Want to share?

No. 101 — Want to share?
It's March 6, 2025, and you're reading the newsletter from Médianes.

Hello, everyone,

Engagement, connection, funding: what if membership were the key? Somewhere between a donation and a subscription, membership invites readers to contribute directly to the media outlet’s editorial and financial mission. In exchange, they enjoy privileged access, a say in decisions, or symbolic recognition. Today, we’re sharing three inspiring examples.

In this issue, we focus on the latest episode of our podcast *Chemins*, in which Marine Doux, co-founder of [...]Médianes, recounts the project’s early days and the adjustments needed to build a media outlet without losing its core identity. Four years later, the team has grown, and so have its ambitions.

Finally, in our roundup: a wake-up call from independent publishers, a training session on cyberbullying, the new TikTok for independent journalists, and—of course—job openings.

Enjoy the read,

— MARINE SLAVITCH, JOURNALIST AT MÉDIANES

Why not?

IDEAS FOR YOUR MEDIA

When it comes to “funding independent media,” I’d like to talk about membership. More than just financial support, it’s a special relationship between a media outlet and its community. Exclusive access, collective decision-making, and dialogue: these are all essential tools for building trust and independence. Here’s a look at three membership strategies.

From Donation to Membership

Since 2019, StreetPress has made funding from its readers a key editorial and economic pillar (36.4% of its revenue) of its business model, thanks to donations. To consolidate its strategy, the media outlet—which campaigns against the far right—launched the StreetPress Club in 2024, which now includes more than 6,000 regular donors. This membership strategy, also seen at Vert, strengthens both its financial stability and its connection with its audience.

Sponsoring Members

Faced with declining subsidies, the British investigative media outlet The Bristol Cable set itself a challenge in 2024: to increase its membership revenue by 50%. Its strategy? A targeted increase in membership fees, a revamp of its membership tiers, and a “Patron” membership level at £1,000 per year. The initiative was a success: 600 members increased their contributions, 14 patrons joined the effort, and £100,000 was raised.

The Cooperative System

As the first media outlet managed by a European press cooperative, Voxeurop is owned by its readers, who are committed to defending free and European journalism. One member equals one vote, regardless of the amount of their financial contribution (starting at €5 per month). Joining Voxeurop means participating in strategic decisions, gaining access to in-depth analysis of European current events, and taking part in gatherings that bring together a community spanning more than twenty countries.

To learn more: Read the article by our reporter Agathe Kupfer about clubs

Over in Médianes

PROJECT SPOTLIGHT

Launched in 2020 and co-founded by Médianes, *Pays* is an independent magazine that focuses each issue on a single region and emphasizes feature stories and photojournalism to provide a deeper understanding of it.

After exploring Saint-Malo, the Ardennes, and the Cotentin, the Pays team is preparing to launch a new installment dedicated to the Cévennes, a region of mountains and valleys located between Occitanie and Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes.

To help bring the first journalistic guide to the Cévennes to life and support independent, ad-free journalism, you can pre-order the magazine today and spread the word about the project!

On Our Radar

OUR MARKET RESEARCH TO SUPPORT YOUR PROJECTS

At what cost?

NICOLE VULSER / LE MONDE

Independent publishers are sounding the alarm about their precarious situation: average revenue of 164,000 euros in 2023, negative profitability, and heavy reliance on public subsidies. “Our calling is passion; we’re not here to make a fortune,” says Vincent Henry, founder of La Boîte à bulles. Yet these publishers play a key role in discovering new authors, who are often subsequently snapped up by major publishing groups.

Blind Spot

MARTA HILL / NIEMAN LAB

Journalists, particularly female students, are increasingly targeted by online harassment, a phenomenon that is underestimated throughout their training. Ways to enhance their safety include incorporating courses on managing digital attacks, providing psychological support, and offering better protective tools on platforms. In France, the organization Prenons la Une offers training and resources on the topic of cyberharassment against journalists.

Over at medianes.org

IT'S HOMEMADE

"Chemins," bonus episode with Marine Doux

MARINE SLAVITCH / MEDIANES.ORG

To wrap up this season of “Chemins sur les fins,” we return in this bonus episode to reflect on the milestones that have defined the series, Médianesalongside Marine Doux, co-founder and editorial director. Launched almost by accident, *Chemins sur les fins* hasMédianes grown from a project among friends into a structured company, whose team doubled in size in 2024. How do you welcome new people into a close-knit group? How do you learn to set boundaries in a company driven by commitment?

In Brief

THAT WAY, YOU'LL KNOW

• Les e-novateurs, La Provence, Le Parisien…: These media outlets are hiring. Check out their job openings.

• Coop-médias is launching its newsletter covering news from the independent media. It will feature press reviews, in-depth analysis, and a calendar of events.

• A group of foreign correspondents is launching Noosphere, the (paid) TikTok of journalism.

• On YouTube, journalist Justine Reix—who writes for Squeezie and Simon Puech, among others—shares her investigative stories using the same style as the platform’s regular content creators.

• How can you obtain high-quality satellite images? A guide and plenty of resources.

See you on March 20!

Thank you for your messages, which have helped us make this newsletter even better. We’d also like to take this opportunity to welcome the teams at Usbek et Rica, Courrier International, and Imagine Magazine, as well as everyone who has recently joined us.

See you on March 20. Until then, take care of yourselves and your social media.

— THIS NEWSLETTER WAS PREPARED BY FANNY BLANCHARD, IN COLLABORATION WITH MARINE SLAVITCH AND THE MÉDIANES TEAM.