Description
The project addresses the need for professional and independent investigative journalism upholding democracy and public interest and supporting the justified causes of environmentalist, human rights and advocacy NGOs. The project aims at supporting young journalists to take up independent investigative reporting. First, interested journalists will be selected and trained and a guide on good-quality journalism will be developed. Then a team of acting journalists and students will be set up to apply in practice the guide with the support of active civil society organizations. Second, independent investigative articles will be delivered and disseminated via the BlueLink.net website and Reaction Radio station. Third, the BlueLink.net website and Reaction Radio station will have their capacity boosted. Fourth, the delivered articles will be promoted in the media. The project will benefit the students, journalists and the applicant as well as the community in general.
Summary of project results
The shortage of independent media and the expansion and consolidation of media ownership are some of the problems identified by the project which seem to be further and further away from the concept of the fourth power and the democratic role of journalism. The project was implemented to promote journalism responsible to the public. Thus, a new brand of good-quality journalistic product was created in Bulgaria under the Evromegdan brand. The Evromegdan product is specialized; it is based mainly on writing extensive features. 54 features were written raising awareness about human rights and citizen rights. 2 training sessions of reporters were held and more than 10 editorial meetings and individual consultations with reporters were carried out. In addition, Practical Guide on Independent Journalism was developed. The project was implemented in informal partnership with Reaction campus radio station whose team successfully started encouraging young journalists to apply in practice the standards of quality journalism referring to the work under the project. The young journalists from the campus radio station aired REcontra radio programme devoted to pressing public issues. BlueLink Foundation will continue to develop the skills and capacity of young reporters in Bulgaria, providing them also with access to the virtual Editorial Office of Evromegdan e-magazine set up under the project. For more information, please, visit:
http://evromegdan.bg/
Summary of bilateral results