Since October 2024, Sphera, a network of independent and socially conscious media outlets in Europe, has joined the activities of [organization], whichMédianes now coordinates its operations. Learn more about this project, which aims to strengthen collaboration among independent media outlets in Europe.
What is Sphera?
Sphera is a European network of independent media, created in 2021 by Babel International, the association behind Cafébabel, Europe's first participatory magazine translated into six languages.
Both a network and a media platform, Sphera fosters collaboration among independent and committed media outlets across Europe, and distributes editorial productions resulting from this collaboration, with a particular focus on young European audiences.
For three years, Sphera has been promoting cross-border, human, and socially committed journalism:
- Cross-border journalism that brings together journalists of different nationalities to collaborate and publish in seven languages: English, French, Italian, Spanish, Greek, Polish and Hungarian.
- Journalism with social responsibility that pays special attention to the themes that move our continent and concern us all: social issues, the climate emergency, questions of identity and stories of exile, the future of our democracies.
- Journalism centered on people, which draws from everyday life to bring new voices forward and explores the sense of European belonging among young people.
Who are the members of the network?
The network brings together ten partners in seven European countries who collaborate daily in the production and dissemination of cross-border editorial content:
- StreetPress (France) – StreetPress is an online media outlet focused on urban culture and social issues. Since 2009, the media has promoted investigative journalism with real impact, designed to (re)build trust between citizens and the media.
- 444 (Hungary) – 444 was launched in 2013 by a small group of online media professionals who wanted to create an honest, entertaining, and truly independent news site in a challenging media environment in Hungary.
- El Salto (Spain) – Independent Spanish media outlet launched in 2017 on a cooperative model, El Salto covers subjects such as politics, ecofeminism, migration and culture, with a radical perspective.
- Krytyka Polityczna (Poland) – A progressive network of institutions and activists comprising a socio-cultural research institute, a publishing house, an online sociopolitical daily newspaper and sociocultural venues, Krytyka Polityczna sits at the intersection of activism, media, education and culture to work toward strengthening democracy.
- Popaganda (Greece) – Founded in 2013, Popaganda is Greece's first online multimedia magazine, focused on culture, society, and the arts, with the mission of discussing major social issues through the lens of pop culture.
- VDNews (Italy) – Independent media for young people, VDNews features real stories and original documentaries about current events and lifestyle, giving voice to citizens and opening up debates on our ever-changing world.
- Europod (Belgium) – Founded in 2018, Europod is Europe's only agency entirely dedicated to podcasting. Through its various audio formats, Europod explores European cultures, politics and societies to encourage the development of a European public sphere and dialogue among the continent's diverse communities.
- Arty Farty (France) – A non-profit association under French law, Arty Farty has built, over 25 years, an ecosystem of events, venues and programs open to the emergence and empowerment of young generations in the fields of culture and music, media and digital culture, and ideas. Alongside its activities in producing artistic events, creating and managing cultural venues and leading European projects, Arty Farty supports emerging media through its incubator Hôtel71, deployed in Lyon and Paris.
- Dinamo (Italy) – Italian web agency specializing in video production and social media marketing, Dinamo combines technical expertise and creativity to drive its projects from concept to distribution.
What are Sphera's products?
Through its network of independent media outlets across Europe, Sphera produces video reporting series, podcasts, events and supports, through its productions, deeply human and engaged cross-border journalism.
Stories beyond European borders
Sphera produces in-depth reportage on underreported topics across Europe, conducted by independent local newsrooms. In June 2024, for instance, as part of Sphera's Stories breaking borders format, StreetPress, the network's French partner, produced the documentary series "KOP" in which journalist Thomas Porlon investigates supporter groups from football clubs in five European countries. This investigative work was carried out in collaboration with network partners in Greece, Poland, Italy, Hungary and Lyon.
Unique stories to tell global challenges
Among the other formats initiated by Sphera, the Europeans Dives series offers, each month, six national perspectives on the same topic, through a series of videos produced by partner newsrooms. In September 2024, network members chose to focus on the theme of education, allowing each to explore the topic through their chosen angle and thus provide unique and complementary perspectives on a universal issue.
We particularly recommend the feature on the first LGBTQ+ choir in Poland produced by Krytyka Polityczna or the one dedicated to the rise of alternative schools in Italy, produced by VDNews.
Sphera Media Lab, an annual gathering for independent European press
Every year, Sphera network members meet in Brussels alongside European Lab for a day of discussions dedicated to Europe's independent media landscape. The goal: to explore the state of independent media across the continent through discussions, screenings and workshops, alongside European sector players.
→ Interested in the next meetup? Sphera Media Lab will be back on January 23, 2025 in Brussels for a new edition dedicated to independent media and its impact.
How is Sphera funded?
Sphera's activity is partly financed through the pilot call for projects « A European public sphere: a new online media offer for young Europeans » which has enabled it to benefit from support from the European Commission since its launch in 2021.
Sphera's business model also relies on national public and philanthropic funding as well as resources from the studio's production activities.
How is the network coordinated?
Since its launch in 2021, the Sphera network coordination has been ensured by a qualified permanent team, committed daily to cross-border journalism in Europe:
- Francesca Festa, co-founder of the Sphera network, now director of development at Médianes
- Quentin Ariès, journalist and editor-in-chief of the Sphera network
- Gabrielle Goyer-Mével, administrative and financial coordinator
- Hélène Pillon, journalist and editorial coordinator
- Sasha Tyan, video journalist and editorial coordinator
- Quentin Teissier, filmmaker and videographer
- Meredith Ruleman, journalist and English translator
- Marco Carlone, journalist and Italian translator
Sphera's founding team has been coordinating the network within Médianes since October 2024, alongside the rest of our team, including Pauline Butel, Marine Doux, Juliette Cahen and Mathilde Carlier who took part in the project. Médianes thus takes charge of the strategic direction of the network and the coordination of its activities alongside all partners.
To organize collaboration within the Sphera network, all partners meet every year for a few-day kick-off session – this year, in Athens, Greece – aimed at launching activities for the following months, through workshops dedicated to objectives, formats, events and communication.