Submarine Channel
CALL FOR ENTRY: Investigative journalists
CALL FOR ENTRY: Investigative journalists
Are you an investigative journalist with the ambition to transform one of your stories into a podcast? Sublab is looking for new journalistic stories with an investigative angle. Interested? Submit your idea for a podcast by September 1, 2023.
WHY JOURNALISM?
Investigative journalism focuses on truth-finding regardless of who is involved in the story. Something that is urgently needed for a democratic society, as it enables us with the necessary tools to make personal decisions about the world we live in. A lack of resources makes it difficult for investigative journalists to fulfil their role as watchdogs, so new funding models can make all the difference.
We developed the podcast Wie praat, die slaapt in which investigative journalist Marian Husken takes listeners into the world of crown witness deals. This podcast came in at number 1 on the Dutch rankings and can be listened to on all podcast apps. With this in mind, Sublab has decided to develop a series of narrative-driven podcasts with a focus on investigative journalism.
WHAT ARE WE LOOKING FOR?
We are looking for journalists who are working on an investigative project with a strong story. We welcome pitches from both emerging and established journalists and the context can be either Dutch or international. It is important that this research can be developed into a narrative-driven podcast and that you already have access to multiple and varied sources.
APPLICATION PROCEDURE
- You are an investigative journalist with an idea for a new podcast series.
- By September 1, you will send a two-pager to morris@submarine.nl, in which you briefly describe the story, your journalistic experience, motivation and access to sources.
- During the month of September, we will invite the journalists with the best ideas to discuss their plans. Prior to the interview with Sublab’s Creative Producer and project lead, you will prepare a short pitch.
- Afterwards, you will receive feedback on your plan and the Sublab team will let you know if your story has been selected for the development track.
THE WINNING STORY…
The winning story will get access to a budget of 15,000 euros that you use to develop and realize a podcast with the Sublab team. This project will kick off at the start of October.
ABOUT SUBMARINE CHANNEL AND SUBLAB
Over the past twenty years we have grown from a Dutch institution to a leading global player. Submarine Channel is often compared to leading producers in the field of interactive storytelling and transmedia including German/French Arte, National Film Board of Canada, German broadcaster Bayerische Rundfunk, and American POV. Our strong position in this international field also allows us to work with the best creators, establish international co-productions, and reach a global audience with national and international partners.
Submarine Channel also emphatically fulfils a societal role. Many of our productions are socially engaged and of high artistic and narrative quality. Some examples include the Emmy-Award-winning production Last Hijack Interactive about piracy off the coast of Somalia, the multi-award-winning interactive production Refugee Republic about a refugee camp in northern Iraq and the Emmy-nominated production Collapsus about energy transition.
Since 2021, emphasis has been placed even more strongly on the development of digital and transmedia stories. This process takes place within Sublab.