2026 - finished projects

MeDeMap - Media mapping for future democracies

1.03.2023 - 28.02.2026

Principal Investigator: Alessandro Nani

In order to outline the development paths of strengthening democracy in the future, improving the responsibility, transparency and efficiency of media production and expanding an active and inclusive civil society, the project aims to explain to what extent and under what conditions certain media channels, and for which audience, perform democratic functions, thereby also clarifying what is at stake for democratic media and democracy itself.

Applying an innovative multi-method model consisting of data science methods, large-scale quantitative analyses, in-depth qualitative approaches and participatory action research, the project covers (1) perspectives on the concepts of both representative and participatory democracy as they exist in European societies, (2) all types of news media, regardless of distribution channel, mandate, ownership and funding source, (3) a legal and (self-)regulatory framework under which media houses and the press operate and people consume media, (4) the media's potential to promote and support political participation (supply side) and (5) media use patterns, communication needs and democratic attitudes of audiences (demand side) in all EU Member States.

Based on the research results, a multi-layered interactive map of European political information environments will be created, the layers of which reflect the legal and regulatory framework and the democratically important characteristics of media demand and supply. In addition, the resulting "real" map must be contrasted with the map of how European citizens envision future media landscapes. By comparing these maps, it is possible to draw conclusions about the correspondences and discrepancies between them, highlight examples of good practices, and propose guidelines for supporting developments that promote democracy and combating phenomena that may threaten democracy. These guidelines are addressed to policy makers, regulators, self-regulatory bodies, media houses, journalists, non-governmental organizations and citizens.

Homepage: https://www.medemap.eu/ 

Project info in CORDIS: https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/101094984

Project info in ETIS: https://www.etis.ee/Portal/Projects/Display/ebf54ecc-696c-43b3-8e79-7f06ea217663 

The project is financed by the EU from the Horizon Europe program

CresCine - Increasing the international competitiveness of the film industry in small European markets

1.03.2023 - 28.02.2026

Principal Investigator: Ulrike Rohn

Project coordinator: Elena Stern

CRESCINE's mission is to increase the competitiveness of the film industry in small European countries and improve the international circulation of films and AV content from small markets.

CRESCINE also aims to increase the competitiveness and cultural diversity of the European film industry. This will be achieved through understanding, engaging, empowering and ultimately transforming Europe's small markets, based on research and development projects in these seven markets. In their "smallness", these markets highlight the challenges and factors that need to be taken into account in order to increase the competitiveness of the EU film industry as a whole.

CRESCINE systematically addresses the entire ecosystem of film production, distribution and consumption. The aim is to innovate at all levels of the value chain, from policy to ways of data management and analytics, to business models of production and distribution.

CRESCINE develops innovative tools, methods and strategic approaches, all based on the concept of smallness and the positive benefits it brings to the overall competitiveness of the European film industry.

CRESCINE handles all expected results of the project competition through the European short film markets, which represent the majority of the European Union film market.

CRESCINE creates an innovative analytics and evidence collection model across the value chain, designed with state-of-the-art data analytics models.

The results lead to the development of innovative solutions and the testing of new tools, policies, business models or financing schemes and green strategies. These activities support the overall impact of the project and its ability to generate new tools, recommendations, guidelines and use results that will contribute to the transformation of the film industry in small European markets and beyond.

Homepage: https://www.crescine.eu/  

Project page CORDIS: https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/101094988

Project page in ETIS: https://www.etis.ee/Portal/Projects/Display/0b73cadd-9670-4ab9-8137-0c483bb3a0bb  

The project is financed by the EU from the Horizon Europe program