Europe’s Medialab is a THINK-and-DO-TANK that helps foster a sustainable media ecosystem. Our sources of income are diverse-funds awarded by grant-making organisations, such as foundations, EU Institutions and corporate sponsors. Interested partner funders are welcome to join in and support Europe’s MediaLab activities where objectives and principles are mutually beneficial. We welcome partners engaging in projects, participating in studies, providing training and specific expertise and promoting knowledge sharing.
DO – Training and Innovation: Training is an integral aspect of our organisation’s sustainable growth in a time of media crisis. Over the past 15 years, we have trained about 1,000 media professionals, including cross-border media cooperation.
Our flagship programme is Stars4Media, which enables media professionals, media organisations and technology companies from EU countries, to work together in bottom-up initiatives to test ideas and technologies, develop new business models and produce journalistic content.
Together with our consortium partners: VUB University, the European Federation of Journalists and the leading publishers’ association WAN-IFRA, we have implemented the third edition of the programme: Stars4Media-NEWS (co-funded by the EU), where participating companies worked across border with another media organisation (including Ukraine, and exiled media from Belarus). They benefited from ad hoc and in-depth coaching from recognised experts in the newsroom and business transformation.
THINK – Media Policy: We have a strong track record of working with media across borders. We have played a strategic role in many projects, demonstrating our ability to efficiently bring together the best players. Extensive experience and deep industry knowledge are our strengths. We are a trusted and knowledgeable partner for stakeholders and the EU institutions. We provide innovative and original tools and ideas to deliver policy events and innovation projects, led by a highly skilled and experienced team.
Two studies have been carried with partners for the EU Commission‘s DG CONNECT, on European digital distribution of quality media:
1. Media innovation feasibility – EU Strategy study on content-sharing European platform(s) (2021).
2. Media Data Space Project (2022).
Our expertise covers strategy, research and events on media policy, policymaker relations, business models, editorial and legal issues, coordination of regulation of communication and distribution platforms, disinformation and governance.
Stars4Media-FACTCHECKING: Strategy for Eastern European Media Resilience” was a project led by Europe’s MediaLab in consortium partners with I-Europa (Slovakia), Europejskie Media (Poland), Free Media Bulgaria (Belgium) and Comenius University in Bratislava (Slovakia) and funded by EMIF (European Media and Innovation Fund).
Liga media (Ukraine), MediaIQ (Belarus) , Pavel Grabchikov / Kraina project (Belarus) and Belarusian Investigative Centre (Belarus) were media third parties in the project.
This research project focused on the financial, organisational and trust sustainability of integrating fact-checking activities into media. Media professionals, researchers and experts in fact-checking from 6 countries collected data, developed concepts and designed models to test them in the sandbox environment.
As application-oriented research, the project aimed at turning fact-checking into a sustainable activity for media in Eastern Europe, also in terms of business model, extending from short-term journalism work. Models and recommendations developed in the project could be replicated beyond its focus region, leveraging existing experience, and using proven media and fact-checking networks.
In the current second mandate of EDMO (European Digital Media Observatory), Europe’s MediaLab has been upgraded as consortium partner. Europe’s MediaLab governance expertise is growing and we are considering the creation of a pool of media experts who could provide governance and advice to media company boards.
EVENTS, LOGISTICS and WORKING SPACE
MédiaLab’s offices are located in the Résidence Palace, an emblematic building for journalists in the heart of Brussels’ European quarter. We have a large co-working space and a meeting room offering all the facilities for online meetings and work. We can also organise events, with the building’s full facilities: 150-seat conference room, recording and broadcasting facilities, restaurant and on-site catering.
MAISON DU MÉDIALAB: JOURNALISTS FROM EASTERN EUROPE
Boosting and integrating correspondents: a Brussels infrastructure for democracy
The EU and NATO are essential hopes for Eastern Europeans. But coverage “on the ground” is limited, leaving room for both ignorance and disinformation. Eastern European media are eager to send more reporters: they need practical help, not only money but introduction.
The Maison du MédiaLab residence is hosting Eastern European Brussels correspondents, offering them not only accommodation in the heart of the EU policy making for 6 months (on a rotation basis) but also professional development with networking and training opportunities.
What are the quantified goals?
In a few years, assuming the majority manage to stay in Brussels, we anticipate to support tripling the number of Eastern European accredited correspondents in Brussels: indeed they are only 20 today, far too little.
How to help in practice?
The Maison du MédiaLab will incur 4 different types of costs in order to host residents and integrate them in the European press corps:
- rent (provided by initiators)
- rental charges and maintenance
- integration: coaching coordination, networking events, office support
- if possible: living expenses, to “top up” residents (low) wages, given living standard differences
Enquiries are welcome to help co-fund expenses and if possible living allowances. There are roles for institutions, for foundations, for generous individuals and for advisors and coaches.