The event aimed to enhance participants' investigative journalism skills through a series of intensive workshops, lectures, and discussions led by experienced journalists and media professionals. The Media Programme South East Europe supported the 14th edition of the school and thus strengthened its long-term cooperation with the Balkan Investigative Reporting Network.
Lead trainer Blake Morrison (Reuters, New York) and BIRN regional director Milka Domanović welcomed the participants emphasising the essential role of skill development and networking. Morrison accompanied the group through the 5-day programme, addressing key competences for a successful investigation: to overcome obstacles in the research, to master an effective interview, to stay inspired and creative despite the workload. The goal for each participant was to prepare cross-border investigations and develop story pitches in collaboration with colleagues.
The participants delved deeper into the practical aspects of investigative journalism in discussions with Maria Georgieva and Ali Fegan (Swedish public broadcasting), independent Russian journalist and civil rights activist Elena Kostychenko and Jakub Górnicki, co-founder of the Polish storytelling collective “Outriders”. The trainers shared insights from their work and underlined the importance of asking the right questions and thoroughly vetting ideas to create compelling investigations.
Data journalist Jonathan Soma (Columbia Journalism School) discussed the challenges and potential of using AI tools in journalism. He emphasised that AI should be used for error-resilient tasks only: “Large language models don’t understand facts and concepts, they only know statistical probability.”
The BIRN Summer School 2024 concluded with the participants pitching 19 cross-border investigative story proposals on topics like environmental neglect, organized crime, and reproductive rights. BIRN's regional director highlighted the value of lasting professional connections made during the event.