Local media across the Western Balkans begin producing new content
As part of the Small grants for media content production grant scheme under the SMS Facility – Small Media Support in Western Balkans project, 27 contracts have been signed with local media outlets across six Western Balkan countries, officially launching the implementation of new projects aimed at improving the quality of media content. This initiative represents an important step in strengthening local media, which plays a crucial role in informing citizens, maintaining public trust and safeguarding the public interest.
Local media often operate under challenging conditions, facing limited staff capacity, insufficient technological resources and difficulties in sustaining regular content production. Despite these obstacles, they remain a vital part of democratic societies, especially in smaller, local communities where they represent the primary source of timely, reliable and relevant information. The small grants program was therefore designed to address these structural gaps and provide clear, direct and practical support to media working to improve their content and connection with local audiences.
Within this grant scheme, a maximum of 5 grants per country have been awarded, each worth up to 7.000 EUR, enabling media outlets to develop high-quality stories and formats that speak to the needs of their communities. Grants were selected through a rigorous and transparent evaluation process carried out by two independent assessors per application, who examined the expected social impact, the relevance of proposed topics, the innovative elements of project concepts, contributions to higher information standards and the alignment of each proposal with the objectives of the Public call which was published in July 2025. This approach ensured the selection of projects with strong potential to generate meaningful improvements within the local media landscape.
Through the implementation of these projects, at least 300 new media products are expected to be produced across the region. These products will include investigative and analytical stories, multimedia features, digital series, local reports, video formats and content addressing issues of public interest of small, local communities. Such volume and diversity of production reflect a clear commitment to strengthening professional standards, expanding coverage of local topics and contributing to a more pluralistic and vibrant information environment.
Beyond direct support to media production, the small grants program carries broader societal value. It contributes to building stronger, more resilient, and trusted media ecosystems at a time when many societies in the region face mounting threats like disinformation, polarization, and the spread of news deserts. These are communities effectively abandoned by professional journalism, where the lack of local reporting leaves residents without a way to hold power to account or stay connected to civic life. Investing in local media means reversing this trend, building reliable information sources, and ensuring communities stay informed through credible, accessible journalism.
With the contracts now signed and project activities underway, media outlets across the Western Balkans have a concrete opportunity to enhance their production capacities and provide audiences with content that is high-quality, verified and socially relevant, ultimately strengthening democratic processes and empowering citizens through improved access to trustworthy information.
The SMS Facility – Small Media Support in Western Balkans is implemented in six Western Balkans countries including Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia, by consortium consisting of six civil society and media support organizations – Centar za promociju civilnog društva CPCD (BiH) as the Lead Applicant (LA), Thomson Media gGmbH (Germany), Science & Innovation for Development SCIDEV (Albania), Kosovo Glocal (Kosovo), Centar za demokratsku tranziciju CDT (MNE), and Metamorphosis Foundation (MKD) as implementing partners.
The SMS Facility – Small Media Support in Western Balkans is co-funded by European Union.
