Tired of hearing from the same media outlets all the time? Us too! That's why this summer, we wanted to make good ideas from independent European media more accessible in Italy, Spain, and Germany. All these initiatives are featured in the summer editions of our Strategy newsletter. Here's an overview for those who weren't subscribed yet.
Discover in Italy
Will, close connections on Instagram
The media Will, which specializes in ecology and social issues, launched specifically on Instagram in 2020. Will now has 1.6 million followers on the platform, where the media makes major current issues accessible via infographics and engaging videos. Will also operates a channel — with nearly 30,000 members — where the team shares journalists' source documentation. The editorial team also takes time to respond to comments, creating an active and engaged community.
The Passenger, telling territories differently
Launched in 2018, The Passenger is a book-magazine where each issue explores a territory to understand « its culture, its processes, its new identities, its discourses, its challenges, its problems, its wounds ». Much like the Pays publication. We love its ability to combine long-form and immersive formats with a strong online presence. On Instagram, The Passenger conveys the magazine's power through carefully crafted visuals, features its authors via collaborative posts, and shares article excerpts. A great way to remain accessible while building visibility and acquiring new readers.
Linkiesta, diversification to become profitable
In its editorial line, it is the spiritual heir to Courrier International and AOC. Founded in 2010, Linkiesta is a media outlet specializing in press reviews and political, economic and cultural analysis of Italian and international news. Initially focused on investigative journalism, Linkiesta redefined its identity and products in 2019 to become profitable. Organizing festivals and launching sections on gastronomy and lifestyle, which also benefit from quarterly print editions, enabled it to diversify its revenue streams. A shrewd "premium" shift that furthers its membership system ambitions.
Discover in Spain
Kloshletter, rigor and precision
It's the Spanish Brief.me. Every weekday morning, this free newsletter delivers a summary of the day's news to its 30,000 subscribers. Its value proposition rests on strict journalistic standards: "No machines, no robots, no algorithms, just journalistic criteria applied after daily reading of more than 30 media outlets." The best part? Their audio version, a five-minute daily podcast that presents that day's edition.
Somos Malasaña, hyperlocal media network
Here, we have a clever blend of Mon Petit 20e and actu.fr. Designed to offer rich and intimate coverage of life in Madrid's Malasaña neighborhood, this hyperlocal media outlet covers breaking news in the area on its website and uses its social networks to encourage dialogue with residents and offer recommendations. Founded in 2009, Somos Malasaña has since joined the online daily elDiario, allowing it to launch four new editions in other Madrid neighborhoods.
El Orden Mundial, making international news accessible
Picture an online media outlet about international relations, created by young people for young people, that has managed to attract nearly 4,700 paying subscribers, over one million unique monthly readers, and around 500,000 followers on its social media. A success story in the mold of HugoDécrypte, thanks to its ability to make complex topics accessible. In its podcasts, shared on Instagram, the team analyzes current events the way streamers talk about video games: in a casual manner, with some neon lights and a mic on.
Discover in Germany
Krautreporter, betting on retention
Launched in 2014 thanks to a campaign that raised over a million dollars, Krautreporter, specializing in slow journalism, saw nearly 70% of its initial contributors disengage the following year. In response, the outlet revised its strategy, prioritizing retention over growth. Now, members vote on topics, can be solicited by the editorial team based on their expertise, and benefit from an enhanced comments section. A transformation that today allows the outlet to count on an engaged community of more than 16,000 members.
Your correspondent, valorise the feminine gaze
Founded in 2015, this network of German women journalists and correspondents is dedicated to telling the world's stories through a female perspective. Composed exclusively of women journalists, the platform offers a counterweight to dominant narratives, predominantly male-centered, found in traditional media and promotes gender equality in journalism. Their model is built on media partnerships. Each week, journalists send their work to newspapers and magazines and propose publishing it. This amplifies the depth and reach of their commitment.
Der Kontext, make information engaging
This online publication specializes in in-depth coverage of major current affairs topics through interactive knowledge maps. These invite readers to explore subjects thoroughly by navigating through interconnected information nodes that illustrate the relationships and implications between different aspects of the same topic. A clever format for unpacking complex issues by fostering interactivity and engagement, demonstrating how journalism and design go hand in hand in making information accessible.
