Investigative journalists revealed all at UNCOVERED 2024, the fifth annual conference of the IJ4EU fund. This year’s event took place in Athens on September 25 and 26 and was hosted by the iMEdD International Journalism Forum.
Almost 200 people gathered for the first day as IJ4EU grantees and experts in cross-border watchdog reporting shared tips behind closed doors — including lessons from working on yet-to-be-published investigations.
For the second day, they were joined by hundreds more as UNCOVERED co-curated debates and workshops with the iMEdD forum, allowing the IJ4EU and iMEdD communities to come together.
The climax of the conference was a ceremony for winners of IJ4EU’s Impact Awards 2024, which celebrate excellence in transnational, collaborative reporting.
Below are video replays of a selection of UNCOVERED sessions from the second day, courtesy of iMEdD.
See also:
- In Pictures: IJ4EU UNCOVERED 2024
- IJ4EU Impact Awards 2024
- The full UNCOVERED agenda
- The UNCOVERED microsite
Defending Press Freedom: The Case of Europe
The fundamental right of press freedom should not be taken for granted, even in the so-called Western world. In Europe, where some countries rank highly in terms of press freedom, the situation is escalating and deteriorating in many others. Despite efforts, media capture, surveillance, harassment, and even physical threats against journalists remain a tangible reality, highlighting an alarming situation.
Journalists from France, Slovakia, Serbia, Hungary and Greece, share their firsthand experiences and insights on this critical subject, followed by an open discussion with experts from international organizations advocating for the Fourth Estate, along with the audience, about the risks to journalism across Europe and to democracy itself.
Speakers:
- Elena Rodina, Coordinator of Media Freedom Rapid Response, European Centre for Press and Media Freedom
- Julie Majerczak, Representative to the EU, Reporters Without Borders
- Scott Griffen, Interim Executive Director, International Press Institute (IPI)
Interventions:
- Alberto Spampinato, President, Ossigeno.info
- Ariane Lavrilleux, Investigative Journalist, Disclose
- Beata Balogova, Editor-in-chief, Daily SME
- Bojana Jovanovic, Deputy Editor, KRIK
- Szabolcs Panyi, Investigative journalist, VSquare.org, Direkt36.hu
- Thanasis Koukakis, Financial Editor
Moderator:
- Anastasia Moumtzaki, Project Manager of Bridge, Senior Producer, SNF Dialogues
Inside the Machine: Investigating AI and Algorithms
From policing migration to cracking down on welfare, authorities are turning to artificial intelligence to decide the fate of vulnerable people. Yet such “decision machines” are notoriously opaque. How can investigative journalists reverse-engineer predictive algorithms and get under the bonnet of AI? Journalists from groundbreaking investigations reveal their secrets.
“Europe’s AI Fortress” probes the use of AI at the EU’s external borders, raising critical questions about migrants’ rights, accountability and data use. “Decision Machines” examines artificial intelligence in criminal justice and welfare policies, reverse-engineering AI systems through public records laws. And “Suspicion Machines” decodes welfare surveillance algorithms, uncovering discrimination against marginalised communities.
Speakers:
- Daniel Howden, Founder, Director, Lighthouse Reports
- Giorgos Christides, Greek Investigative Journalist
- Pablo Jiménez Arandia, Spanish Investigative Reporter
- Pierluigi Bizzini, Italian Freelance Investigative Journalist
Moderator:
Timothy Large, Director of Independent Media Programmes, IPI
What makes an award-winning investigation?
How do you win a prestigious journalism award like the European Press Prize or IJ4EU Impact Award? It starts with a great story – but there’s also an art to making your application shine. Take a tour of stunning projects that have won top honours at European awards. What makes them stand out? What can we learn from how they were presented?
Speakers:
- Cristian Lupșa, Journalist
- Frederik Obermaier, Director, Paper Trail Media; Journalist, SPIEGEL/ZDF
- Lucila Rodríguez-Alarcón, General Director, Fundación porCausa
Moderator:
- Gabriela Manuli, Deputy Director, Global Investigative Journalism Network
IJ4EU Impact Award Ceremony
The moment that 37 nominees have been eagerly anticipating has arrived: The IJ4EU Impact Award ceremony promises an unforgettable evening where the power of collaborative journalism takes centre stage.
In its fourth year, the IJ4EU Impact Award will once again honour Europe’s finest watchdog journalism, showcasing the relentless dedication and bravery of journalists who have pursued the truth across borders, as the members of the award jury chaired by Paul Caruana Galizia will announce the three winning investigations.
Speakers:
- Andreas Lamm, Interim Director Manager, ECPMF
- Gabriela Manuli, Deputy Director, Global Investigative Journalism Network
- Nik Williams, Campaigns and Policy Officer, Index on Censorship
- Saranda Ramaj, Investigative Journalist, Koha Ditore
Moderators:
- Deniz Bozkurt, Programme and Event Manager, ECPMF
- Paul Caruana Galizia, Reporter, Tortoise Media