Behind the Scenes: From Perugia to Rennes

MARCH 2026 ISSUE

From Perugia to Rennes

Hello, everyone,

Throughout our discussions in Brussels, Paris, and Florence at various events over the past few weeks, one thing struck us: behind the broad debates in the media, it is often very concrete issues that keep coming up.

How can a media outlet be funded without creating new dependencies? How can it reduce its reliance on platforms? How can it build a relationship of trust with its audience? How can it evolve its identity, formats, or website without losing what makes it unique? And, above all, how can it avoid facing these questions alone?

This is where we strive to make our mark at :Médianes at the intersection of journalism, mentorship, and networking. This issue offers a glimpse into our work, featuring new projects with Rural, 60 Millions de consommateurs, and Tempura, recent publications, resources to explore, and the first dates of our spring tour. There are plenty of opportunities to meet up with us in France and Italy, so be sure to reach out!

Enjoy the read,

MARINE DOUX, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF OF MÉDIANES

On the network side

UPCOMING EVENTS

This spring, Médianes is coming to meet you

After Brussels and Florence, we’re heading to Guingamp, Rennes, Paris, Perugia, and Biel! This spring, we’re taking advantage of festivals to build on what we’ve been working to create all year: spaces for discussion among journalists, editors-in-chief, media executives, and industry professionals.

Because editorial independence isn't only a matter of newsroom practices. It's also built through peer exchange, the sharing of experiences, confronting our practices, and having frank conversations about the sector's challenges and possible solutions. For us, these gatherings are both working sessions, moments of watchfulness and networking, but also opportunities to test and refine our analyses.

And let's be honest: we also think that a number of good ideas often emerge more easily between debates, or over a drink, than in yet another video call.

Where to find us

• In Guingamp, on March 27 and 29 at the “L’info dans tous ses états” festival, with Marine Doux and Baptiste Thevelein, alongside Vert, RSF, and Le Télégramme, to discuss media funding and dependence on social media.
• In Rennes, from April 10 to 12, at the “3 Ours” show and the Independent Media Festival, with Owen Huchon and Marine Doux, to try to define what independence really means and reflect on how to free journalism from the GAFAM.
• In Perugia on April 16, at the International Journalism Festival, for our cocktail reception organized with the Sphera network, featuring Francesca Festa, Marine Doux, Owen Huchon, and Marco Carlone, to discuss cooperation at the European level.
• In Paris, on April 25 and 26 at the Ground Control Independent Media Festival, to discuss design with Christelle Perrin and Maxime Loisel.
• In Biel, on May 23 and 24, as part of the Presstival, to discuss media creation with Baptiste Thevelein.

From the media's perspective

OUR LATEST PUBLICATIONS

Power Shift: How the Scottish Local Press Collaborates on Investigative Reporting to Amplify Its Impact

BY OWEN HUCHON — MÉDIANES

By pooling their investigations, Scottish local media outlets are seeking to build a collective voice on energy transition and to influence national policy decisions from across Scotland.

Abstinence Applied to AI

BY MEREDITH RULEMAN — SPHERA NETWORK

Are you “AI-free”? Some people are giving up artificial intelligence for environmental and ethical reasons—but also for political ones. The “QuitGPT” movement is calling for a boycott of ChatGPT after it was revealed that its CEO is Donald Trump’s top donor.

Why economic independence is no longer enough

BY MARINE DOUX — MÉDIANES x COLUMBIA JOURNALISM REVIEW

After a decade spent wrestling with business models, European newsrooms now face legal and political pressures that demonstrate — as the United States learned before them — that money cannot solve everything.

How Can You Build Trust with Your Audience?

BY FRANCESCA FESTA— MÉDIANES

At the Voices Festival in Florence, Francesca Festa, director of development at Médianes, shared some practical insights on building relationships with audiences, fostering engagement, and ensuring alignment between editorial direction and business model. We’re sharing the presentation materials with you.

Our approach

STUDIO NEWS

Create Rural's visual identity

This winter, the Rural team reached out to Médianes to help create the visual identity for their project. Conceived as a media outlet dedicated to rural communities in western France, Rural aims to establish a platform where photography and on-the-ground reporting take center stage.

To support the launch of the publication, we worked on both its visual identity and its initial digital user journeys. Christelle Perrin oversaw the overall artistic direction of the project, as well as the website’s main pages and navigation. At the same time, we worked on the logo, fonts, and color palette to create a cohesive design that showcases the photography and in-depth stories.

→ Get a behind-the-scenes look at the project on our studio's website, and

To go further

• Are you looking to revamp your brand identity or create new experiences—both online and in print? Discover our expertise in this area.

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THAT WAY, YOU'LL KNOW

→ The “Create a Media Outlet” workshop is back in May!

Are you interested in starting a media outlet or taking the one you’ve already launched to the next level? Our “Creating a Media Outlet” training course returns May 5–27 and may be eligible for financial assistance. Registration is now open.

→ Our In Vivo newsletter is looking for illustrators

As part of our European network, Sphera, we publish *In Vivo*, a trilingual newsletter covering major social, democratic, and environmental issues in Europe. We are looking for illustrators for its new format.

→ The 60 Millions de consommateurs website is now online

We worked with 60 Millions de consommateurs to redesign its website, modernizing its digital experience and making it fully mobile-friendly, while preserving the elements its audience has come to expect.

→ Learn more about our marketing expertise

How can you better reach your audience, convert visitors, build loyalty, or grow an engaged audience without straying from your editorial mission? We help media organizations answer these questions—from positioning to fundraising campaigns. Discover our expertise.

→ Tempura: A Pre-Order Campaign Outside of Platforms

For the launch of the “Japanese Adventures” issue, we worked with Tempura to create a dedicated campaign page, designed as an alternative to KissKissBankBank or Ulule. It’s a way to better control the pre-order experience… and our relationship with readers.

Médianes

We are a media outlet, a studio, and a network dedicated to independent journalism.