The Médianes Club:
Coming Together for Sustainability
Support independent journalism—join the Club!
Journalists, executives, and creators: help us build a club that best meets your needs—with a forum, directory, tools, and resources.
The Findings
Teamwork as a Prerequisite for Independence
We have probably never needed to work together as much as we do now.
Because producing quality journalism with a viable and ethical business and human resources model is the challenge that every independent journalist, executive, creator, and founder must overcome. We see this in our discussions with the newsrooms we support: in addition to strengthening their independence—whether economic, technological, editorial, or political—this is the issue that’s holding them back.
We are convinced that media outlets and independent creators need spaces to come together, share their practices, pool their resources, and support one another in the face of common challenges and questions. And working together in no way diminishes the unique identities or interests of each media outlet.
Because independence isn't just about what happens within each newsroom. It is also built collectively, around the journalistic and ethical values that already unite us.
Our Experience
What We've Learned from Newsrooms
Since 2020, we have been helping founders, executives, journalists, and students grow their media outlets and audiences. We have worked with more than 150 news organizations—including Contexte, Disclose, INA, La Croix, Le Cri, Le Monde, RSF, Socialter, and Vert—which are read by more than 5,000 people each month.
Whether it’s our media outlet or our studio, the same reality keeps coming up: there’s not enough time, teams are understaffed, budgets are tight, tools are expensive, and the business model is uncertain. Added to this is the need to make an immediate impact, a community to retain, and the desire to free up time for editorial work.
Beyond specific topics (marketing, design, strategy, technology, management, or administration), we recognized the need to connect similar needs, integrate different disciplines, and build solutions that are truly tailored to the media.
To learn more about Médianes, a project dedicated to strengthening independent journalism, civic engagement, and media pluralism.
In France, as in Europe, we have begun to address this issue.
In France, through the Médianes Program: an eight-month group support program dedicated to media founders and emerging, independent, and socially conscious creators. After four editions, some 40 media outlets have received support, including Arrêt sur images, Climax, Flaash, Gaze, Les 3 Ours, Quoi de Mum, and Vertige.
At the European level, by coordinating Sphera Network—a network of ten media outlets in seven countries: 444 (Hungary), El Salto (Spain), Popaganda (Greece), StreetPress (France), Krytyka Polityczna (Poland), VD News (Italy). Together, we produce investigative reports, podcasts, and events aimed at young people across Europe, focusing on issues of climate, democracy, and social justice.
Beyond the training, we need a place where we can continue to get together and support one another. The Club is the next step.
The Club is built with you.
Tell us what you need.
The Club
A space for independent media to exchange ideas and share resources
The Club is a space to connect and come together: editorial resources, tools at discounted rates, and peers to turn to, both in France and across Europe. It’s still taking shape: some building blocks are already in place, while others will be created together with you.
The forum
At its heart is a permanent forum for discussion among journalists, executives, and creators. Here, we explore independence in all its forms—economic, editorial, and technological—as well as the elements that underpin it: administration, design, marketing, technology, and management.
Tools
Tools to provide concrete answers to these questions: our own or those of our partners, at negotiated rates, to save time and reduce costs.
A directory, a map
A Europe-wide directory and map of independent media outlets, designed to help you find peers, raise your profile, and build connections across borders.
Training and Resources
Exclusive access to our training programs and events. In addition, our editorial content, practical guides, and analyses of industry trends are freely available.
Rejoindre le Club, c’est aussi trouver, avec d’autres, les moyens de se raconter collectivement. Le Club s’ouvre d’abord à celles et ceux qui nous connaissent déjà, en France comme en Europe, avant de s’élargir plus largement, pour jouer collectif encore plus grand.
Journalists, executives, and creators—join the Médianes Club!
The Club is for those who practice and support independent journalism in pursuit of a more inclusive and sustainable society: journalists, executives, content creators, and, more broadly, organizations and institutions that champion information and press freedom.
We want to build the Club together with you. Please fill out this quick survey to help us understand your needs, how you use the Club, and your interest in it. We’ll be in touch soon.
