“Media Enabling Democracy, Inclusion and Accountability in Moldova” (MEDIA-M)
Deadline: September 20, 2023
Open to: Independent media outlets from the Republic of Moldova
Description
The “Media Enabling Democracy, Inclusion and Accountability in Moldova” (MEDIA-M) project, funded by USAID and UK, and implemented by Internews in Moldova, aims to promote the development of an independent, professional media that gives citizens access to a variety of perspectives and to create a media sector that is more resilient to political and financial pressures. By focusing on the supply of and demand for objective information, MEDIA-M will strengthen the ability of independent media to fulfill its role as a watchdog over the government and serve as a space for citizens to engage in public policy dialogue. Originally planned as a five-year initiative, the duration of MEDIA-M was extended twice, most recently in April 2023, which pushed the project end date to September 2026.
MEDIA-M has been providing long-term, intensive support to build the capacity of six “Key Partner” media outlets in Moldova. Thanks to this support, these outlets have made notable strides in their managerial, financial, and editorial growth. They have been able to develop strategic and operational plans for the first time, launch pioneering initiatives to generate revenue, and explore innovative new formats of content production that have expanded their audiences to record-breaking sizes, among other achievements.
As part of the recent project extension, Internews intends to select six new media outlets as beneficiaries of the intensive targeted capacity building development, including technical and grant assistance. Support will last for an initial one-year period, with the possibility of multi-annual extensions based on demonstrated progress and results, as evaluated through annual assessments conducted by Internews staff and consultants as well as continuous monitoring. Ongoing coaching and mentoring will be provided by long-term editorial, business, and management consultants working regularly with management and staff in-house at each selected outlet to support progress toward individualized targets and goals. The grant amount will be negotiated individually and justified based on the results of the annual assessments. Grants may support the production and distribution of multiplatform news content (including technical upgrades to make that possible), the introduction of innovative story formats, and coverage of political, economic, and social issues that promote accountability and civic participation, among other upgrades and innovations.
Eligibility Criteria
All types of media (TV, radio, print, and/or Internet) will be eligible. Priority will be given to outlets seeking to establish closer ties with regional or underserved audiences, as well as outlets that have already exhibited a commitment to MEDIA-M’s principles of transformational change. At least one Key Partner will focus primarily on investigative journalism.
*Internews’s current Key Partners in Moldova are not eligible for this specific call.
In order to be considered eligible to apply, applicants must fulfill the following criteria:
- Be a locally registered organization in Moldova,
- Have an independent editorial policy (as evidenced by external assessment/evaluation reports where possible),
- Demonstrate proven dedication to professional, ethical journalism (as evidenced by media monitoring reports where possible),
- Produce content in Romanian and/or Russian language across multiple platforms (TV, radio, print, and/or Internet).
Evaluation Criteria
Applications will be reviewed and evaluated by a selection committee (composed of media experts, civil society and donor representatives) on a range of selection criteria including:
- Independent editorial policy (proven independent editorial policy backed by external assessment/evaluation reports where possible, proven commitment to ethical journalism, proven commitment to public service journalism, proven investigative competence and skills if applicable);
- Audience (awareness of audience data, willingness to geographically expand their coverage and network, desire to foster community engagement and use audience feedback to improve content);
- Organizational capacity and infrastructure (capacity statement, including human and technical resources allocated for the project, strategic/organizational plan for the media outlet (if available) or a statement outlining the goals of the outlet over the next three/five years, ability to allocate time and physical resources for long-term consultant experts);
- Openness, commitment, and responsibility for developing organizational capacities and media content quality (demonstrated openness to managerial/organizational improvements, motivation to build their own capacity through sustained work with experts in multimedia journalism and business management).
Applicants should make sure to address these points in their application materials.
Application requirements
To apply for the support the following documents must be submitted in Romanian, Russian, or English:
- Companies’ registration documents with the Moldovan authorities,
- Editorial Policy,
- Capacity statement, including human and technical resources allocated for the project,
- Strategic/organizational plan for the media outlet (if available), otherwise a statement outlining the goals of the outlet over the next three/five years,
- Motivation letter outlining reasons for the application.
Q&A Session
An online Q&A session for clarifications and additional details will be organized for media outlets interested in taking part in this program. To participate in this information session, please register by filling in this form. The preliminary date for the session is September 12, 2023, at 11.00 a.m. All information with details on the date, hour, and how to connect will be sent to the registered email addresses.
Application Submission Instruction
All interested media outlets are encouraged to submit their application electronically to the following e-mail address: in-chisinau@internews.org with “MEDIA-M Support 2023″ in the subject line, until September 20, 2023, 18:00.
All applications submitted will be acknowledged within two (2) working days following the deadline for submission of applications and will note the documents submitted. The applicant is responsible for ensuring and confirming that the emails comprising the application reach Internews representatives. Only the successful applicant will be notified of selection within twenty (20) days following the deadline for submission of applications.
NOTICE OF SELECTION OF THE APPLICATION IS NOT TO BE CONSTRUED AS A CONTRACT OR SUBGRANT AWARD.