For many people — and even for many journalists — the first cross-border investigation that caught widespread attention was the Panama Papers. It was far from the very first example, but it had an unprecedented global impact. Whether for better or worse, the image of this international collaboration between dozens of media outlets and hundreds of journalists has left a lasting impression on our collective imagination. As a result, it now seems that only large teams bringing together multiple newsrooms can claim the “cross-border investigation” label.

Fortunately, this is not the case. At all.

As cool and fancy as the term may sound, cross-border investigative journalism simply refers to a journalistic investigation involving professionals from at least two different countries working together. That’s it. So, even a collaboration between just a couple of journalists — each based in a different country — already qualifies as cross-border investigative journalism. In fact, organizations that fund such collaborations, like Journalismfund Europe, do not require larger teams.

Local journalism can also be cross-broder

Another common misconception about cross-border collaboration is the belief that such efforts are reserved exclusively for large newsrooms or media outlets with national reach. In cross-border journalism, which audiences you are serving matters more than your outlet’s size or scope.

In that regard, local journalism can also extend across borders. Let’s see an example.

Imagine you are an Italian freelance local reporter covering a traffic accident involving a truck. You learn from the police that the Polish driver, severely injured but alive, likely caused the crash due to fatigue, possibly from not respecting rest times. At the hospital, you speak with the driver, who reveals that his German employer pressures him and other Eastern European drivers to work overtime and falsify records. He is ready to go on record and provide documents to support his allegations. By collaborating with a German colleague from the town where the driver’s employer is located, you could begin your path towards developing a cross-border story.

The more, the merrier?

Working in smaller cross-border teams also has some advantages:

• Coordination is much easier — In large collaborative groups, it can be challenging to share information, update everyone on the investigation’s progress, and agree on publication deadlines, all of which complicate coordination as team size increases. By limiting your collaboration to two or three people, you can streamline your processes and reduce unnecessary stress.
• If you require funding, you likely won’t need so much as a large team — Should your investigation need financial support, you may consider applying for a grant to cover the extra costs. A smaller team typically requires less money. Submitting a well-crafted application with a modest budget can increase your chance of success.
• It allows for more experimentation — Complex collaborations that involve large, multi-newsroom teams often carry significant pressure to deliver results due to the resources involved. In contrast, smaller cross-border investigations offer more freedom to experiment, as the stakes are lower and the consequences of discontinuing the project are less burdensome. This makes them an ideal entry point for you if you are new to the field or early in your career.

I hope this article has helped dispel the idea that cross-border journalism is only for an elite group of reporters from top metropolitan newsrooms. Small news outlets can make a meaningful impact across borders, and local journalists, too, can collaborate with colleagues abroad.

If you’re interested in exploring how your newsroom can take its first steps into cross-border collaborations, let’s connect!