The Stories of Overlooked People of the Czech-Polish Borderland

Project Activities

The project combined field-based journalism, multimedia production, website development and a public debate. Naše Broumovsko conducted 24 written interviews with 26 respondents from three target groups: manual workers, seniors and young people. The respondents included 14 men and 10 women, nine seniors, eight young people and nine workers, including four representatives of the Roma community and one disabled worker. The project also produced 15 videos for YouTube, 16 short videos for Instagram and a recording of the final public debate, with additional shorter clips and a podcast in production.

The interviews were conducted directly in the field – on the streets, in people's workplaces and in their homes. This approach enabled Naše Broumovsko to build relationships with people who are not always represented in local media and to gain a deeper understanding of their lives and concerns. The interviews covered issues such as employment, wages, housing, community life, political participation and opportunities to become an active citizen. The project culminated in a public debate attended by mayors, other public authorities, respondents and residents, creating a space for direct discussion of issues affecting the region.

The project also strengthened the capacity and longer-term sustainability of Naše Broumovsko. The website was redesigned to make it more modern and user-friendly, and a media library was created for audio and video content. A YouTube channel was established, while the editorial team gained experience with video production and short-form multimedia. The project also led to the development of cooperation with local community reporters. Two of them subsequently began contributing regularly to Naše Broumovsko, bringing additional local knowledge and perspectives to its coverage.

What is the impact?

The project helped make the local news desert in the Broumovsko region “a little greener” by strengthening the quality and diversity of locally produced public-interest journalism. Instead of relying primarily on information obtained remotely, Naše Broumovsko returned to field-based journalism and met residents face to face. This made it possible to reach people and communities who are often overlooked by mainstream media and to bring their everyday experiences, concerns and perspectives into public discussion. The project also helped the newsroom better understand its readers and the issues that matter to them.

The project strengthened the local media ecosystem beyond the individual outputs. Naše Broumovsko expanded its use of multimedia formats, established a YouTube channel and developed cooperation with local community reporters, two of whom continue to contribute regularly. The public debate demonstrated that residents need more opportunities to discuss local issues directly with public authorities. Although the project did not result in an overall increase in annual website traffic – partly because traffic in 2024 had been exceptionally high due to major floods in the region – project-related interviews achieved above-average readership during the monitored period, while daily and weekly traffic increased in the second half of 2025, when the interviews and videos were published.

One of the most visible changes was a stronger sense of connection among local residents. Respondents told Naše Broumovsko that after their interviews and videos were published, people began greeting them and starting conversations with them in the streets. Social media users responded positively to seeing local people and their stories represented in the media, while readers themselves began suggesting other local personalities whose stories they believed should be told. These reactions indicated that the project was helping Naše Broumovsko develop further as a community media outlet.

The project also created more space for public participation and discussion. Through the interviews, residents were able to raise issues they considered important, including employment, wages, housing, community life and political participation. The public debate brought residents together with mayors and other public representatives and highlighted the need for such discussions to take place more regularly. At the same time, the project helped Naše Broumovsko establish new relationships with members of the Roma community and develop long-term cooperation with local community reporters, creating new channels through which local voices can reach the wider community.

Project Links

• Link to articles and videos

Project Pictures

Photo by Naše Broumovsko