A landmark project to support independent media in 17 countries bordering the European Union (EU) has been extended, as journalists tackle increasing threats to media freedoms.
The OPEN Media Hub (OMH), which was established as a four-year programme at the end of 2015, will now run for a further 13 months, until early 2021.
Thomson Media leads a consortium of organisations which offers training, mentoring and networking events, funded by the EU.
By the end of 2019, more than 3,000 participants had benefitted from the OMH, 657 of whom received production support. A total of 1,600 stories were produced and 35 days' worth of content was re-used by broadcasters.
Online training modules had been accessed by 2,643 reporters, and nearly 800 media organisations mentored to help improve content production and sustainability.
Making media matter The programme has tackled the biggest news stories of our times - including migration.
Balanced reporting across all platforms was encouraged by the Migration Media Awards, sponsored by the OMH and the International Centre for Migration Policy Development.
The competition ran for three years, shining a light on a complex and challenging issue - with some of the coverage from refugees.
One of the 2019 winners was Syrian Daham Alasaad (pictured below), with a film One Way Ticket: Forced Repatriation for Denmarks Syrian Refugees?
He captured the emotions of a family of fellow refugees who feared they were going to be sent back to an uncertain fate in Damascus, and then their relief when they were allowed to stay in Denmark.
During the pitching and mentoring process, Daham's work caught the eye of Loick Berrou, a judge from French broadcaster, France 24.
The mentoring improved the quality of entries. With a compelling treatment, good storytelling, filming and editing, we were able to use the Denmark film on our international channel and online, along with some of the other entries, says Loick.
Media with a human face An overriding goal was to encourage stories with a human dimension, of sufficient quality for re-use by media across Asia, the Americas and Europe.
An example was Being 20 - a challenge to journalists to create short-form, innovative films profiling a generation of young people living on the borders of Europe.
A film made by Lakome2, one of Moroccos remaining independent media outlets, told the story of 21-year-old Ikram from Casablanca, who was born without hands.
She explained how overcoming her disability gives meaning to her life. The video was broadcast on Moroccan television, used by France Info TV, translated into Russian by Georgian TOK TV and downloaded for use from the OMHs portal 44 times.
By the end of 2019, 316 Being 20 videos had been made, with 100 more still in production.
-- Play
-- --
Making a difference Of many important investigations carried out by journalists supported by the OPEN Media Hub, one by a group of Syrian investigative journalists stands out for its global impact.
The group, Siraj, revealed how women living in shelters in Damascus were being forced to give sexual favours in return for food. Sex for Aid in the Suburbs was published in the Lebanese online magazine, Deraj, and translated into several languages to reach a bigger audience.
The story was read by aid workers and the womens plight became the subject of a United Nations inquiry into alleged violations of human rights in Syria.
Making media sustainable Creating and maintaining a media business in a digital world is a challenge for even the biggest brands. For independent media without major financial backers, it can be overwhelming.
Nearly 800 have received mentoring, with 229 in 2019. Ukraines Novoye Vremeya produces a weekly magazine, news website and talk radio show. Founded in 2014 by a team of prominent journalists following the Ukrainian revolution, it quickly became a trusted voice.
OMH worked with them to help introduce a paywall to increase revenue and, with the newsroom, encouraged them to switch focus from print to digital. The foundations trainers introduced up-to-date storytelling formats to develop their video strategy, sell new products and increase revenue.
OPEN Media Hub has delivered an extensive opportunity to learn about vital ways of developing and monetising our media. It is probably the most precious contribution that we could expect in the hyperdynamic industry, says Vitaliy Sych, chief editor of Ukrainian weekly magazine, Novoye Vremya.
Shrinking media freedoms Since the OPEN Media Hub began, journalists have found themselves facing greater challenges - from fake news, to alternative facts, to independent news organisations captured by individuals using the media for their own ends.
Journalists in 11 of the 17 countries served by the programme have been imprisoned, media outlets have closed, and restrictive laws on freedom have been adopted, making it a tough environment, says Dominique Thierry, project leader for the OPEN Media Hub.
The power of truth
This is the theme of our 2019 annual review, a testament to our alumni and competition winners who report fearlessly from some of the worlds toughest datelines.
Download it here.
We get around. Explore our project map
Most recent headlines
11/12/2025
Dalet, a leading provider of cloud-native, end-to-end media workflow solutions, ...
06/12/2025
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. A new survey from Pixitmedia by Datacore revealed a major shift in the Media & Entertainment industry in media archiving, with 85% of resp...
06/12/2025
HACKENSACK, N.J. LiveU has announced that the national public broadcaster Czech Television has completed one of the largest LiveU live production deployments fo...
06/12/2025
NEW YORK The National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (NATAS) presented the Excellence in Production Technology Emmy Award to NASA+ and Dr. Tom Leight...
05/12/2025
2025 Sports Broadcasting Hall of Fame: Curt Gowdy Jr. - Master Storyteller, Nati...
05/12/2025
SVG Sit-Down: Veritone's Sean King on the Power of Mining Video, Audio DataThe company's Data Refinery offers users total control and governance over da...
05/12/2025
Platinum White Paper: Inside the Nashville Predators' Unified, Flexible, Sca...
05/12/2025
Netflix Reaches Agreement To Acquire Warner Bros. Following Planned WBD SplitThe deal does not include WBDs sports assets like TNT Sports (US, UK, LatAm), Euros...
05/12/2025
FOX Sports Returns to Indianapolis for Primetime Broadcast of Big Ten Championsh...
05/12/2025
SVG Summit 2025 Preview: Digital Engagement & Monetization Workshop Tackles the ...
05/12/2025
Atlanta United Lights Up New Emory Healthcare Studio With First Live Broadcast f...
05/12/2025
As Messi Takes the Pitch, MLS, Apple, NEP Roll Out Largest MLS Cup Production Ev...
05/12/2025
ESPN Enters College Football's Most Intense Month With Elevated Workflows fo...
05/12/2025
It's about that time! Awards season is in full swing, and the Film Independe...
05/12/2025
Every year, Spotify Wrapped offers a personalized look back at the audio that defined your year. It's a snapshot of your listening habits, designed to tell ...
05/12/2025
In 2025, Spotify's EQUAL, GLOW, and RADAR programs celebrated women, LGBTQIA , and emerging artists who turned moments into milestones. From breaking record...
05/12/2025
In our latest blog, we explain how Wi-Fi 7 rollouts can drive consumer loyalty with value-add services such as consumer cybersecurity. We also explore how this ...
05/12/2025
LOS ANGELES Netflix announced it has entered into an agreement to acquire the assets of Warner Bros. for $82.7 billion....
05/12/2025
NEW YORK Nielsens Gracenote has launched Gracenote Content Connect, a new ad platform that provides agencies, brands, supply-side platforms (SSPs) and demand-si...
05/12/2025
NEW YORK In an most important update to the workings of deal-based programmatic advertising, IAB Tech Lab has released version 1.0 of its Deals API for public c...
05/12/2025
NEW YORK Pass the turkey. Pass the stuffing. Pass the cranberry sauce. All are common requests of Americans celebrating Thanksgiving Day with family and f...
05/12/2025
NEW YORK Iris, the new cloud-connected camera control platform, has officially launched with features that turn virtually any PTZ camera into a software-connect...
05/12/2025
HOLLYWOOD, Calif. Netflix announced today that it has entered into an agreement to acquire the assets of Warner Bros. for $82.7 billion....
05/12/2025
NEW YORK Iris, the new cloud-connected camera control platform, has officially launched with features that turn virtually any PTZ camera into a software-connect...
05/12/2025
WASHINGTON The Federal Communications Commission has approved AT&T's $1.02 billion acquisition of spectrum from UScellular in a decision that was issued sho...
05/12/2025
The Best Coldplay Songs: 21 Tracks That Shoot for the Stars From Yellow to Viva La Vida, Fix You to Paradise, this playlist goes back to the start.
December ...
05/12/2025
Zafris Lecture Series Brings Nabil Ayers to Berklee The 32nd annual James G. Zafris Distinguished Lecture series was held on Thursday, November 13, with guest...
05/12/2025
Friday 5 December 2025
A new Game of Thrones Tale: Official trailer for Sky Exc...
05/12/2025
Back to All News
Don Lee, Lee Jin-uk, and Lalisa Manobal to Star in Netflix Act...
05/12/2025
Tis the season of giving once again and this year we've taken our Give Back Fridays' concept and turned it on its head.
In the autumn we were approach...
05/12/2025
Brayden Gogis doesn't remember a time when he wasn't completely fixated on games in all forms. In preschool, when they asked us to dress up as what we ...
05/12/2025
The Grinch steals the spotlight as the theme for The Late Late Toy Show 2025
Tune in tonight at 9:35pm on RT One and worldwide on RT Player
#LateLateToyShow...
05/12/2025
RT Announces New Presenters of Flagship News Programmes
New RT Six One News co-presenter Tommy Meskill
Sarah McInerney & Justin McCarthy join Morning Ir...
04/12/2025
ToolsOnAir Blackmagic Design HyperDeck Event Presets for just:in mac pro 2025 & ...
04/12/2025
ToolsOnAir AJA Ki Pro Event Presets for just:in mac pro 2025 & just:in linux
More Details:Starting with version 5.5, both just:in mac pro and just:in linux sol...
04/12/2025
Wangu Kanuri from Kenya and Godwin Asediba from Ghana are two of this years finalists for Thomsons Young Journalist of the Year Award. The pair are runners-up i...
04/12/2025
SVG Sit-Down: ProximaVision's Claudio Lisman on Why Tethered Drones Could Be...
04/12/2025
SVG Campus Shot Callers: Imry Halevi, Senior Associate Director of Athletics, Co...
04/12/2025
Platinum White Paper: LiveU Lightweight Sports Production: A Step Change in Spor...
04/12/2025
London to Riyadh: DAZN brings the boxing glamour to new production levels for Be...
04/12/2025
Analysis: Paramount bets on the battering ram' with Champions League play By Callum McCarthy, Editor-at-Large
Tuesday, December 2, 2025 - 10:12
Print ...
04/12/2025
Space City Home Network Launches SCHN DTC App for Astros and RocketsThe Rockets and Astros were previously the lone NBA and MLB teams without a DTC appBy Jason...
04/12/2025
SVG Summit 2025 Preview: Content Workflows Workshop Spotlights Evolution of Spor...
04/12/2025
New Sponsor Spotlight: Geotech's Patrick Wambold On the Unreal Engine Revolu...
04/12/2025
Curt Gowdy Jr. - Master Storyteller, Nationally and RegionallyBy Jason Dachman, Editorial Director, U.S.
Thursday, December 4, 2025 - 1:52 pm
Print This Sto...
04/12/2025
(L-R) Rebecca Lichtenfeld, Mohammadreza Eyni, Sara Khaki, and Judith Helfand att...
04/12/2025
SBS launches Future Frames initiative to support emerging First Nations video ed...
04/12/2025
Coronal mass ejections caused by eruptions on the surface of the sun can have fa...
04/12/2025
Gracenote Content Connect enables media ecosystem to precisely align ad campaigns and programming based on rich content signals
NEW YORK - December 4, 2025 - N...
A landmark project to support independent media in 17 countries bordering the European Union (EU) has been extended, as journalists tackle increasing threats to media freedoms.
