Mapping of media assistance and journalism support programmes in the Western Balkans region
Global Forum for Media Development (GFMD) (2024), 7 pp.
"A third of the programmes identified - 19 out of 58 - are regional programmes (that is, covering more than one country). Several regional programmes include activities implemented in Western Balkan countries and other countries outside of the region (such as Turkey and Moldova). We mapped 39 single-country programmes: 10 programmes implemented in Albania, 9 in Bosnia and Herzegovina, 7 in Serbia, 5 in Kosovo and the Republic of North Macedonia and 3 in Montenegro.
[...] Nearly 28% of the listed projects are implemented under the broad definition of democracy, human rights and freedom of expression. Several factors contribute to the large number of programmes in this category, namely: some donors use this broad general description to classify their support for media in their official databases; EU donors use this type of description to indicate that the programmes are situated within the EU accession agenda under the overall objective of freedom of expression. The second largest group consists of programmes aimed at building trust and focusing on disinformation, media literacy and fact-checking initiatives. In the third group are programmes addressing media sustainability, capacity and resilience building, investments in media, and innovation, which, in many cases, include an emphasis on digital tools. Five mapped programmes support investigative journalism and anti-corruption reporting. The same number of programmes (5) are designed to fund media reporting on other development issues, such as the environment, culture, energy and human trafficking.
[...] Out of the 58 mapped programmes, we identified the total budgets awarded for 33 of them. By converting the amounts to USD and summing them, we calculated a total of $57,516,590, with an average annual amount of approximately $13.38 million. This figure does not include amounts awarded via sub-granting, funding provided by NED and EED and from other sources not identified in this mapping. If we added NED and EED budgets based on estimates and projections using the data available, the total amount for the 2020-2024 period would be close to $90 million with an annual average of $20.1 million. When cross-referencing the data collected in this mapping with information from other sources, including d-portal. org, the estimates aligned closely with the total mounts. By selecting relevant categories on d-portal.org, such as Free Flow of Information, Media and Free Flow of Information, and Radio/ Television/ Print/ Media, for the period 2020–2024, the funding amounted to a total of $ 77.3 million. USAID was identified as the largest donor in the region, contributing over $52 million (approximately 70% of the total support), followed by Sweden with close to $10 million, the EU with $8.1 million, and other countries collectively contributing up to $5 million." (Pages 4-6)
[...] Nearly 28% of the listed projects are implemented under the broad definition of democracy, human rights and freedom of expression. Several factors contribute to the large number of programmes in this category, namely: some donors use this broad general description to classify their support for media in their official databases; EU donors use this type of description to indicate that the programmes are situated within the EU accession agenda under the overall objective of freedom of expression. The second largest group consists of programmes aimed at building trust and focusing on disinformation, media literacy and fact-checking initiatives. In the third group are programmes addressing media sustainability, capacity and resilience building, investments in media, and innovation, which, in many cases, include an emphasis on digital tools. Five mapped programmes support investigative journalism and anti-corruption reporting. The same number of programmes (5) are designed to fund media reporting on other development issues, such as the environment, culture, energy and human trafficking.
[...] Out of the 58 mapped programmes, we identified the total budgets awarded for 33 of them. By converting the amounts to USD and summing them, we calculated a total of $57,516,590, with an average annual amount of approximately $13.38 million. This figure does not include amounts awarded via sub-granting, funding provided by NED and EED and from other sources not identified in this mapping. If we added NED and EED budgets based on estimates and projections using the data available, the total amount for the 2020-2024 period would be close to $90 million with an annual average of $20.1 million. When cross-referencing the data collected in this mapping with information from other sources, including d-portal. org, the estimates aligned closely with the total mounts. By selecting relevant categories on d-portal.org, such as Free Flow of Information, Media and Free Flow of Information, and Radio/ Television/ Print/ Media, for the period 2020–2024, the funding amounted to a total of $ 77.3 million. USAID was identified as the largest donor in the region, contributing over $52 million (approximately 70% of the total support), followed by Sweden with close to $10 million, the EU with $8.1 million, and other countries collectively contributing up to $5 million." (Pages 4-6)
Geographical distribution of the funding -- The main themes on which programmes are focusing -- Type of funding -- Amounts of funding -- Overall budget -- Sources of funding -- Implementing organisations
