Write a commentNewry.ie CIC has been awarded €10,000 from the European Journalism COVID-19 Support Fund to help the hyperlocal publication continue to pay wages and other expenses during the Covid-19 crisis.
Almost 1000 applied Europe wide for the Emergency Fund category and Social Enterprise, Newry.ie was one of just 56 news organisations and one of only three on the island of Ireland who received the support to address critical business needs.
The funding comes at a time when advertising revenue and photography income has all but dried up and Newry.ie also plans to use the funding to commission freelances for specific articles along with aquisition of essential equipment.
The support fund will help Newry.ie continue to expand local coverage of the Covid-19 pandemic to ensure that readers are kept fully informed via news they can trust.
Speaking after the announcement Columba O'Hare, Director/ Editor of Newry.ie said "Newry.ie is extremely grateful to the European Journalism COVID-19 Support Fund for their support at this time of great uncertainty. To date we didn't qualify for any UK Government funding and although we managed to keep afloat untill now, the end of May was going to be a very difficult time.
"Thankfully now instead of channelling all our energy into working out where the next pound comes from, we can now go back to doing what we enjoy best - keeping our readership informed of all that's happening in Newry while never ceasing to highlight our local champions."
Grant Announcement
The European Journalism Centre (EJC) in partnership with the Facebook Journalism Project (FJP) today announced the 56 organisations that will receive grants as part of wave 1 of the European Journalism COVID-19 Support Fund.
Serving communities in 20 countries, from the United Kingdom to Ukraine, the selected publications are being awarded grants of €10,000 or €25,000 to address immediate and critical business needs caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The funds are helping organisations cover the salaries of staff members; bring on board freelancers; replace revenue from the making and distribution of printed publications or from donations / subscriptions / membership; supplement or replace lost advertising revenue or revenue from complementary business activities, such as events; and pay for rent, equipment and other technology essential to executing their work.
The EJC received an unprecedented response to their call for the Fund - 1,857 applications in total. Of these, 988 were for the Emergency Fund.
Their independent judging process for the Fund involved three steps: an eligibility check, an appraisal from qualified experts and EJC team members, and a due diligence check. They had 22 judges working round the clock to make sure every application was given due consideration and to ensure that every organisation they give a grant to meets all of the eligibility and selection criteria.
The Organisations Funded
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Doo Vidik - RTV Slon (€25,000)
Independent radio FERAL (€10,000)
Nezavisna televizija NTV-IC Kakanj (€25,000)
Bulgaria
Alpiko Publishing Ltd (€10,000)
Denmark
Koncentrat (€10,000)
Estonia
Harjumaa Ühinenud Meedia (€25,000)
Finland
Iso Numero (€25,000)
France
Saphir Mediation (€25,000)
Rue89 Strasbourg (€25,000)
94 Citoyens (€10,000)
Mediacoop (€25,000)
Georgia
Ltd Guria News (€25,000)
OC Media (€25,000)
Greece
Inside Story (€25,000)
Hungary
Tilos Cultural Foundation (€25,000)
Klubradio ZRt (€25,000)
Ittlakunk.hu Kft (€25,000)
Együtt Debrecenért Egyesület (€10,000)
Bere Island Projects Group (€25,000)
DUBLIN INQUIRER (€25,000)
LetteraEmme - Associazione Metropolis (€10,000)
Altra Economia soc. coop. (€25,000)
Radio Tour (€25,000)
Leggi la notizia (€10,000)
PiùPress soc. coop. (€25,000)
Cittadini Reattivi APS (Social Progress Association) (€10,000)
MeridioNews (€25,000)
Lithuania
JSC Alytaus radijas radio station FM99 (€25,000)
Nanook Multimedia (€25,000)
North Macedonia
Dosie (€25,000)
Poland
Projekt Portal (€25,000)
Korso (€25,000)
Dzień Dobry Bełchatów (€10,000)
Portugal
Mediotejo (€25,000)
Sul Informação (€25,000)
NGO Voice of the Citizens of Sumadija (€10,000)
Privredno Društvo Boom93 (€25,000)
Radio City Nis (€10,000)
Mašina (Published by Kontekst) (€10,000)
Spain
Irutxuloko Hitza (€25,000)
Pikara Magazine (€10,000)
Maravedismo Sociedad Limitada (€25,000)
Cordópolis (€25,000)
ileon.com (€25,000)
The Netherlands
RTV Horizon (€25,000)
Realnaja Gazeta (€10,000)
United Kingdom
Newry.ie CIC (Northern Ireland) (€10,000)
Llanelli Standard (Wales) (€10,000)
Clydesider Creative Ltd (Scotland) (€10,000)
Bedford Independent (England) (€25,000)
Switch Radio (England) (€10,000)
OnTheWight (England) (€10,000)
Local Communications Limited (England) (€25,000)
Altrincham Today (England) (€10,000)
Social Spider CIC (England) (€25,000)
Southwark Newspaper Ltd (England) (€25,000)
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