Reporting Diversity Network (RDN) 2.0 aims to activate the role of civil society in countering narratives of the divide and replacing them with positive discourse contributing to the values of respect for human rights, respect for diversity and good neighbouring relations. In order to do so, the project will empower a regional network of CSOs to work together with the aim to influence the quality of media reporting about issues of ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation, and age.
RDN 2.0 will provide tools and resources for the entire civil society to perform influence towards more inclusive media. It will also support effective policy-making in the areas promoting tolerance both nationally and regionally.
The project will be established and capacitated with the objective to effectively influence media reporting shaping perceptions of ethnicity, religion, gender and other diversity categories in the Western Balkans.
Reporting Diversity Network 2.0 website was created and maintained with the financial support of the European Union, Balkan Trust for Democracy, a project of the German Marshall Fund of the United States, and the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Belgrade.
Key Activities:
- Developing Media Monitoring Methodology and training project staff to do the monitoring and create responses/ complaints.
- Media Monitoring: Monitoring of traditional and new media uncovers hate speech and divisive discourses.
- Publicise Complaints: When project’s monitoring efforts detect hate speech and discriminatory discourses in the media, the partners expose and counter them using the most appropriate mechanisms, such as articles and blog posts, letters and meetings with editors.
- Social Media Campaign: A project-dedicated website and social media platforms will be developed to promote project outputs and initiate debate over hateful narratives in the media
- Reporting Diversity ToT: A group of Network representatives as well as additional number of CSO and media representatives interested and/or experienced in the topic, will be selected in order to attend a training aiming to equip them for individual provision of training and mentoring
- Sub-granting: Supporting overall 30 projects across the region by providing programme and financial support.
- National and regional conferences aiming at advocacy and initiating discussion over this topic with key stakeholders
Countries: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia
Timeframe: April 2020- April 2024
Funder: Reporting Diversity Network 2.0 website was created and maintained with the financial support of the European Union, Balkan Trust for Democracy, a project of the German Marshall Fund of the United States, and the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Belgrade.
Partners: Media Diversity Institute (lead partner), South East European Network for profesionalisation of media (SEENPM), Centre for Investigative Journalism Bosnia and Herzegovina, Center for Investigative Journalism Montenegro, KosovaLive, Institut for Communication Studies and Media Diversity Institute Western Balkans.
Website: https://www.reportingdiversity.org/
