Building Bridges: Young Media Talent Unite in the Western Balkans
“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.
Vedran’s team developed a prototype for an online series featuring an influencer traveling across the Western Balkans, undertaking unique tasks such as working at a local hairdresser. The series presents each country’s distinctiveness and similarities in a dynamic and humorous way, aimed at engaging viewers who may not have visited these places.
“We were six people who clicked instantly. There were no conflicts; everyone contributed their strengths, which is essential for achieving the best results,” he added.
Vedran was one of several young media professionals from seven public broadcasters across the Western Balkans who, alongside independent content creators, presented their prototypes at the EU’s IMM Next Gen Media Expo. This event followed a week-long Innovation Lab in Tirana, where participants pitched their ideas to a jury for a chance to secure up to €5,000 in seed funding.
Showcasing Regional Collaboration and Innovation
In her opening remarks, Georgia Trisimpioti, IMM Regional Team Leader, highlighted the program's focus on building relationships: “The most important part of the EU’s Innovation. Media. Minds. Program is building relationships. Our program offers various forms of financial and technical support, but most importantly, we aim to build bridges and form close ties among the region’s public service media. We hope that these regional connections will help create a regional Innovative Knowledge Hub for public service media that can serve us beyond this program, leading with integrity and innovation in the media space.”
Roana Ballilari from RTSH in Albania contributed to a YouTube show on Western Balkan Myth Busters, which travels across the Balkans to highlight different beliefs and debunk myths.
Reflecting on the experience, she said, “The language barrier was tricky, and we had to film our prototype late in the evening in an old house in Tirana, but I loved working on this project.”
“It wasn't my idea, but I voted for it because when I first saw it, I wanted to do it. I really hope it comes to life and becomes something great.” she added.
Roana also valued the collaborative aspect: “This has been a wonderful experience—workshopping, meeting young people from the Balkans, and realizing how similar we all are.”
Lorik Idrizi, Program Director at the Balkan Institute for Regional Cooperation in North Macedonia, worked on a project promoting regional cooperation through food diversity. His team wanted to feature beers from North Macedonia, Montenegro, and Serbia, but instead found imports from Mexico and Ecuador.
Despite this, Lorik praised the teamwork: “We had perfect synergy and collaboration. The biggest challenge was finding restaurants willing to let us film, but we made it happen.”
Looking ahead, he shared his vision: “We hope to create a platform that continues even after this project ends, something sustainable and perhaps commercial.”
These young media professionals worked on innovative ideas and formats covering topics ranging from debunking regional myths to exploring food diversity, travel, education, and mental health. Their projects aimed to bridge cultural differences, showcase similarities, and foster understanding across borders.
Empowering the Next Generation of Media Talent
With a total of €30,000 allocated across six seed funding grants, this initiative equips young media talent in the Western Balkans with skills that support public service journalism and align with EU standards. Through collaboration and creativity, these emerging professionals are building a resilient and connected media landscape that can serve the region long after the program concludes.
About the IMM Program
The Innovation. Media. Minds. (IMM) Program, funded by the EU, supports public service journalism in the Western Balkans. Managed by the Goethe-Institut on behalf of the European Commission, in collaboration with DW Akademie, the program provides technical and financial support aimed at fostering regional media collaboration and innovation.
Vedran’s team developed a prototype for an online series featuring an influencer traveling across the Western Balkans, undertaking unique tasks such as working at a local hairdresser. The series presents each country’s distinctiveness and similarities in a dynamic and humorous way, aimed at engaging viewers who may not have visited these places.
“We were six people who clicked instantly. There were no conflicts; everyone contributed their strengths, which is essential for achieving the best results,” he added.
Vedran was one of several young media professionals from seven public broadcasters across the Western Balkans who, alongside independent content creators, presented their prototypes at the EU’s IMM Next Gen Media Expo. This event followed a week-long Innovation Lab in Tirana, where participants pitched their ideas to a jury for a chance to secure up to €5,000 in seed funding.
Showcasing Regional Collaboration and Innovation
In her opening remarks, Georgia Trisimpioti, IMM Regional Team Leader, highlighted the program's focus on building relationships: “The most important part of the EU’s Innovation. Media. Minds. Program is building relationships. Our program offers various forms of financial and technical support, but most importantly, we aim to build bridges and form close ties among the region’s public service media. We hope that these regional connections will help create a regional Innovative Knowledge Hub for public service media that can serve us beyond this program, leading with integrity and innovation in the media space.”
Roana Ballilari from RTSH in Albania contributed to a YouTube show on Western Balkan Myth Busters, which travels across the Balkans to highlight different beliefs and debunk myths.
Reflecting on the experience, she said, “The language barrier was tricky, and we had to film our prototype late in the evening in an old house in Tirana, but I loved working on this project.”
“It wasn't my idea, but I voted for it because when I first saw it, I wanted to do it. I really hope it comes to life and becomes something great.” she added.
Roana also valued the collaborative aspect: “This has been a wonderful experience—workshopping, meeting young people from the Balkans, and realizing how similar we all are.”
Lorik Idrizi, Program Director at the Balkan Institute for Regional Cooperation in North Macedonia, worked on a project promoting regional cooperation through food diversity. His team wanted to feature beers from North Macedonia, Montenegro, and Serbia, but instead found imports from Mexico and Ecuador.
Despite this, Lorik praised the teamwork: “We had perfect synergy and collaboration. The biggest challenge was finding restaurants willing to let us film, but we made it happen.”
Looking ahead, he shared his vision: “We hope to create a platform that continues even after this project ends, something sustainable and perhaps commercial.”
These young media professionals worked on innovative ideas and formats covering topics ranging from debunking regional myths to exploring food diversity, travel, education, and mental health. Their projects aimed to bridge cultural differences, showcase similarities, and foster understanding across borders.
Empowering the Next Generation of Media Talent
With a total of €30,000 allocated across six seed funding grants, this initiative equips young media talent in the Western Balkans with skills that support public service journalism and align with EU standards. Through collaboration and creativity, these emerging professionals are building a resilient and connected media landscape that can serve the region long after the program concludes.
About the IMM Program
The Innovation. Media. Minds. (IMM) Program, funded by the EU, supports public service journalism in the Western Balkans. Managed by the Goethe-Institut on behalf of the European Commission, in collaboration with DW Akademie, the program provides technical and financial support aimed at fostering regional media collaboration and innovation.