Call for Pitches: Fresh Journalistic Stories on Whistleblowing and Whistleblowers

The goal is to stimulate the journalists in the region to use whistleblowers as good source of information, and the whistleblowers to see media and journalists as good partner in combating organize crime and corruption.

Story Ideas

• The story ideas are expected to include but are not limited to:
  • How the national laws for whistleblowing protection are implemented in these countries;
  • Are there examples of good or bad implementation of whistleblowers protection measures;
  • Does the national whistleblower legislation need an improvement;
  • What are the burdens and obstacles whistleblowers and media face in these countries;
  • How these countries secure the potential of whistleblowers as reliable and trustworthy source for media;
  • Which are the areas where whistleblowing can prevent corruption and organized crime;
  • What is the whistleblowing culture; How the negative attitudes/opinions on whistleblowing are addressed;
  • What are the challenges that journalists in the region face when working with whistleblowers;
  • Are there examples of good and powerful cooperation between media and whistleblowers; and
  • Are there examples of powerful whistleblowing and whistleblowers, and how they keep the authorities accountable?

Funding Information

• The Coalition will pay $450 for an article of 1200 to 1500 words produced exclusively after the pitch is approved. The stories could be explanatory, reportages, analyses, personal essays, opinions, features.

Geography Focus

• The Southeast Europe Coalition on Whistleblower Protection is looking for pitches in the following countries:
  • Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Greece, Hungary, Kosovo, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, and Ukraine.

Criteria

• The authors of shortlisted pitches will be asked to develop their stories. The stories should be exclusively written for this call and to follow high professional standards.
• After submitting the final draft, it will be edited and proofread by a member of the editorial team. All edits or changes will be communicated with the authors before publication in the Coalition’ Whistleblower Journal.
• After publication in the Journal, the authors are free to publish their articles in national media or social networks with note that they were written with support of Southeast Europe Coalition on Whistleblower Protection.
• The best story produced in the next 12 months will be awarded during the Annual meeting of Southeast Coalition on Whistleblower Protection.
• The story ideas (in English) should be up to 300 words and should consist:
  • Working headline.
  • A few paragraphs describing shortly the main points of the story.
  • A short description of protagonists and sources.
  • A short description of images, which will accompany the article.

For more information, visit Southeast Europe Coalition on Whistleblower Protection.