Médianes is launching "Chemins," its first podcast featuring conversations with media founders.
How do you actually get your project off the ground? Which business model should you choose? What strategy should you implement? How do you go from being a journalist to a project founder? Through 45-minute discussions, Chemins highlights the variety of paths to creating and developing your own media outlet.
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Six founders of independent media outlets
From initial trials to launch—including the process of diversifying—follow six founders this season as they share six ways to launch and grow a media outlet. Julie Hamaïde of Koï Magazine, Raphaël Bloch of The Big Whale, Benoît Baume of FishEye, Hervé Kempf of Reporterre, Siham Jibril of Génération XX, and Manon Boquen of Pays are the guests for this season of Chemins.
#1 — Julie Hamaïde, Koï Magazine: Embarking on a Media Venture on Her Own
Julie Hamaïde is the founder of Koï Magazine, a media outlet focused on Asian cultures and communities. Starting out as a journalist, she found herself dealing with aspects of media entrepreneurship for which she had no formal training. She therefore surrounded herself with knowledgeable people. Going it alone: Is it a guarantee of freedom or a thorn in your side?
#2 — Raphaël Bloch, The Big Whale: Leaving His Newsroom to Start His Own Media Outlet
Raphaël Bloch is the co-founder of the newsletter *The Big Whale*, which specializes in Web 3. He left his job as a journalist at L’Express to start his own media outlet—quite a gamble. So how do you go from being a journalist to being your own editor-in-chief? How do you run a media outlet when you don’t necessarily have the background of a business owner?
#3 — Benoît Baume, Fisheye: Establishing Itself as a Specialized Media Outlet
Benoît Baume is the founder of FishEye, a magazine that spotlights emerging photographers. Ten years ago, the team was a pioneer in this type of editorial approach. So how do you establish your editorial voice? How do you find the right approach to stand out?
#4 — Hervé Kempf, Reporterre: Creating a Free Media Outlet
Hervé Kempf is the founder of Reporterre. Originally a magazine and later a website, Reporterre covers environmental news. Above all, it is a media outlet that has chosen to be entirely free and to rely on donations from readers. How do you launch a donation-based media outlet? How do you ensure that this model is sustainable, and what are some ways to engage your community?
#5 — Siham Jibril, Generation XX: Reflecting on the End of One’s Medium
Siham Jibril is the founder of Génération XX, a podcast featuring 100 episodes aired between 2017 and 2021 in which she interviews women entrepreneurs. After a final episode, in which she explains her decision to stop the show, the Génération XX community continues to thrive in other forms. How do we think about the end of a media project, and how do we come to terms with it?
#6 — Manon Boquen, Country: Understanding the Concept of Community
Manon Boquen is the founder of *Pays*, a print magazine launched in 2020 that focuses on a new region every six months. A different region in each issue also means a diverse readership for each edition. How do you build a community when launching a media outlet, how do you maintain it, and how do you navigate the unique nature of a publication like *Pays*?
About Chemins
"Chemins" is a podcast dedicated to the founders of independent media outlets.
The "Chemins" podcast is a new format from Médianes that complements the articles and the bi-monthly newsletter, which aim to make accessible grafree of charge the methods and tips for creating your own media outlet, and to connect project leaders who have already taken the plunge.
Through its newsletter, Médianes already reaches more than 1,000 media founders, journalists, and enthusiasts every two weeks.
"Chemins" is a podcast produced by Médianes, hosted by Margaux Vulliet, and directed by Morgan Prudhomme. The sound design is by Nicolas Peiron. The visual design is by Christelle Perrin.
