Syndication

  • Rethinking Election Coverage in the Czech Republic

    Transitions has partnered with Respekt, a leading Czech weekly magazine, to rethink how political reporting serves the public ahead of the general election this fall.

    The goal? Move beyond horse-race coverage and political soundbites toward reporting that listens to citizens, focuses on solutions, and fosters constructive public debate.

    At the core of this new approach are four principles:

    • Transparency about editorial intentions, starting with a clear mission statement explaining what Respekt is doing differently and why.
    • Listening to the audience – actively asking readers what issues matter to them and what they feel is missing from the political conversation.
    • Solutions-oriented reporting – focusing on responses and approaches that already exist and have proven effective elsewhere.
    • Reducing polarization – by telling more nuanced stories that reflect the complexity of issues, avoid simplistic “us vs. them” framing, and highlight a range of perspectives to foster understanding rather than division.

    Toward that goal, Respekt will ask its readers directly what they care about – and then shape its election reporting around those issues.

    In short: not only “What are the candidates saying?” – but also “What questions do you want to get answered?”

    More updates soon!

  • Countering Serbia’s Tsunami of Dis/Misinformation

    Our Serbian partner CRTA ramped up efforts to counter disinformation during the most recent round of local elections through its fact-checking platform, Istinomer. This work focused on holding public officials accountable and building the capacity of ordinary citizens to identify propaganda, misinformation, and spin.

    Highlights over the first six months of the year:

    • 250+ articles published, including 30+ deep dives and 11 fact-checks of public officials’ statements
    • 150 viral falsehoods debunked, including AI-generated fakes
    • Election monitoring in the municipalities of Zaječar and Kosjerić, plus election-related developments nationally
    • Massive digital reach: 1.8M on Facebook, 1.7M on Instagram, 800K+ on TikTok

    Istinomer is proving that trust in the facts can be restored – especially when stories are sharp, visual, and on point.

  • LEVEL-UP – Media Literacy Through Play

    Let us (re)introduce you to LEVEL-UP, an exciting international project that brings together organizations from Spain (Maldita.es – project lead), the Czech Republic (Transitions), and Bulgaria (Media Literacy Coalition – MLC). Supported by Creative Europe, the initiative is designed to boost media and information literacy among older adults through innovative educational tools and gamification.

    At the heart of LEVEL-UP is a shared mission: to empower older Europeans with the skills they need to confidently navigate today’s complex media landscape. By developing engaging learning materials and an interactive video game, we aim to offer resources that are not only informative but also enjoyable and relevant to real-life challenges.

    Over the past few months, the project has made significant progress. We’ve completed a narrative analysis and worked closely with a research group to explore common disinformation narratives. Our teams also came together in Madrid to film a series of educational videos – and we’ve developed the first working prototype of our game!

    What’s next? In the coming months, we’ll be enhancing the prototype into a more advanced version of the game, tailored to the needs of older adults and focused on helping them recognize and respond to disinformation. Alongside this, we’ll organize a series of workshops and exhibitions to showcase the game, discuss strategies for staying safe online, explore the nature of conspiracy theories, and reflect on how AI can support critical thinking in the digital age.

    Stay tuned – more updates are coming soon and if you’d like to take a quick peek behind the scenes, check out one of our recent videos.

  • From Division to Dialogue: Complicating the Narratives for a More Inclusive Media

    Transitions launches its first Complicating the Narrative pilot with five European newsrooms 

    We’re thrilled to announce the launch of our first Complicating the Narrative (CTN) pilot at Transitions! This marks a big step in our mission to support more nuanced journalism that serves the public in polarized times. We’re kicking off this pilot with five forward-looking newsrooms that are each embedded in distinct media landscapes: Storyteller (Serbia), eTrafika (Bosnia and Herzegovina), Heroine (Czech Republic), Moldova.org (Moldova), and Panorama (Romania).

    At a time when binary framing, outrage, and sensationalist storytelling dominate headlines, journalists need tools to report differently. CTN equips journalists with tools to listen differently, amplify internal contradictions, and go beneath the surface of polarizing issues to find deeper motivations and more complete stories. In today’s world of deep divisions and collapsing trust in the media, the ability to complicate, not simplify, the narrative is essential.

    This new pilot builds on the momentum of our solutions journalism programs which now span more than 30 European newsrooms. If solutions journalism reframes how we cover what’s working, CTN helps us rethink how we engage with conflict. Together, these tools make a powerful combination to tell stories that are both constructive and complex. 

    We’re proud to partner with these five trailblazing newsrooms and can’t wait to see how they bring CTN into their reporting, their editorial decisions, and their communities. Stay tuned as we share insights, best practices, and newsroom stories emerging from this pilot. 

  • Your Go-To Guide for Climate Solutions Reporting

    Are you a journalist ready to take your climate reporting to the next level?

    The SoJo Europe Program is proud to launch a powerful set of resources designed to support cross-border, solutions-focused, and investigative journalism across Europe. Whether you’re just starting out or looking to sharpen your reporting, this toolkit is your go-to guide for impactful climate storytelling.

    What’s Inside?

    🧰 The Climate Action Playbook
    Your step-by-step guide to reporting on climate solutions with clarity, depth, and relevance.

    🌍 The Solutions Approach to Cross-Border Climate Stories
    Learn how to collaborate across countries and tackle shared climate challenges with a solutions lens.

    🎯 Pitching Climate Solutions Journalism Stories
    Craft compelling, fundable story pitches that editors can’t ignore.

    📊 Using Data in Climate Solutions Stories
    Turn numbers into narratives with tips for finding and using climate data effectively.

    These resources are designed to make climate journalism more innovative, collaborative, and connected to what audiences care about most—solutions that work.

  • Announcing the Second Cohort of the SoJo Europe Program: A Diverse Collective of Newsrooms Driving Solutions Journalism Across Europe

    We are thrilled to announce the selection of the second cohort of eight newsrooms for the SoJo Europe program, a first-of-its-kind initiative designed to foster solutions journalism across Europe. These newsrooms represent a diverse array of countries and media landscapes, each bringing unique perspectives and strengths to the program. This diversity is the cornerstone of the SoJo Europe program, promising rich, cross-border collaborations and a robust exchange of ideas that will significantly advance the practice and impact of solutions journalism in Europe.

    We look forward to seeing the innovative stories and impactful collaborations that will emerge from this incredible cohort, and help redefine the landscape of European journalism.

    1. Montenegrin Independent News Agency – MINA (Montenegro): an independent news cooperative, MINA is committed to the values of integrity, impartiality, and freedom from bias. With over 20 years of credibility, MINA delivers accurate news to its subscribers, with content distributed through Montenegrin media channels and online platforms, reaching tens of thousands of readers daily. MINA is the founder and member of Association of Balkans News Agency.

    2. Crimean Center for Business and Cultural Cooperation “Ukrainian House” (Ukraine): The Crimean Center has been a key player in promoting independent journalism and providing a platform-Voice of Crimea– for the dissemination of objective information in Crimea. The platform provides reports on Crimea’s political, economic, social, environmental, and cultural issues.  Voice of Crimea is dedicated to investigating the problems and offering solutions.  

    3. Albanian Center for Quality Journalism – ACQJ (Albania): An independent media organization focused on strengthening investigative journalism, media literacy, and public interest reporting in Albania, ACQJ empowers and trains young journalists, fosters media pluralism, and promotes transparency. ACQJ is dedicated to producing high-quality, fact-based journalism to combat disinformation, serving as a watchdog of public interests, and supporting a resilient journalism ecosystem in Albania.

    4. Pozitivi.org (Albania): A pioneering media outlet, Pozitivi.org is the first and only platform in Albania focused on constructive journalism, covering topics like social change, gender equality, and gender-based violence, demographic issues, health, youth empowerment, and positive media narratives. Pozitivi.org produces documentaries, TV programs, multimedia campaigns, and social campaigns collaborating with global organizations like UNFPA, UNOPS, and World Vision Albania.

    5. Okraj.cz (Czech Republic): Founded in 2024, Okraj.cz is a team of investigative journalists based in the Moravian-Silesian region, committed to delivering high-quality local news. Okraj.cz focuses on the region’s environmental and social challenges, political issues, education, and tackling misinformation, as well as addressing the concerns of marginalized communities and minorities, including the Roma. Okraj.cz engages a broader audience through social media, podcasts, and interactive activities, emphasizing the value of local journalism.

    6. Asociația “Atlatszo Erdely Egyesulet” (Romania): Átlátszó Erdély is Romania’s only independent, nonprofit on-line newsroom focused on investigative journalism for the Hungarian community in Transylvania.  Mainly publishing in Hungarian, Átlátszó Erdély also translates its most important stories into Romanian and English.

    7. Zeitenspiegel Reportagen Reinhardt & Partner (Germany): Zeitenspiegel Reportagen, a reporters’ collective founded in 1985 by writers and photographers, contributes to news media outlets like Spiegel, Geo, Zeit, and Süddeutsche Zeitung. With bureaus worldwide, Zeitenspiegel Reportagen reports from the frontlines of crises – famine, war, and climate change effects – implementing solution-oriented journalism to inspire a change. An annual magazine, Mut, promotes constructive journalism and is published as a supplement in newspapers across Germany. 

    8. MOMUS (The Netherlands): A Dutch investigative journalism organization formerly known as Platform Authentieke Journalistiek, investigates trade agreements, climate policy, and corporate lobbying. Their rebrand reflects a shift towards transparency, participation and solutions-oriented reporting. MOMUS fosters public engagement by inviting audiences to engage directly with the investigation and employs innovative methods like podcasts, illustrated stories, videos, data analysis and AI tools, all while holding power accountable and promoting trust between journalism and the public.

    Read more about the ten newsrooms part of the first cohort of the SoJo Europe Program.

  • New Survey of Europe’s Journalists

    March 27, 2025

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

    New Survey of Europe’s Journalists Finds More than 60% Are Forced To Work Other Jobs

    The first new Europe-wide survey of the state of journalist profession in nearly a decade raises serious concerns about the viability of the profession, as well as the quality and independence of the free press. The survey of journalists in 33 European countries found:

    *62% of Freelancers Are Forced to Work Other Jobs

    *60% Have Faced Burnout

    *52% Are Worried About AI

    Paris, March 27, 2025 – A new survey of journalists across Europe reveals a troubling state of the profession, including 60% of respondents who report an experience with burnout and 62% of them are forced to supplement their income with other types of work to make ends meet. 

    More than 52% of respondents said they were concerned about the impact of Artificial Intelligence on the journalism profession.

    The survey, conducted by two European Union-funded news industry projects, is the first Europe-wide study on the state of the profession since 2015. It comes as the news media struggles financially, and continues to cut staff positions and shift to outsourcing journalism work to freelancers. The responses of those surveyed highlights growing concerns over financial security and mental health for journalism professionals, and its implications for press freedom.

    To sustain themselves, a majority of journalists are increasingly turning to other sources of work: public relations (37%), teaching (34%), non-profit work (20%), content marketing (19%), and even jobs like bartending, real estate, and parcel delivery. This reliance on outside jobs raises critical concerns about potential conflicts of interest and editorial independence, which could undermine journalistic integrity.

    The report was carried out by the EU-supported Taktak project, in collaboration with Display Europe, and is based on 436 survey responses collected from journalists in 33 European countries and 13 languages. 

    “If the news industry continues its shift to a freelance-dominated model, we will need to do a much better job of taking care of freelancers,” said Jeff Israely, co-founder of Paris-based media Worldcrunch, the project lead on Taktak. 

    “The hunt for new revenue sources continues to be crucial. But we’ve learned over the past decade that ensuring the quality of journalism is the only sustainable way to get there. And that requires having people who can dedicate their professional lives to the work of journalism.”

    Lars Boering, Director of the European Journalism Centre, said better understanding is needed about what support freelance journalists need. “Surveys to assess the current situation for freelancers are crucial to find ways to make the working conditions and satisfaction of working as a journalist much better,” Boering said. “While tools and opportunities become more available for freelance journalists, using platforms on which they can publish themselves, many are working primarily for media that can do better.”

    ====

    Despite widespread agreement among news professionals that artificial intelligence tools cannot substitute the work of human professionals, there is concern that news companies may cite AI as an excuse to cut costs, including reducing pay for journalists. Of those surveyed, 16% said they were very concerned about AI’s impact on the journalism profession and 36% said they were somewhat concerned. Only 7% said they weren’t concerned at all.

    The findings reveal widespread precarious working conditions in the industry, with more than half of respondents to the survey (52%) are freelancers or work under non-employment contracts, facing low pay, lack of social benefits, and financial instability. Even among those with full-time employment, restrictive work environments and limited career growth remain challenges.

    Financial insecurity is cited as a key issue: 46% of journalists report dissatisfaction with their income, while over 50% struggle to cover their families’ needs. The report also found that 60% of journalists have experienced burnout, with many citing unstable job conditions, administrative burdens, and declining demand for quality journalism.

    Despite these challenges, passion for the profession remains strong: 65% of journalists say they expect to still be in journalism in five years. 

    Still, without better pay, secure contracts, and structural support, the growing financial pressures on journalists threaten the integrity and quality of news reporting, underscoring the urgent need for structural reforms to support independent journalism.

    The rise of freelance journalism in Europe is a structural shift in the media industry, as shrinking newsroom budgets have forced outlets to rely more on independent journalists. While it is unclear how big a percentage of the overall workforce freelancers represent across Europe, the Deutsche Journalistinnen- und Journalisten-Union (dju) in Germany reports that about two-thirds of its members identify as freelance journalists.

    The Taktak survey is of particular relevance because it is the first comprehensive survey of freelance journalists in Europe since a 2015 report from the European Federation of Journalists.  

    In 2022, the European Journalism Centre conducted a mapping exercise to see how it could better serve freelance journalists in Europe.

    You can access the full report here.

    For further information and interviews, please contact: Irene Caselli, Taktak project manager, irene.caselli@worldcrunch.com

    About Taktak 

    Taktak is building  a new payment solution designed by and for media organizations and journalists. It is supported by the Creative Europe program of the European Union. Taktak aims to generate new revenue streams for news publishers and independent journalists, with an innovative donation solution that engages users and allows the beneficiaries to join forces through a dynamic revenue-share option. The tool will trigger donations on a per-article basis, with the possibility for the revenue to be split between journalists and publishers with tools that allow the reader to choose the share for each party.

    About Display Europe

    Displayeurope.eu is a ground-breaking media platform anchored in public values. The platform provides citizens across the continent access to trustworthy information and a picture of Europe that is not usually conveyed by mainstream or national media. Through translation, syndication and originally-created-content displayeurope.eu gathers and disseminates trustworthy press from across Europe.

  • Design Thinking workshop in Chisinau

    ✨On March 21-22, 2025, journalists and media professionals from Moldova, Ukraine, Georgia, France and Romania came together in Chișinău for an intensive 1.5-day Design Thinking training, aimed at developing innovative, user-centered solutions to challenges in the media sector.

    Participants explored each phase of the design thinking process, from empathy-driven user interviews to hands-on prototyping and pitching. Stepping out of their comfort zones, they conducted real interviews on the streets of Chișinău to uncover how local audiences consume and perceive news and media. These insights sparked a wave of creative ideas, for example on how to make media more inclusive for seniors.

    The training concluded with a prototype showcase, where participants presented early concepts for their products. All participants are now invited to apply for microgrants to bring their ideas to life in their newsrooms.

  • 🌍 Climate Solutions: Cross-Border Journalism in Action

    Our SoJo Europe cohort has been hard at work investigating solutions to climate challenges across Europe. We’re proud to showcase three powerful cross-border projects:

    🌊 Flooded Futures: Protecting Vulnerable Communities – How at-risk regions are adapting to rising waters. Read more


    ✈️ Flight Paths to a Greener Urban Future – Can aviation innovations reshape sustainable city life? Read more


    ☀️ Solar Harvest – Exploring how solar energy is transforming communities. Read more

    These projects are a testament to the power of collaboration and the impact of solutions-oriented storytelling.

  • 🎥 Relive the First European SoJo Summit!

    European Solutions Journalism Summit 2024

    What a gathering it was! In September 2024, nearly 100 solutions journalism enthusiasts from 30 countries came together in Prague for the first-ever European Solutions Journalism Summit. It was an incredible two days of learning, sharing, and building connections to advance impactful storytelling across Europe. Watch the event highlight video here and feel the energy of the movement to redefine the future of journalism! #ESJS2024

  • 📢New Resource: Making Solutions Journalism Sustainable

    How can newsrooms turn solutions journalism into a successful, revenue-generating model? Our SoJo Europe program has released a series of insightful, beautifully illustrated guides to help journalists, editors, and media managers integrate solutions reporting into their editorial culture—while making it financially viable.

    Key topics include:
    📝 Creating an Editorial Cultural Shift – How to embed solutions journalism in newsroom workflows.
    📈 Attracting Subscribers with a Different Editorial Approach – How engaging audiences through editorial innovations is driving support for certain newsrooms.
    💰 Sponsorships, Advertising & Special Projects – How to explore commercial opportunities to generate revenue.
    🏛 Securing Institutional Funding – How to access public or philanthropic funding for solutions coverage.

    These resources offer practical insights from newsrooms successfully implementing solutions journalism. Ready to dive in?

  • Inspiring Week in Prague, Belgrade, and Novi Sad

    ✨From February 16th to 21st, a group of 25 media professionals from Nordic and Western European countries embarked on a six-day study tour to Prague, Belgrade, and Novi Sad. The visit was part of Constructive News: Fostering Solutions Journalism Across Europe, a project led by Transitions in partnership with Journalismfund Europe (Belgium), the Constructive Institute (Denmark), and SEENPM. This trip followed an earlier study tour in October 2024, during which journalists from Central and Eastern Europe visited Scandinavian countries. 

    The study tour aimed to provide participants with an opportunity to explore innovative and inspiring journalism in a region at the forefront of democracy building. Journalists visited a diverse range of media outlets—from major national and international organizations such as Seznam, Czech Radio, and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty in Prague, to smaller, community-driven platforms like Heroine magazine in Prague, Radio021 in Novi Sad, Storyteller in Bački Petrovac, and the Novi Sad School of Journalism. Despite facing numerous challenges, these outlets have successfully carved out a meaningful and impactful presence in their respective media landscapes. 

    The program offered valuable insights into the transformation of media in two countries with a shared communist past. In both the Czech Republic and Serbia, journalists continue to navigate a complex environment marked by growing foreign influence, propaganda, commercial pressures, and political constraints. Yet, many remain resilient, producing impactful journalism through approaches such as solutions journalism, satire, long-form storytelling, and community-focused reporting. 

    Beyond exploring media landscapes, the six-day program served as a platform for exchanging experiences and discussing how constructive and solutions journalism can be effectively practiced across different political and economic contexts. 

  • 🎧 New Podcast Episode: Cracking the Code of Great Solutions Journalism

    What makes a solutions journalism story truly compelling? How do editors ensure rigorous, evidence-based reporting without losing the narrative spark?

    We’re back with a fresh episode of The Upward Spiral, where our senior editor, Ky Krauthamer, and Executive Director, Jeremy Druker, break it all down: 

    👉 How to strike the right balance between storytelling and accuracy
    👉 Fact-checking strategies that strengthen credibility
    👉 The best narrative structures for SoJo stories

    This episode is packed with insights for journalists and editors alike. Tune in now and get inspired! 🎧 Listen here

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