How Can You Reinvent Your Office Space?

No. 120 — DECEMBER 11, 2025

How Can You Reinvent Your Office Space?

Hello, everyone,

Media newsrooms have always been more than just a workplace. With the widespread adoption of remote work, budget pressures, and new distribution practices, they are now changing in form… and function. In this article, we analyze these changes and the strategic issues behind a key question: What will a newsroom look like in 2025?

We’re also celebrating our 5th anniversary: this is an opportunity to thank you warmly for your trust and to give you a behind-the-scenes look at our operations.

And just like every year-end, we’re bringing you our 2025 gift guide: a selection of items and magazines from the independent scene we love—to give as gifts or treat yourself.

Finally, here’s what’s caught our attention over the past few days: a tracker to monitor how the media is using AI, an analysis of our tendency to judge books by their covers, and a selection of events and job openings.

Enjoy the read,

OWEN HUCHON, JOURNALIST AT MÉDIANES

The Strategy

Ideas for Your Media

Journalism is changing, and so are newsrooms. In the age of digital media, flexible workspaces, and tight budgets, media organizations are rethinking their workspaces and trying to find new ways to use them.

The Office as a Setting

Highly polished and pristine environments are no longer in vogue: in the age of TikTok and Instagram, audiences prefer spontaneity. So say goodbye to ultra-slick, well-lit studios—it’s the cluttered offices and meeting rooms lacking natural light that are all the rage.

Morning Brew

He films skits there to explain current events

, with the office and its members serving as a backdrop

like *The Office*

.

A place to meet

Beyond the videos filmed on their premises, more and more newsrooms are opening their doors: they are becoming spaces for dialogue, designed to rebuild trust, make themselves accessible, and, in some cases, generate new revenue. In Scotland, Greater Govanhill and The Ferret have created a shared, open newsroom designed to welcome the public, host events, and foster dialogue.

Living Out One's Values

Through their geographic location or even the architecture of their buildings, media organizations seek to convey certain values: large floor-to-ceiling windows to symbolize transparency, or an open ground floor to embody their desire to engage with the public. This symbolic value also extends to the staff: journalists express a sense of attachment to their newsrooms, despite their flaws, as evidenced by this series of photos taken at local American media outlets.

Want to see more examples? Keep reading on our website.

Over in Médianes

ABOUT US

What about you—were you there? Exactly five years ago, on December 9, 2020, we—Marine Doux, Christelle Perrin, and Baptiste Thevelein—officially launched the project fromMédianes the Côtes-d’Armor.

Whether you’ve been reading us for 120 issues or have just joined us, we wanted to say a big, heartfelt thank you. Thank you for trusting us and for making room for us in your emails and in your thoughts.

Would you like to learn more about our media, studio, or network operations? Visit our "About" page.

Want to get a behind-the-scenes look at our launch? From the logo to the partnership agreement written on a Velleda whiteboard… we’ll tell you all about it in our behind-the-scenes newsletter next Thursday.

CHRISTELLE PERRIN — MÉDIANES, THE STUDIO

On Our Radar

What We're Reading Right Now

Are these covers too similar?

IT’S NICE THAT / OLIVIA HINGLEY

Despite the saying, we do judge books by their covers. The culprit: social media, which homogenizes tastes and turns books into “Instagrammable” accessories, imposing visual trends such as the wave of yellow covers in 2023. A call—from both publishers and readers—to take more risks.

Follow the AI money

Aisvarya Chandrasekar and Klaudia Jaźwińska / TOW CENTER

Companies in the AI sector have drastically disrupted the information market, giving rise to two opposing approaches: striking lucrative deals or filing lawsuits. But it’s becoming difficult to keep track of who’s doing what. To provide greater clarity, the Tow Center has launched an online tracker that catalogs all lawsuits, settlements, and funding.

On medianes.org

It's homemade

Need some gift ideas?

THE MÉDIANES TEAM

As we do every year-end, we’re publishing our new list of little gifts to give (or treat yourself to) this holiday season. Let’s be honest—if you’re running out of ideas, time is running out. Our team has scoured every corner to find some real gems for you: media outlets, publishing houses, graphic design studios… Perfect for treating your loved ones while supporting independent initiatives.

In Brief

THAT WAY, YOU'LL KNOW

1. StreetPress, Forbidden Stories, L’Express: These media outlets are hiring. Check out their job openings.

2. Rembobine, a media outlet that highlights the impact of news and the media, hopes to raise 10,000 € by December 31.

3. The online media outlet 404 Media is set to release a zine. In this post, the editorial team shares the thinking behind this initiative.

4. On Thursday, December 18, Mediapart will wrap up the year by inviting you to its Bonnette Party at Point Éphémère (Paris).

5. Prison Insider (a Program alumMédianes), which focuses on prison conditions and correctional policies around the world, is wrapping up its fundraising campaign.

See you on January 15!

for the next edition

Merci pour vos messages qui nous ont permis d’enrichir cette newsletter. Nous en profitons pour souhaiter la bienvenue aux équipes du Monde, Reporters d’Espoirs, Libération et à toutes celles et ceux qui nous ont rejoints récemment.

As the end of the year approaches, the team at Médianesis taking a break! We’ll be back on January 15, 2026. Until then, take care of yourselves and your media.

This newsletter was prepared by Marine Doux and Owen Huchon, together with the team at Médianes.

Médianes

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