Five media outlets bringing fresh ideas to journalism with support from the BIS programme
The Business Innovation Synergizer (BIS) programme, a cornerstone of Media Innovation Europe 2.0, celebrates the innovative spirit of five European media organisations awarded grants and business mentoring to transform their operations. By empowering media outlets to navigate the evolving media industry, MIE provides tools and guidance to align journalistic products, business structures, and distribution methods in an audience-focused and sustainable way.
We are proud to present you with selected beneficiaries for this cycle of BIS programme:
- Krytyka Polityczna from Poland will be developing an immersive, gamified web platform that integrates its journalism, research, and publishing efforts, creating a user-centric model to unite content with commercial ventures
- Slovenian media outlet Večer is launching an interactive gaming platform to enhance audience engagement, improve brand perception, and drive revenue, marking a significant step in its digital transformation
- Deník Alarm from the Czech Republic is creating an advanced membership service to diversify its revenue streams, optimise donor engagement, and reduce operational costs
- Forbes Bulgaria is introducing a “Forbes TV” series featuring five-minute business stories. The series aims to captivate audiences with high-quality insights while exploring new revenue channels.
- KosovaPress is harnessing AI to enhance newsroom operations, from news verification to seamless speech-to-text and text-to-speech functionalities, demonstrating cutting-edge innovation in journalism
During the next 12 months these organisations will receive up to EUR 30,000 of financial support, gain access to tailored business mentoring and collaborative opportunities, fostering resilience and innovation in the rapidly evolving media landscape.
The programme is a response to the challenging environment media operate in, including growing hostility to media freedom, lack of trust in journalism as well as the disruption of media by the digital transformation and economic threats. By stimulating and strengthening a collaborative media innovation ecosystem across Europe, this programme aims to build sustainable media through the innovation process and digital business model transformation.
BIS is implemented as part of the Media Innovation Europe 2.0 project, a multidisciplinary, multi-project programme that has funded over 50 news organisations in the past two years and has opened its second edition. Led by the Vienna-based International Press Institute (IPI), the consortium brings together Thomson Media (TM), The Fix Foundation (TFF), and the Balkan Investigative Reporting Network (BIRN). The programme will continue to be co-funded by the European Union.
Over the past two years, BIS has supported more than 50 news organisations, fostering resilience in regions where media freedom is threatened. By empowering media to adopt fresh approaches and connect with audiences meaningfully, the programme underscores its commitment to high-quality journalism and audience trust.
