Terms of Reference

Contest
for selection of authors for the production of national multimedia packages “Georgia Plus”
within the project “Strengthening Independent Media in Europe and Eurasia”

November 21, 2018

General Information

Internews Georgia in partnership with Internews is launching the cross-border project

“Strengthening Independent Media in Europe and Eurasia,” a regional media support initiative in
Eastern Europe, the Balkans, and the Caucasus that aims to increase citizens’ access to reliable
information about local, regional, and international issues of public importance through support to
the independent media sector. Through its activities, the project will promote ethical and honest
journalism, fact-based coverage, independence of media outlets’ editorial policy, freedom of
expression.
The project will support production multimedia news packages titled “Georgia Plus.” The
“Georgia Plus” series will consist of 10 multimedia packages that will be produced with the
help of journalists from national media and will include video, audio, written materials,
infographics, interactive maps, games, quizzes, etc. The packages will cover topics of
national interest, such as reforms, corruption, the European partnership, regional neighbors,
emigration, minority groups (including people with disabilities), the environment, and other
social, economic, or political issues. After the national packages are produced, 10 local
partner media outlets will be able to adapt them for their audiences.
The authors of “Georgia Plus” packages will be selected by a Steering Commission, comprised of
group of experts, following a contest, which will be open to individual journalists; print, radio,
television, or online news outlets; and production studios. Applicants may also collaborate with
civil society organizations or think tanks and delegate a team for the project. Every candidate may
submit an application for one, several or all the 10 packages.

Expected Products and Services

Each of the multimedia packages “Georgia Plus” will cover a single topic, and the project will
cover 10 different topics. Each package will contain 3 multimedia materials which will be produced
using modern tools of interactive visual journalism. Materials should be attractive, accessible and
should represent various genres of the press, such as reports, mini-documentaries, expert opinions,
quizzes, etc.
Part of topics (5) for “Georgia Plus” packages will be announced by the Steering Commission
ahead of the competition, while the remaining topics (5) will be established together with project
partners from local media after contracts with winners are signed.

Budget
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The selected authors will receive grants of USD 2,000 for each multimedia package produced. This
amount will cover production expenses, salaries, and other relevant costs.

Multimedia Packages Production Schedule

A multimedia package preparation period will be 4 weeks. The order of production of materials and
the deadlines will be determined together with the organizers after winners are announced.
Packages will be published once every two months starting January 2019.

Obligations and Responsibilities of the Authors Selected

- The selected applicants will produce “Georgia Plus” multimedia packages in compliance
with deadlines and production concepts established together with the organizers.
- Organizers assume the right to publish “Georgia Plus” multimedia packages. All multimedia
products will be made available for publication/broadcasting to 10 local partner media
outlets for adaptation to the interests of the communities they work in.
- Authors will publish and promote stories they produce on platforms they own and on social
networks.
- National stories will be shared with media partners in other project countries.

Eligibility
• At least 3 years of experience in the media;
• Proven ability to produce multimedia journalistic materials, accompanied by published
samples (infographics, videos, images, photo reports, articles, quizzes, edited for online
publication, etc.);
• Flexibility and ability to work under the pressure of deadlines;
• Previous experience in production of materials on selected topic(s) is an advantage.

Contents of the Application

• General presentation of the participating journalist(s)/outlet(s), including a portfolio with at
least 3 materials on topics in the public interest (only applications with sample multimedia
materials will be analyzed. The application may include other types of materials as well, if
they illustrate the relevant expertise of the participant);
• CVs of the author/team that will be involved in production of multimedia packages;
• Two story/package pitches (brief description of the future materials). Please specify which
multimedia elements could be used;
• Budget for production of the multimedia packages, including salary costs;

Selection Criteria
Applications will be evaluated based on:

- The quality of the technical offer (application), including completion of all mandatory
elements of the application;
- The quality of the financial offer, which shall not exceed the amount of USD 2,000 for each
multimedia package produced.
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Winners will be selected by the project’s coordinating council based on a points system, as follows:

1. The quality of the technical offer makes 90% of the total value of the application;
2. The quality of the financial offer makes 10% of the total value of the application.

1.1 Technical offer evaluation criteria:

- Professionalism of the contest participant (the outlet/participant(s) have the capacity to
finalize the project; reputation and proven attachment to the standards of professional
ethics; roles in the team are clear as regards the project; the proposed concept proves
that the applicant has sufficient technical abilities and experience to produce successful
multimedia packages; the concept shows that the applicant understands the goals of the
project) – maximum 25 points;
- Quality of portfolio (quality of materials in the portfolio, diversity of materials,
previous experience of coverage of topics of major public interest) – maximum 25
points;
- Quality of the general concept of multimedia packages (novelty/originality of concept
proposed; diversity of multimedia elements used; clarity and coherence of the concept
proposed; sustainability (potential to develop/continue production of multimedia
materials after the end of the project)) – maximum 40 points.

2.1 Financial offer evaluation criteria:

- Coherence and clarity of description of expenses (maximum 5 points);
- Reasonable budget, as well as use to the maximum of resources available in relation to the
quality and number of products offered (maximum 5 points).

9. Deadline for Submission of Offers

Offers shall be emailed in Georgian language to Irina Samkharadze, project coordinator, irina@in-
ternews.ge by December 17, 2018, at 18.00, or presented in person at the Internews Georgia office at
the following address:11 Andria Apakidze, Tiflis Business Center, Tbilisi.

**Five topics for “Georgia Plus” packages have been suggested by Steering Commission, and five
will be established together with project partners from local media after contracts with winners are
signed. The topics suggested by the Steering Commission are: corruption, minorities, education,
youth affairs, economy.

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 ANNEX 1

Application form

Contest for selection of national packages producers within the project

“Strengthening Independent Media in the Europe and Eurasia”

GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE APPLICANT MEDIA

Name of media
Address of media
Telephone of media
Website of media
Facebook of media
Other active social media (ex. YouTube for TV channels)
Name of chief editor/director
Contacts of the chief editor/director
CVs of key staff

GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE APPLICANT COORDINATOR

Name of the person responsible for the project
Mobile telephone of the person responsible for the project
E-mail of the person responsible for the project

DETAILS ABOUT MEDIA OUTLET

Type of media
TV
Print
Production studio
Radio
Web-only (online)
Others specify:

Ownership form
· State
· Private
· Others specify:

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 Geography (area) of distribution / coverage

Presence on the media market

· 1-2 years
· 3-4 years
· 5 year and more
· Others (specify):

Target audience of media

Quantitative indicators of your media audience

· Average monthly visits of website (Sep-Nov 2018)
· Number of Facebook followers (Sep-Nov 2018)
· Circulation (for print media)
· Rating / share (for television and radio)
· Other relevant indicators

Do you produce multimedia content?

· Yes
· No

What kind of multimedia tools do you use?

Please provide links to the best examples of your media materials (not less than 3)
(examples of multimedia materials will be an advantage)

Which topics are most often covered by your media?

GENERAL CONCEPTS OF MULTIMEDIA PACKAGES

Story concepts

· "Story pitch 1"

(Brief description of the future material. Please specify which multimedia elements could be
used and what audiences would be interested in the story)

· "Story pitch 2"

(Brief description of the future material. Please specify which multimedia elements could be
used and what audiences would be interested in the story)

Please submit a reasonable budget, describing how resources will be spent

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 Ways of publishing and promoting of your materials
· Website
· Social media
· Others

If selected, we agree to produce multimedia packages on topics pre-selected by Steering Commis-

sion as well as on topics established later together with project partners from local media.

Yes
No