publicly available on the Internet.
If available, you can also get useful information from the metadata entered in the digital photo file itself. Using an online tool such as EXIF-Viwer you can access information such as the time and place the photo was taken, the label of the device it was photographed with, and sometimes the name of the author of the image. Also, if you suspect that the photo you came across is photoshopped, Forensically comes to rescue. Forensically will come to your aid. Using various algorithms, this tool indicates potentially modified photo elements. This kind of photo analysis is not an absolutely precise method for verifying authenticity, but it can be your first step in the research process. The most concrete proof that a photograph has been tampered with is the discovery of its original version.
Minus (-): If you want to see all the results for a term that do not contain another term, all you need to do is put a minus next to the term you want to exclude. Note that there is no space between the term you want to remove and the minus symbol. Example: term1-term2
intitle: If you are looking for links in the title of the texts whose text contains a certain term, type ‘intitle’ and the search term without spaces. Example: intitle: term1
inurl: If you repeat the same method with ‘inurl’ command, you will get the results of only those pages whose URL contains the search term, which can come useful if you search text titles for a specific term, as text titles are often found in URLs. Example: inurl: term1
Quotation marks (“”): Looking for a specific phrase or sentence from a newspaper article? Are you trying to determine if a particular text has appeared elsewhere online? If you put the search term in quotation marks, Google will search the net exclusively for a combination of words, and will thus drastically reduce the number of search results. Example: “search term”
When searching Google, clicking on the Tools feature will open additional options for narrowing Google search. You’ll be able to narrow your search by time period by choosing a start and end date for your search results. You will also be offered options to narrow your search by country of origin, but also the language in which the results are displayed. And don’t forget, if you come across results in a language you don’t understand, Google Translate and Bing Translator always come in handy!
If you suspect that the text you are reading is plagiarism, the easiest way to check it is to use QueText tool which will include sentences or entire paragraphs in the search and as a result remove the links that contain the text.
You are looking at the photo, but can’t trace its origin, and you are not sure if the photo is photoshopped? Google’s reverse photo search platforms can help: Google Images, Yandex Images, Bing Images and TinEye. It is recommended to search for the same photo in different search engines in parallel, because each has certain advantages. Unfortunately, there is no possibility to automatically search all the mentioned platforms at once, so you will have to perform the searches “manually”. Google Images, for example, recognises shapes and patterns well, while Yandex handles faces much better. Bing Images will quickly translate the text from the photo, if it is in another foreign language, and TinEye can be useful if you are looking for the oldest version of an image that is publicly available on the Internet.
If available, you can also get useful information from the metadata entered in the digital photo file itself. Using an online tool such as EXIF-Viwer you can access information such as the time and place the photo was taken, the label of the device it was photographed with, and sometimes the name of the author of the image. Also, if you suspect that the photo you came across is photoshopped, Forensically comes to rescue. Forensically will come to your aid. Using various algorithms, this tool indicates potentially modified photo elements. This kind of photo analysis is not an absolutely precise method for verifying authenticity, but it can be your first step in the research process. The most concrete proof that a photograph has been tampered with is the discovery of its original version.
Niš
Why is local media collaboration on cross-border stories important?
Local
issues in the region often include transnational components, notably
environmental protection and social problems such as the plight of marginalised
groups in communities. When collaborating on such stories, media outlets can share
knowledge and approaches, creating a situation in which coverage can have a more
impact and become a societal gamechanger.
What does our trainer say?
What does our trainer say?
Jelena Prtorić - trainerHow to engage in cross-border cooperation - and where to start?
Sharing information, experiences and resources with
colleagues and the media in the context of international research can make it
possible for you to work on more complex projects that otherwise you would not
have the time or resources for. It can also increase the impact and reach of
your stories. But how to choose the right story and the form of cooperation?
Here are some ideas and tips.
Consider how to adapt the working topic to the local context
If you are looking for a story idea, one option is to adjust the current global or regional theme to the local level. For example, you can reflect on the decisions of international organisations and relevant institutions on topics such as climate change, migration, public health stories and the like. If the EU announces a new energy policy, it is very likely that it will have an impact on the Balkan countries as well. In your cross-border story, you can check how funds spent on energy transition are being spent locally or what their impact on the environment is. This was done by the team behind Money to Burn story (https://www.vpro.nl/argos/lees/onderwerpen/money-to-burn/en.html) that looked into how European biomass legislation affects deforestation in Estonia.
Compare your own situation with those in other cities or regions
Think about a topic that is relevant to all the countries where you operate and compare the situation in different cities/regions. For example, there has been a lot of talk in recent years on air pollution in cities across the Balkans. An example of a comparative story would be research on air quality in your city with a partner organisation just across the border. Is there a factory or company in your city that is present in other countries in the region? How do they treat workers and the environment in different locations? What is the impact of their work on the lives of residents? One example of such research is the Cities for Rent project, which compared the presence and impact of large companies on the real estate market and housing sector in 16 European countries: https://cities4rent.journalismarena.media/ In the context of local media, this type of story is also suitable for cooperation among smaller media within a country.
Follow clues across the border
Textbook examples of such cross-border journalism include stories about trade routes, smuggling, migration and the like. Is the trend of cigarette smuggling on the rise in your city? This can bring about great investigative story such as the one made by colleagues in Montenegro (on cigarette smuggling from Bulgaria): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kfyKDVMnMD4. Inspiration can also come from a study on transboundary pollution undertaken by a group of journalists working on the pollution of the Tisza River, from Ukraine to Hungary: https://telex.hu/english/2021/03/29/litter-garbage-recycling-tisza-ukraine-hungary-telex-video
Weigh the pros and cons - and be flexible about forms of cooperation
Finally, before embarking on cross-border cooperation, consider what form of cooperation you need. Not every story is suitable or worth embarking on cross-border research. Also, not every cross-border collaboration has to yield joint research and storytelling. Sometimes collaboration can mean sharing research or expertise methodology or agreeing with partner publications to share content with each other.
Consider how to adapt the working topic to the local context
If you are looking for a story idea, one option is to adjust the current global or regional theme to the local level. For example, you can reflect on the decisions of international organisations and relevant institutions on topics such as climate change, migration, public health stories and the like. If the EU announces a new energy policy, it is very likely that it will have an impact on the Balkan countries as well. In your cross-border story, you can check how funds spent on energy transition are being spent locally or what their impact on the environment is. This was done by the team behind Money to Burn story (https://www.vpro.nl/argos/lees/onderwerpen/money-to-burn/en.html) that looked into how European biomass legislation affects deforestation in Estonia.
Compare your own situation with those in other cities or regions
Think about a topic that is relevant to all the countries where you operate and compare the situation in different cities/regions. For example, there has been a lot of talk in recent years on air pollution in cities across the Balkans. An example of a comparative story would be research on air quality in your city with a partner organisation just across the border. Is there a factory or company in your city that is present in other countries in the region? How do they treat workers and the environment in different locations? What is the impact of their work on the lives of residents? One example of such research is the Cities for Rent project, which compared the presence and impact of large companies on the real estate market and housing sector in 16 European countries: https://cities4rent.journalismarena.media/ In the context of local media, this type of story is also suitable for cooperation among smaller media within a country.
Follow clues across the border
Textbook examples of such cross-border journalism include stories about trade routes, smuggling, migration and the like. Is the trend of cigarette smuggling on the rise in your city? This can bring about great investigative story such as the one made by colleagues in Montenegro (on cigarette smuggling from Bulgaria): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kfyKDVMnMD4. Inspiration can also come from a study on transboundary pollution undertaken by a group of journalists working on the pollution of the Tisza River, from Ukraine to Hungary: https://telex.hu/english/2021/03/29/litter-garbage-recycling-tisza-ukraine-hungary-telex-video
Weigh the pros and cons - and be flexible about forms of cooperation
Finally, before embarking on cross-border cooperation, consider what form of cooperation you need. Not every story is suitable or worth embarking on cross-border research. Also, not every cross-border collaboration has to yield joint research and storytelling. Sometimes collaboration can mean sharing research or expertise methodology or agreeing with partner publications to share content with each other.
Jelena Prtorić - trainerPreventing and addressing conflicts in cross-border research
Any team
work comes with its challenges, and working on cross-border cooperation is no
exception – this type of work can often be a source of frustration and
conflict. Conflicts in such projects most often occur due to lack of
communication and insufficiently defined cooperation modalities. Also, the
differences in the knowledge and abilities of the participants in this type of
research should be taken into account. Freelancers, who often juggle between
multiple projects at once, local media or smaller media outlets are unlikely to
have the same amount of time and resources as larger media participating in the
research
Better safe than sorry
The best solution to conflicts is to make sure they don’t happen. At the very onset, define your role in the project and what you expect from it, and talk openly about it with your partners. Do not hesitate to formalise the details of that conversation. This does not mean (necessarily) that you will sign a contract, but only determine in writing important details such as:
- Form of cooperation and role of each research partner.
- How will you share materials and how often?
- Which channels will you use to communicate and how often? It is always good to opt for communication channels that participants already use.
- Even if you are not working on a sensitive story, it is good to determine what precautions you will follow and through which channels to communicate.
- Research methods and plan. For example, does the work require field research and who does it? When can you expect information from the field? Do you need to submit a request for access to information and how long will it take you to get answers?
- Timeline in which you plan to complete the research, when you plan to start publishing texts and how you will publish them
- Determine if you will have a coordinator in the team. That person can be someone on the team or an outside collaborator. The coordinator makes sure that communication between the teams works well, that the teams meet regularly and exchange information. For smaller teams or teams consisting of freelancers or local media, it is often difficult to have a dedicated coordinator due to lack of resources and time. An alternative to this can be ‘rotating coordination’ where team members take turns over a period of time.
- If you have received some form of financial support for your research, define right away how the money is distributed, how you keep invoices and receipts, and who will communicate with donors and how.
Tackling conflicts
Redefine priorities. Sometimes, despite detailed agreement and best intentions, collaboration doesn’t work because circumstances have changed. If this is your case, convene a meeting and try to redefine the terms of the initial agreement. Maybe your weekly meetings are too intense? Maybe the deadline for publishing the text has changed? It is always advisable to share such changes with other organisations as soon as possible. -
Hire an external moderator. This solution is not always available to everyone, but if you are working on a cross-border story as part of a project or scholarship, it is often possible to seek help from a project mentor to resolve a conflict within the working group.
Better safe than sorry
The best solution to conflicts is to make sure they don’t happen. At the very onset, define your role in the project and what you expect from it, and talk openly about it with your partners. Do not hesitate to formalise the details of that conversation. This does not mean (necessarily) that you will sign a contract, but only determine in writing important details such as:
- Form of cooperation and role of each research partner.
- How will you share materials and how often?
- Which channels will you use to communicate and how often? It is always good to opt for communication channels that participants already use.
- Even if you are not working on a sensitive story, it is good to determine what precautions you will follow and through which channels to communicate.
- Research methods and plan. For example, does the work require field research and who does it? When can you expect information from the field? Do you need to submit a request for access to information and how long will it take you to get answers?
- Timeline in which you plan to complete the research, when you plan to start publishing texts and how you will publish them
- Determine if you will have a coordinator in the team. That person can be someone on the team or an outside collaborator. The coordinator makes sure that communication between the teams works well, that the teams meet regularly and exchange information. For smaller teams or teams consisting of freelancers or local media, it is often difficult to have a dedicated coordinator due to lack of resources and time. An alternative to this can be ‘rotating coordination’ where team members take turns over a period of time.
- If you have received some form of financial support for your research, define right away how the money is distributed, how you keep invoices and receipts, and who will communicate with donors and how.
Tackling conflicts
Redefine priorities. Sometimes, despite detailed agreement and best intentions, collaboration doesn’t work because circumstances have changed. If this is your case, convene a meeting and try to redefine the terms of the initial agreement. Maybe your weekly meetings are too intense? Maybe the deadline for publishing the text has changed? It is always advisable to share such changes with other organisations as soon as possible. -
Hire an external moderator. This solution is not always available to everyone, but if you are working on a cross-border story as part of a project or scholarship, it is often possible to seek help from a project mentor to resolve a conflict within the working group.
A key goal of the workshop was the identification of themes
on which the local media outlets could cooperate, conduct research, swap
information and include a comparative element in their coverage.
See:
See:
Novinarsko veče
Credits
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Why is online fundraising relevant for local media?
When we talk about crowdfunding for media, what do you actually mean?
Media support – necessity or a unfortunate consequence
Why is countering misinformation important for local media?
Data verification: Why it is difficult to find truth and how to persevere in the search?
Advanced Google search and photo forensics
Why is local media collaboration on cross-border stories important?
How to engage in cross-border cooperation - and where to start?
Preventing and addressing conflicts in cross-border research
How did UPS Media, Lozničke novosti and PV Portal research the topic of water pollution in their localities?
How did RTV Teuta and Tačno.net explore common issues in Ulcinj and Sarajevo?
How did eTrafika and City Smart Radio investigate the phenomena of forced marriage in BiH and Serbia?
Press evenings
