The Basque Government will once again allocate €7 million to the media to mitigate the negative impact of generative artificial intelligence

• This funding is intended for daily media outlets (print, digital, radio, and television) based in the Basque Autonomous Community.
• The call for applications will be published in the Official Gazette of the Basque Government (BOPV) on 12 May, with the submission period running from 13 May to 12 June 2025.

The Governing Council has approved this aid, which amounts to seven million euros. This is the second year in which the Basque Executive has introduced this funding initiative, aimed at reducing the negative effects of generative artificial intelligence on the creation, production, and publication of the content disseminated by media outlets, as well as addressing disinformation.

As in the previous year, the Basque Government acknowledges the role of artificial intelligence in driving innovation and development. However, it also highlights the risks AI poses to the right to information. For this reason, the Basque Government believes that professional media are fundamental in safeguarding this right and are key agents in the fight against disinformation. They play a crucial role in upholding democratic values. In this context, these funding lines are designed to ensure a media ecosystem that remains close to the Basque population.

The funding is available to general daily media based in the Basque Autonomous Community: print media, native digital media, radio, and television stations. To be eligible, media outlets must meet the following requirements:

• Have their headquarters or regional office in the Basque Autonomous Community.
• Provide information and content of general interest related to current events for the entire population of the Basque Autonomous Community or offer local or regional content relevant to the population in their area. (A minimum of 15% of the content must be produced within the Basque Autonomous Community.)
• Employ at least 5 people as of 31 December 2024 and maintain this staffing level throughout the duration of the funded project or activity.

The €7 million in aid will be distributed across two main categories, based on the media outlet's characteristics.

1. Line 1 (€6 million): Aid for private general media based in the Basque Autonomous Community. A total of €6 million is allocated. (Media outlets must have a minimum of 25,000 users, or 5,000 listeners in the case of radio stations that broadcast exclusively in Basque, according to the Media Audience Study - CIES.)
2. Line 2 (€1 million): Aid for general daily media outlets with local or regional content. This category is divided into two sub-categories:
1. Aid for media outlets with a minimum audience of 4,000 users (Allocation: €700,000).
2. Aid for media outlets with fewer than 4,000 users (Allocation: €300,000).

Media outlets interested in this funding must submit an application that outlines the project or activity they intend to carry out.

The project report must include, at a minimum:

• A multidisciplinary team trained in the creation, production, and publication of content and information. The professional profiles of the team members must be provided.
• Training and/or capacity-building for the team on the use and impact of artificial intelligence in media.
• Measures or mechanisms to address disinformation, particularly in verifying and fact-checking disinformation generated by generative artificial intelligence.
• Measures or mechanisms to combat disinformation related to gender equality, violence against women, and the rights of LGTBI people.
• Initiatives and/or tools to promote media literacy across society, especially for groups most vulnerable to disinformation.

The following criteria will be used in the evaluation of applications:

• Potential audience: 55 points.
• Number of staff with official journalism qualifications: 5 points.
• Universality of access: 5 points.
• Quality of the project:
• Minimising the negative impact of generative artificial intelligence: 15 points.
• Combatting disinformation: 5 points.
• Addressing disinformation on gender equality, violence against women, and LGTBI rights: 5 points.
• Promoting media literacy: 5 points.
• Budget: 5 points.

The call for applications will be published in the Official Gazette of the Basque Government (BOPV) on 12 May, with the submission period running from 13 May to 12 June 2025.