Saint-Nazaire via Catheter

No. 65 — Saint-Nazaire Through a Catheter
It is September 14, 2023, and you are reading the newsletter from Médianes.

Hello, everyone,

We’re back from Saint-Nazaire, where we spent last week putting together our schedule for the coming months. More details coming soon! Let’s also take this opportunity to celebrate the total and undisputed dominance of our graphic designer, Christelle, at laser tag. Best of luck to the rest of the team (Baptiste), who’s recovering from his sore muscles.

And since we like a change of scenery, Baptiste, Christelle, and Marine—the three founders—are hoppingMédianes on the train to Marseille today. Are you heading there too? Let us know!

But let’s get back to serious business. Today, we’re going to talk straight. In this issue, you’ll find several ways to fund your projects with the help of your audience. And in our roundup, you’ll find our practical guides on crowdfunding, games, rock climbing, and jobs, of course.

Enjoy the read,

— OWEN HUCHON

Why not?

IDEAS FOR YOUR MEDIA

Do you want to take your project to the next level and grow your audience? A crowdfunding campaign—as long as it’s done right—can be an effective tool for achieving that.

Open its capital to its readers

Instead of asking for donations, give your audience the opportunity to participate in the development of your project by selling them shares in your company. This is exactly what La Déferlante did, through the Lita.co platform, with the goal of raising a total of 300,000 euros. The magazine, which focuses on feminism and gender issues, has already garnered support from figures such as Annie Ernaux and Mona Chollet.

Go fishing for subscribers

The Danish media outlet Zetland was looking for new ways to attract subscribers. It therefore implemented a referral program to turn its existing subscribers into true ambassadors. The outlet also maintains strict financial transparency and offers an interactive experience where readers can imagine themselves in charge of management by interacting with the outlet’s finances. What would happen if, for example, 10 journalists were laid off? The result: since 2019, the subscription rate has reached record growth levels.

Beyond Information

It is possible to launch subscription campaigns while supporting the local economy. In search of new subscribers, the Keene Sentinel launched a special campaign: offering a bag of coffee from a local roaster with every subscription. The initiative resulted in 55 new subscribers, 44 of whom were still subscribed 10 months later. It was a success for the local media outlet, which has repeated the initiative several times with chocolate, candy, and soap produced in New Hampshire.

From the studio's perspective

PROJECT SPOTLIGHT

For the past few weeks, we have been working with the team at Reflets.info to optimize its content and marketing strategy.

Known for its investigative reporting as well as its commitment to offering a fresh perspective on technology and in-depth investigative journalism, the media outlet now plans to adopt a new strategy related to subscriptions and donation campaigns on its website.

To adapt to the habits and needs of its audience, Reflets.info is launching an audience survey today to shape the site’s future in collaboration with its readers. If you’re familiar with Reflets.info’s work, please feel free to participate!

CHRISTELLE PERRIN — MÉDIANES, LE STUDIO / REFLETS.INFO

On Our Radar

OUR MARKET RESEARCH TO SUPPORT YOUR PROJECTS

"Connections" checks all the boxes

SARAH SCIRE / NIEMAN LAB

Have you tried “Connections,” the new game from The New York Times? It involves grouping words around a common theme, and its launch has certainly been a success. Inspired by our colleagues at the Nieman Lab, we’ve created our own version—feel free to send us your scores!

Racist Stereotypes in Schools

CLÉMENTINE RIGOT / THE STUDENT

In response to the racist stereotypes that continue to circulate in the media and in journalism schools, AJAR (Association of Anti-Racist and People of Color Journalists) will be visiting several institutions starting at the beginning of the school year to provide training to students.

Over at medianes.org

IT'S HOMEMADE

Everything You Need to Know About Fundraising Campaigns

MÉDIANES TEAM / MÉDIANES.ORG

Pre-sales, donations: We’re releasing a new series of how-to guides, this time focused on crowdfunding. Through a series of real-world examples, you’ll learn how to set clear goals, promote your campaign, and find different ways to thank your supporters.

In Brief

THAT WAY, YOU'LL KNOW

• Reporterre, Contexte, Urbania: These media outlets are hiring. Check out their job openings.

• The editorial staff of *Le Monde* is opening its doors to the public this weekend as part of Heritage Days.

• How did we create and launch our podcast, *Chemins*? We tell you all about it in this column

• Launch of La Bonne Grimpe, a new media outlet dedicated to rock climbing.

• Veìr magazine—in collaboration with the studioMédianes—decided to try out a new way of selling its issues: setting up a booth at the market.

See you on September 14!

We’d like to take this opportunity to welcome Ninon, Enzo, Solenn, and everyone else who has recently subscribed to this newsletter.

Thank you for your messages and ideas, which helped shape this edition of the newsletter. As you may have noticed, we’ve made a few improvements to the newsletter’s user experience. Please feel free to share your feedback with us!

In any case, we'll see you on September 28 for the next edition. Until then, take care of yourselves and your social media.

— THIS NEWSLETTER WAS PREPARED BY OWEN HUCHON AND MARINE DOUX WITH THE MÉDIANES TEAM.