The projects supported by PM4D range from local journalism and community media to investigative reporting and digital innovation, with initiatives addressing news deserts and areas experiencing limited media pluralism. Together, they received €1.39 million in financial support.
The diversity of the projects reflects the diversity of the challenges facing local and independent media.
Some grantees focused on reaching younger audiences through short-form video, social media and new digital platforms. In Belgium, MO* experimented with video journalism to bring complex global stories to younger audiences, while in Poland, portEl.pl created opportunities for young people to produce their own local news content.
Others focused on bringing underserved communities into the conversation. Projects supported journalism for Roma communities in Poland, immigrant and foreign-background audiences in Finland, and people living in rural or peripheral areas across Portugal, Romania, Slovenia and Latvia.
Technology also played an important role. Grantees developed mobile applications, AI-supported newsroom tools, accessible digital platforms and new multimedia formats, while others invested in media labs, training and new editorial workflows designed to continue beyond the funding period.
Across the 46 projects, PM4D supported experimentation not as an end in itself, but as a way for media organisations to better understand their audiences, diversify their formats, strengthen their sustainability and create new connections with the communities they serve.
From youth journalism and community storytelling to investigative reporting and solutions for news deserts, the projects demonstrate the many different ways in which stronger, more diverse and more inclusive media can contribute to informed communities across Europe.
Explore all 46 supported PM4D projects
A comprehensive approach to supporting media pluralism
Implemented by Journalismfund Europe and International Media Support, PM4D was designed to strengthen the resilience, sustainability and independence of public interest media across Europe. Between 2024 and 2026, the programme provided 46 media organisations across 16 European countries with an integrated package of EUR 1.4 million in financial support, audience insights, capacity development and peer learning.
The Media Pluralism Fund was operated by Journalismfund Europe, and the Capacity Building and Mentorship was run by IMS (International Media Support). The Pluralistic Media for Democracy (PM4D) project is co-funded by the European Commission and the King Baudouin Foundation.
What distinguished PM4D was its recognition that funding alone is rarely enough to strengthen independent media. Alongside grants, participants received tailored advisory support designed to improve audience understanding, multimedia storytelling, community engagement, technical innovation, business viability and organisational resilience.
“Co-funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.”
