Deadline: 20-Jun-23
The Balkan Investigative Reporting Network (BIRN) is pleased to announce an open call for the EU Investigative Journalism Award for 2023 to recognise and promote outstanding achievements in investigative journalism as well as improve the visibility of quality journalism in the Western Balkans and Türkiye.
This year, aside from national awards, the EU Award is introducing a regional award, targeting the best stories from the entire region based on clearly defined criteria. This new category is an exciting development that will encourage journalists to think beyond national borders and tackle issues that affect the entire region.
Stories that can be nominated should contribute to freedom of expression, the rule of law and transparency. They should cover a variety of topics affecting national and regional economies, struggles and challenges to countries’ EU integration processes, societies and countries’ perspectives, e.g. organised crime, corruption, the rise of extremism, various forms of foreign influence, human rights violations, including those in the digital sphere, and other topics that the public would not otherwise be familiar with.
Award Information
- The annual award fund for each of the countries is 10,000 euros and the prize fund for regional awards is also 10,000 euros. The three best stories of the year are awarded, and the amount for national and regional prizes is 5,000 euros (first place), 3,000 (second), and 2,000 (third).
Eligibility Criteria
- Journalists from Western Balkan countries and Türkiye are invited to submit their investigative stories.
- Entries can be nominated for the national or regional award, or for both, and this possibility is offered through the application form itself. Additionally, one candidate may apply to the competition with several stories.
- The winners of national awards in Western Balkan countries and Türkiye automatically become candidates for the regional EU award for investigative journalism, if their application form so states. The jury for both the national and the regional awards consists of local and international media experts, editors, members of academia and journalists with merits.
For more information, visit BIRN.