EU Reporting Beyond Slogans

Reporting on EU affairs poses particular challenges for journalists in Ukraine, Moldova, Georgia, and Armenia. In all four countries, EU accession is considered a "historical question of destiny" in politics and the public sphere – and is, in some cases, fiercely contested. Therefore, many media outlets deliberately take sides: instead of reporting from multiple perspectives on the concrete opportunities and consequences of EU accession, some media outlets actively advocate for EU membership, while others adopt populist and EU-skeptical narratives to mobilize their readership against the EU.

To enhance journalists’ knowledge and skills in covering the complex topic of EU accession, n-ost in partnership with Moldovan media-outlet NewsMaker launches the project “EU Reporting Beyond Slogans”. It will focus on two policy areas (agriculture and energy) to enable participants to develop concrete expertise and to build a cross-border community of professionals eager to report on those issues.

The project will begin with a series of four thematic webinars introducing participants to nuances of adapting the energy and agriculture sectors to EU requirements. Led by prominent experts, these online-workshops will help participants to deepen their expertise and to decide on the best reporting angles taking into account their countries' specifics.

In September, 12 selected journalists and 6 NGO representatives from Armenia, Georgia, Germany, Moldova, Poland, and Ukraine will travel to Poland for a four-day study trip. They will receive on-the-ground knowledge about Poland’s energy and agriculture sector transformation preceding and following its EU accession.

During the trip, participants will have an opportunity to collect information and contacts relevant for further reporting. They will be provided with a stipend to support preparation of their publications. The reporting should be done by the end of the autumn.

The project will conclude with a meeting in Chisinau, where participants will share their acquired knowledge and experience with other professionals to spark greater discussion of the topic.

The project is implemented by n-ost in cooperation with NewsMaker, Moldovan media-outlet focused on covering Moldova's and international current affairs.