In this episode of “Policy Communications is a Thing” (PCIAT), Bump’s podcast we talked with journalist Eleonora Vasques about the challenges and contradictions of covering the EU from Brussels.

From reporting on migration in the Mediterranean, where she once found herself on a rescue boat under fire from the Libyan Coast Guard, to producing Radio Schuman at Euronews, Eleonora shares how she balances field reporting with the daily grind of Brussels policy journalism.

We discussed the growing gap between EU institutions and on-the-ground realities, the pressures of today’s shifting media landscape, and why creativity (and a bit of personality) is crucial when turning complex EU policy into stories that resonate.

Along the way, Eleonora reflects on transparency in EU institutions, competition among Brussels journalists, and what she’s learned moving from the written word to the podcast mic.

Check out the full episode below to hear how she sees the future of EU journalism—and why sometimes the best scoop comes straight from a press release.

The gap between what happens in Brussels vs what happens in reality

Reporting about immigration for humans about human stories