The initiative will connect academics, industry professionals, and subject matter experts with local, regional, national media organisations, and investigative journalists to foster multidisciplinary collaboration and excellence.
Expert-reviewed journalism is a significant innovation for the media industry, helping journalists to overcome challenges such as limited resources and maintaining credibility when covering complex, interconnected topics. Two prime examples of this approach are the impactful collaborations between journalists and experts on the investigations: The Forever Pollution Project and The Forever Lobbying Project, which were both supported by Journalismfund Europe. Inspired by these stories, Journalismfund Europe and the Stockholm School of Economics in Riga (SSE Riga) are pleased to announce the launch of an innovative project called ‘Expert-Reviewed Journalism’. The project will encourage journalists to take a more scientific and methodical approach to their investigations, ultimately improving their ability to inform the public more effectively. It will also provide management training to twenty selected small and medium-sized media companies.
Journalismfund has been providing cross-border grants to European journalists and media since 2009. Our service in this area is becoming increasingly sophisticated. This grant programme is the most ambitious that we have ever set up." Ides Debruyne, managing director, Journalismfund Europe.
On the one hand, articles will benefit from expert peer review and rigorous, comprehensive linguistic editing. This will ensure that they meet the highest standards of reliability and impact. By prioritising resilience, pluralism, and editorial independence, the project also aims to strengthen vital democratic institutions such as community media and investigative outlets. Experts will collaborate with media professionals to tackle the challenges these sectors face—these range from external pressures to resource constraints.
As a key partner in this EU initiative, we will leverage our expertise in media, education, and policy advisory to foster dialogue, empower future media professionals, and ensure the development of impactful training solutions." Edgars Spuravs, director for Centre for Media Studies SSE Riga
The ‘Expert-Reviewed Journalism’ project aims to encourage journalists and media outlets, both local and national, to collaborate on transnational investigations. A budget of €1,680,000 will be available in grants. In addition to financial support, selected media outlets will have the opportunity to receive newsroom training and advice from media experts.
An introductory webinar is taking place on 20 January 2026 at 2 PM CET to provide more information about the new approach of the grant programme. Register here.
The project is co-funded by the European Commission (Creative Europe). It starts on the 1st of January 2026 for 24 months. Six calls for proposals will be published between January 2026 and mid-2027.
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