Innovation.
Media. Minds
in the Western Balkans Program

The Innovation. Media. Minds. Program, funded by the European Union (EU), is excited to announce the second call for Innovation Project Grants. These grants aim to strengthen public service media across the Western Balkans by enhancing internal governance, improving content quality, and increasing audience engagement.
 

The EU Innovation. Media. Minds. Program has awarded International Mobility Grants to nine media professionals from public service broadcasters in the Western Balkans. These recipients will have the opportunity to gain hands-on experience at esteemed media institutions across the European Union (EU) and the region.
 

Join us for online info sessions, where the Goethe-Institute will provide detailed insights about the Call for production grants for independent media and media organisations in the Western Balkans. The sessions will help potential applicants to better understand the requirements of the call and the application process.

The EU-funded Innovation. Media. Minds.: Support to Public Service Journalism in the Western Balkans Program is pleased to announce the first open call for independent media and media organisations in the Western Balkans.

Call for applications | Deadline: 13.11.2024

Five public service broadcasters in the Western Balkans—Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Kosovo*, and Serbia—have each been awarded €60,000 EU grants to co-finance their innovation projects over the next 12 months. These initiatives focus on advancing children, youth and minority programming, upgrading technology, improving content, and boosting community engagement.
 

“We are a great group of young people. We had good and fun times, shared many nice ideas, and built strong friendships. We’re constantly communicating, collaborating, and improving our projects. Regardless of the result, we now have 30 new friends, and that’s what matters most,” said Vedran Prodić, Editor-in-Chief of the Youth Program at BH Radio 1, ahead of the EU’s Innovation. Media. Minds. (IMM) Next Gen Media Expo held in Belgrade on November 1, 2024.
 

Tirana, Albania, September 29 - October 6, 2024 – Young media professionals from seven public broadcasters across the Western Balkans, alongside university students, influencers, and colleagues from other media outlets and organizations, gathered in Tirana for the NextGen Media Lab (NML). This week-long event is part of the European Union’s (EU) Innovation. Media. Minds. (IMM) Program, which supports public service journalism in the Western Balkans.

28. May, Budva, Montenegro – In a significant move to advance public service journalism in the Western Balkans, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed by the Director Generals of seven public service broadcasters, in partnership with the Goethe-Institut and DW Akademie.

Bonn, Mainz (14-20 April, 2024) - As part of the European Union (EU) Program “Innovation. Media. Minds.: Support to Public Service Journalism in Western Balkans” managed by the Goethe Institut on behalf of the European Commission and its implementing partner DW Akademie representatives from six Western Balkan public service media completed a week-long visit to  DW News headquarters in Bonn and ZDF in Mainz from 14 – 19 April 2024.