A look at some of iMEdD’s initiatives and content
In 2023, our journalism team released investigations, tools, and analyses. Explore some of them below and access the full content at lab.imedd.org.
Part 2:
Our journalistic content
We created a space that hosts important analysis, journalistic techniques and context-aware tools, focusing exclusively on major global crises and large-scale events. The stories include pieces produced by the iMEdD team, and external partners, as well as translations and republications in collaboration with international organizations. From matters of international law when investigating war crimes, to hard ethics questions for reporters, to the untold story of a man running from Hamas, the Crisis Reporting Resource has valuable information and insights for journalists and the public alike.
We conducted an investigation into numerous public channels and social media profiles to uncover the connections between organized fans from Croatia, Ukraine, and Greece, as well as their affiliations with far-right ideologies.
iMEdD, in collaboration with Datalab (School of Informatics, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki) and PhD candidate in political science Antonis Galanopoulos, conducted an analysis of the election speeches of political leaders. This initiative is part of an experimental research that combines human expertise with innovative artificial intelligence models, such as ChatGPT.
Disasters not only inflict trauma upon those directly experiencing them but also imprint themselves on our collective psyche, particularly when they recur. iMEdD’s journalistic team revisited seven tragedies that profoundly shook Greece, seeking the common thread that binds them.
Additionally, iMEdD documented the fundamental principles of journalistic practice when addressing traumatic events and, in collaboration with experts, crafted a “Journalists’ Code of Conduct” for their coverage.
Participating in the first pan-European cross-border data investigation on femicide, the iMEdD Lab and journalist Thanasis Troboukis conducted extensive data analysis and visualization of results across 28 countries.
In light of media revelations about the wiretapping case, the iMEdD Lab and Datalab of the Department of Computer Science at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki collaborated on a research initiative to analyze the discourse surrounding wiretapping on Twitter. For additional analysis and continuous monitoring of the topic, visit the Datalab web application.
iMEdD Lab delves into the phenomenon of drought and floods in Greece.
During the iMEdD International Journalism Forum, we published some insightful interviews, to mention a few:
· Three journalists explained how they use TikTok to create impactful content that both informs and entertains the public.
· Representatives from foundations and global media organizations shared best practices for securing funding and producing journalism with a meaningful impact.
· Professor Jonathan Soma provided valuable insights into AI, catering to both newcomers and seasoned professionals.
· AX Mina (Ana), a leadership trainer at The Self Investigation, shared insights on burnout in journalism.
Also, at SNF Nostos Conference 2023:
· Journalist Panagiotis Menegos explored the complex intersections of mental health and spirituality, the integration of Eastern philosophies into the West, and the ongoing tension between faith and scientific research through discussions with experts.
· Journalist Phoebe Fronista delved into the complexities of the American gun control crisis, by engaging in conversations with doctors, activists, professors and lawyers on the front lines.
· Journalist Kostas Koukoumakas discussed children’s access to mental health care with experts.
The iMEdD Lab participated in “Mapping Diversity,” a large-scale data investigation and analysis project mapping individuals honored through street names across Europe. Coordinated by OBC Transeuropa for the European Data Journalism Network (EDJNet), the survey looked at the names of 145,933 streets located in 17 different countries throughout Europe.
How did the shift from the pioneering Transparency Programme (Diavgeia) to data secrecy unfold during the pandemic? The iMEdD Lab published an investigation by Eliza Triantafyllou on the state of open data in Greece.
Since the onset, the iMEdD team has been tracking the war in Ukraine, sourcing information from international outlets, organizations, and media. They have meticulously documented the most significant events on a daily basis, constructing a comprehensive chronology of unfolding events.
Podcasts were a format we chose to highlight many stories this year, indicatively we published:
“Mute – The silent violence of the parting walls” by Andreas Vagias, who earned the award for developing and implementing an original podcast based on journalistic investigation and documentation at the Thessaloniki International Film Festival. (podcast available only in Greek)
Chasing the Indiana Jones in Manhattan, where during 4 episodes, Aris Chatzistefanou presents an audio documentary exposing the connections of major museums to antiquities collectors, auction houses and illegal antiquities networks that span the globe. (podcast available only in Greek)
“Born Greek – Made American” is a co-production of Melon Media and iMEdD, where in a 5-episode podcast, Katerina Bakogianni delves into an international adoption scandal within the broader context of power dynamics.
As well as a few Small Talks, that host Discussions about a world that is changing faster than we can keep up with it, like the one among Giorgos Schinas and Ariane Lavrilleux, a journalist from the non-profit investigative journalistic organization “Disclose,” covering the reasons for her arrest, the response of the journalistic community, and the future of press freedom in Europe.
