How do you know you’re heading in the right direction? Sometimes all it takes is a few days, a few conversations, and a clear realization: our path is meaningful – but there’s still room to grow.
From Experience to Action: The Strength of Regional Journalism Lies in Community
How do you know you're heading in the right direction? Sometimes all it takes is a few days, a few conversations, and a clear realization: our path is meaningful – but there's still room to grow.
That’s what Domantas Bagūnas, a representative of Etaplius, took home after participating in the Innovation Fair in Budapest – an international event held under the LIMENet project umbrella, with Media4Change actively participating as a national partner.
“What inspired me most were the ideas about regional journalism and engaging local audiences. That’s the core of our work as well, so it was valuable to validate what we do and gain new insights,” Domantas shared.
When Local Journalism Becomes the Voice of the Community
According to Domantas, one of the most powerful moments came from a speaker from the United Kingdom — not because of tools or business models, but because of the speaker’s approach to journalism in regional contexts.
“There were genuinely valuable talks that are applicable in our daily work and help align with our goals.”
Following the event, Domantas’s team established a collaboration with colleagues from Latvia, and the overall experience encouraged their newsroom to launch new projects — from acquiring better tools for information gathering to presenting stories in a more modern and engaging way.
“If we received LIMENet support, we would invest in tools that help us collect information faster and with higher quality, modernize how we present content to readers, and focus more on non-daily topics — the social issues that often get pushed aside due to time constraints.”
An Invitation to Think Bigger
“A united media is a strong media. That’s why events like this and collaboration with colleagues from other countries help us exchange ideas, reflect, and build connections.”
The ongoing LIMENet sub-grant call invites other local newsrooms to take similar steps — from inspiration and reflection to real action and change.
📅 Application deadline: August 25
💶 Support available: up to €20,000
🤝 Includes mentoring and access to an international network of experts
🔗 More information and application form
Key details:
– Open to media operating in Lithuania, Poland, Hungary, Belgium, and Serbia;
– Eligible applicants include both registered media outlets and independent creators working locally;
– The sub-granting system is part of the EU’s Creative Europe programme under the project LIMENet – Local Innovative Media in Europe Network.
LIMENet is implemented by a consortium led by the Media Diversity Institute Global (Brussels), in cooperation with the Media Diversity Institute Western Balkans (Serbia), Media4Change (Lithuania), and SDRP.EU (Poland).
The LIMENet project is co-funded by the European Union’s Creative Europe programme.
