In their everyday reporting investigative outlet ÇOHU/Preportr heavily depends on a two-way communication with the citizens. In order to obtain the necessary data, they need to have a secured and reliable channel of communication with its readers. This is especially important for investigative outlets like ÇOHU/Preportr that go one step further in disclosing illegal activities.
Thanks to the implementation of the Engaged Citizens Reporting (ECR) tool, an online survey system that helps media outlets to investigate and report on issues that are of interest to their community, the portal managed to establish a stable and secure link with the citizens in order to further advance their work.
In other words, by working with citizens on stories or issues that are of interest or concern to them, media outlets are reporting with their audiences, not just about them. ECR tool gives citizens the opportunity to suggest topics, provide documents, testimonials or other evidence.
As a result of the implementation of the ECR tool, and the support they receive through the Media for All project, ÇOHU/Preportr obtained the necessary data from the citizens for their latest investigative effort on the Environmental degradation by hydropower plants.
Within this research, ÇOHU/Preportr through the ECR platform has published a questionnaire to get responses from citizens regarding the impact that hydropower plants have had on the environment and consequently on their daily lives.
This publication goes much deeper in the subject than some of the environment pieces done by other outlets. Taking into consideration that environment protection is a cross cutting theme at a regional level the outlet will continue with a series of reports that relates to environment protection and hydro plants.
Established in September 2005, Çohu/Preportr’s goal is to limit the impact of political corruption on public institutions and aims to provide an alternative space for investigative journalism in Kosovo.
