What is Stars4Media NEWS?

Stars4Media NEWS proposes a pan-European, two-phase, co-funding programme that supports European news media organisations, enables long term business and newsroom transformation.

Specifically, the Stars4Media NEWS programme will provide financial support and in-depth coaching to collaborative projects under two tracks:

  • Track 1: Collaborative business transformation projects

Business transformation will cover topics like (amongst others): diversifying revenue models; new approaches to audience development and engagement; development of common professional/technical standards; developing business readiness, product thinking etc.

  • Track 2: Collaborative newsroom transformation projects

Newsroom transformation will support collaborative journalism and high-quality media content production by covering subjects like (amongst others): original reporting methods; innovative production methods; innovative distribution methods and new formats; innovative tech solutions for newsrooms; workflow optimisations, internal culture etc.

Supports is foreseen for 14cross-border projects in the first, EXPLORE Phase. After the 4 months, the projects will be evaluated and the From these 9 out of which evaluated as most successful and later 9 cross-border projects ones will be moved to the  second, 6-month long BOOST phase. This will also allow participants to benefit from further funding and tailored coaching.  ,

The program works in two successive phases are:

  • Phase 1: EXPLORE, focused on media innovation
    – Duration: 4 months
    – Number of Projects: 14
    – Grant amount in the EXPLORE phase, for a typical project of two partners (media companies based in two different countries): 24 000€ (12 000€ lump sum award for each participating media)
  • Phase 2: BOOST, focused on the transformation of the newsroom and/or business
  • Duration: 8 months
  • Number of Projects: 9
  • Grant amount in the BOOST phase, for a typical project of two partners (media companies based in two different countries): 64 000€  (32 000€ lump sum award for each)

A media company selected to participate in both EXPLORE and BOOST phases could receive a total grant of up to maximum 44 000€. Participating media companies will not only benefit from direct financial support but also from ad hoc and expert coaching, events, benchmarking and advice.

To learn more about past Stars4Media editions, click here.

PRACTICAL INFO

The call for Projects is currently in preparation and will be published in Spring 2022. All those interested should please:

  • Closely monitor Stars4Media webpage and social media, and/or 
  • Indicate ‘nascent ideas’
  • Register their interest in receiving more information at a later stage

The programme is co-financed by the European Union, through the Creative Europe scheme, and implemented by a consortium of four partners: Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), the project coordinator, Europe’s MediaLab (ex Fondation EURACTIV), the World Association of News Publishers (WAN-IFRA) and the European Journalism Center (EJC).Building on the experience and results of its previous editions (Stars4Media Pilot and Stars4Media Second Edition), Stars4Media NEWS foresees cascading funding, in-depth coaching, and peer-to-peer knowledge transfer.

 

Call for Projects