Journalism schemes
The Journalism Schemes provide funding to supplement and enhance coverage of local authorities and district and circuit court hearings, and news reporting that is under-provided for or at risk of under-provision. These have been established following a recommendation from the Report of the Future of Media Commission.
The Schemes will support both the media sector and high-quality accessible public interest journalism across Ireland.
News Reporting Scheme
The key objective of this Scheme is to support and enhance the vital role of media service providers in reporting on news matters that are not substantially provided for at present, or are at risk of under-provision.
Round 1
Status: Applications closed
Local Democracy Reporting Scheme
The key objective of this Scheme is to ensure that local media contains quality reporting on public institutions and authorities, where issues of importance to citizens are considered.
Round 2
Status: Applications closed
Courts Reporting Scheme
The key objective of this Scheme is to support and enhance the vital role of media service providers in quality reporting on court proceedings at a local and regional level.
Round 2
Status: Applications closed
Funded content
Check out the Journalism Schemes’ Portal to access content funded by the Journalism Schemes.
Upcoming and current funding rounds
| Funding Round # | Round Theme/Format | Opening Date | Closing Date | Funding Decisions Expected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | News Reporting Scheme | 15 August 2025 | 25 September 2025 | TBC |
| 2 | Local Democracy Reporting Scheme | 15 August 2025 | 25 September 2025 | TBC |
| 2 | Courts Reporting Scheme | 15 August 2025 | 25 September 2025 | TBC |
Recent funding decisions
Read about the outcomes of our most recent funding rounds:
External assessors
Applications are assessed by teams of external assessors chosen based on their relevant experience and the theme or format of each round.
Expressions of interest for expert assessors
Coimisiún na Meán is seeking, on an ongoing basis, to engage suitably experienced candidates to act as Expert Assessors to assess grant applications for the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme (LDRS) and Courts Reporting Scheme (CRS), and for the upcoming Digital Transformation and News Reporting Schemes.