Transnational Journalism Networks “From Below”. Cross-Border Journalistic Collaboration in Individualized Newswork

ABSTRACT

Journalism pioneers practice and foster the method of cross-border collaboration, contributing to the ongoing transformation of the journalistic field. This paper analyzes cross-border journalistic collaborations primarily initiated beyond large media organizations. Based on information provided by Hostwriter members and Dataharvest – the EIJC participants, this study carves out (1) central motives, (2) types and characteristics of cross-border research collaborations, and (3) the advantages and challenges of the method as perceived by practitioners “from below.” We argue that bottom-up collaborations contribute to a normalization of the practice through small-scale, less institutionalized, and less binding forms that enable a gradual transition towards a new mindset in the broader field. The above pioneering platforms foster a developing network of open-minded and multicultural practitioners.

KEYWORDS:

• Cross-border collaborative journalism
• collaboration
• transnational journalism
• journalism networks
• journalism practice
• global journalism

Acknowledgements

This research project could only be realized in this form thanks to the generous support of Tabea Grzeszyk and the whole Hostwriter team as well as Brigitte Alfter from Dataharvest – the EIJC. We would like to thank them for their help, insights, and inspiring exchanges on cross-border collaboration as well as all the participants of the survey for sharing their personal experiences with us. Additional thanks goes to the project assistant Celina Hirt as well as to the anonymous reviewers of the paper.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes

1 https://hostwriter.org/ (accessed September 25, 2020).

2 https://journalismarena.eu/ (accessed September 25, 2020).

3 Brigitte Alfter, September 18, 2018: https://dataharvest.eu/2018/09/18/press-release-eijc-dataharvest-conference-to-become-an-independent-organisation/ (accessed March 26, 2020).

4 I thank the authors for their early sharing of their method, study results, and advice on the questionnaire.

5 The newsletter mailings in principle were sent to approximately 3985 members (Hostwriter, February 2019) and approximately 300 Arena/Dataharvest mailing list entries.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research [Grant Number 16DII114].