IJ4EU Confidential

IJ4EU

The Investigative Journalism for Europe (IJ4EU) fund supports cross-border investigative journalism in the public interest. It is run by the International Press Institute, the European Centre for Press and Media Freedom and the European Journalism Centre. IJ4EU provides grants to journalistic teams collaborating on investigations on transnational subjects, along with editorial and legal support. It also runs the annual #UNCOVERED conference and the IJ4EU Impact Awards. Listen to the stories behind IJ4EU-funded investigations, from the journalists who worked on them: how they came across their subject matter, built cross-border teams, overcame obstacles and created impact. Visit ij4eu.net for more information.

  1. 09/18/2024

    Europe’s bear crisis exposed

    This episode goes behind the scenes of Bears Uncovered, a cross-border investigation exposing the surging brown bear populations in Europe and their complex relationship with humans. With insights from investigative journalists Michael Bird and Ovidiu Stancu, learn about shifting bear management practices across 26 European countries, the ethical quandaries of culling versus conservation, and the real-world impacts of human encroachment and climate change on these majestic animals. “I think it's a test of humans,” Bird said. “It's a test of how we can learn to coexist with such a large predator. Do we coexist with them or do we slaughter them? That’s our choice. “And if we choose to coexist with them, we have to find a way to do it because in some ways they’re the animals closest to us. They stand on two legs. They have hands that look like us. If you look at a bear, a skeleton or a body, it’s very humanistic. They eat exactly the same food. They are very close to us in many ways. “So it is a test of our ability to live with nature as to whether or not we can coexist with bears.” Featuring alarming reportage and expert discussions, this episode is a must for anyone interested in wildlife conservation and investigative journalism – or anyone who likes hiking in Europe! Credits Hosts: Timothy Large, director of independent media programmes at the International Press Institute (IPI) Milica Miletić, project and events coordinator at IPI Guests:  Michael Bird Ovidiu Dunel-Stancu Production and editing: Timothy Large Graphic: Milica Miletić

    58 min
  2. 07/30/2024

    The making of The Gaza Project

    Fifty journalists. Thirteen organisations. Damning findings. Behind the scenes of a groundbreaking investigation.  This special episode of the IJ4EU Confidential podcast features leading contributors to The Gaza Project on their groundbreaking investigation that exposed “unprecedented” Israeli targeting of Palestinian journalists. At least 110 Palestinian journalists have been killed since the start of the Israel-Gaza War on October 7, 2023 – the largest number of journalists to be killed in this span of time in any modern war or conflict. In addition to facing unprecedented physical dangers, journalists in Gaza and the West Bank have faced threats, assault, censorship and arrests. Dozens of media offices in Gaza have been bombed by the Israeli military.  In July 2024, Forbidden Stories launched the results of their in-depth investigation into the deaths of journalists in Gaza as well as alleged attempts to harass, intimidate and target media workers within Gaza and the West Bank. The Gaza Project exposes evidence of targeted attacks on journalists and media infrastructure, calling to question the army’s denials about targeting the press since the war started. The investigation’s findings suggest that at least 18 media workers were reportedly killed or wounded by precision strikes likely launched from unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), in violation of the laws of war.  Moderated by: Scott Griffen, acting executive director of the International Press Institute (IPI) Amy Brouillette, IPI’s director of advocacy Timothy Large, IPI’s director of independent media programmes Featuring: Laurent Richard, founder and director of Forbidden Stories Hoda Osman, executive editor of Arab Reporters for Investigative Journalism Manisha Ganguly, investigations correspondent and open-source lead for The Guardian Walid Batrawi, IPI executive board member and Palestinian media trainer and consultant Production and graphics: Milica Miletić, IPI project coordinator

    1h 14m
  3. 12/15/2023

    Digging dirt from Brussels to Yangon

    From the Bialowieza Forest on the Polish-Belarus border to the depths of the Brazilian Amazon, reporters supported by the Investigative Journalism for Europe fund have left no stone unturned in pursuit of their stories. In this year-end edition of the IJ4EU Podcast, our hosts reflect on an exceptional 12 months for watchdog journalism, recapping just a few of the stories that have made a splash in Europe and beyond. “I’ve been amazed at just how global many of the investigations have been this year,” says Timothy Large, who leads the IJ4EU consortium. “These are stories that start in Europe but they take you to Myanmar or Sudan or Brazi or the Democratic Republic of Congo.” Investigations discussed in this episode include: The Gold Chain, exposing how European gold importers turn a blind eye to illegal mining, deforestation and rights abuses in the Amazon The West’s Next Plastics Dump, revealing how rich countries are offloading their plastic waste in Myanmar — where citizens are too afraid to say no The Edge of Europe, showing how a migration crisis is unfolding on an EU border in the Indian Ocean The Jungle, laying bare the dire conditions facing migrants and refugees in Europe’s last primaeval forest along the Polish-Belarusian border Bankers of Irregular Migration, revealing how a traditional system for transferring money is a boon to both smugglers and migrants Russian Escape, probing how easy it is for Russian oligarchs to evade the sanctions Dangerous Diesel, proving how EU-based companies are fueling Russia’s war machine in Moldova’s breakaway Transnistria region Russia’s War, Europe’s Burden, demonstrating that hundreds of European components have found their way into drones used by Russia in its war against Ukraine Defusing a Russian ‘Carbon Bomb’, showing how European companies continued supplying a Russian mega Arctic gas project after the invasion of Ukraine The Forever Pollution Project, a collaboration between 18 newsrooms revealing alarming levels of toxic chemical contamination across Europe Featuring: Timothy Large, director of independent media programmes at the International Press Institute (IPI) Milica Miletić, project and events coordinator at IPI Zlatina Siderova, programme lead for grants at the European Journalism Centre Editing and production: Timothy Large

    38 min

About

The Investigative Journalism for Europe (IJ4EU) fund supports cross-border investigative journalism in the public interest. It is run by the International Press Institute, the European Centre for Press and Media Freedom and the European Journalism Centre. IJ4EU provides grants to journalistic teams collaborating on investigations on transnational subjects, along with editorial and legal support. It also runs the annual #UNCOVERED conference and the IJ4EU Impact Awards. Listen to the stories behind IJ4EU-funded investigations, from the journalists who worked on them: how they came across their subject matter, built cross-border teams, overcame obstacles and created impact. Visit ij4eu.net for more information.