The 2024 European elections marked a turning point for independent media. Op-eds, bundled offers, rallies, joint investigations, pooled resources… For the first time, dozens of media outlets, emerging or established, allied against the far right and its flawed agenda. And saw their impact multiplied. This moment also confirmed the importance of collective action in addressing today's democratic challenges.
While 2024's momentum demonstrated the strength of unity, it also highlighted the need for collective commitment sustained over time, with alliances built for the long term. These could not only strengthen the resilience of independent media, but also enable them to address structural challenges: supporting alternative economic models, amplifying new voices in their narratives, and rethinking their management practices by integrating greater cooperation.
What about tomorrow? In 2025, bringing forces together could form the foundation of a more collaborative and inclusive ecosystem. By integrating principles of resource-sharing and cooperation into their editorial, economic and management strategies, media organizations could both preserve and strengthen their independence, while continuing to meet audiences' need to find meaning and connection.
The following state of play is merely a first step in the work we will conduct throughout the year alongside independent media outlets, in France and across Europe, to document and record the mutualisation movement that appears to be opening up among these players today. To carry out this project successfully, we need you. Share your story!
Whether you're launching a new editorial format alongside another independent newsroom, whether you've tested joint subscription offers in the past, whether you're planning to join a space dedicated to media organizations, or whether you're rethinking your management for greater cooperation: the idea is to pool resources, gather best practices, learn from what doesn't work, all of this, to foster stronger connections and virtuous practices.
⟶ Want to discuss it? Send a message to [email protected].
Why pool resources?
☆ To multiply impact: pooling resources makes it possible to cover sensitive topics and creating shared formats reaches wider audiences.
☆ To strengthen resilience against threats, whether they be political, economic or legal pressures on independent newsrooms and to benefit from mutual support in facing media concentration. Pooling resources and expertise helps build greater resistance here.
☆ To address information fragmentation: proposing common formats is a way to diversify viewpoints.
How to share resources?
☆ By editorial formats
⟶ Last December, the ecology media outlet Vert and the urban culture media outlet StreetPress announced a partnership to jointly produce videos, investigations and newsletters linked to climate and the rise of the far right in France. This collaboration is part of Vert's Chaleurs actuelles project on the far right, its climate deniers and its media outlets, and the FAF newsletter that breaks down the far right at StreetPress. An initiative that Médianes supports, through our European media network Sphera.
Why it's interesting:
- This allows for the sharing of risks and costs associated with investigations that are often lengthy and expensive.
- Collaborative formats offer a more complete view of the issues addressed by combining complementary expertise.
- It's an opportunity to make a strong impression with high-quality productions, thereby strengthening the credibility of the media outlets involved.
☆ By location
⟶ In the heart of Berlin, in the Neukölln district, a new 6000m² building opened its doors to its first residents in September 2024: Publix. The project, born in 2017, aims to "ensure a diverse and independent media landscape in Germany and Europe, promote journalistic innovation, strengthen democratic discourse and combat disinformation". To do this, the building will host organizations and media for the long term or for short periods. The structure, which already houses RSF, Investigate Europe and Reporterfabrik, a training center for journalists, wishes to strengthen collaboration between multiple actors in the German and European press: "We want to get to know each other, support one another and pool our strengths to bring new ideas to the world. We are convinced that these relationships improve the quality and effectiveness of everyone's work at Publix". The structure also offers its residents offices, workshops and studios for audiovisual content production.
⟶ In France, La Maison des médias libres is a long-standing project aimed at creating a dedicated space for independent media in Paris. Since 2018, several independent journalists and publishers (Mediapart, Basta!, Arrêt sur images, Politis, Les Jours…) have championed this ambition, but due to the lack of a venue and institutional support, the project had stalled. That said, in June 2024, the idea was revived following the sale of a building located at 70 boulevard Barbès, in the 18th arrondissement. Unanimously approved by the Paris City Council, the initiative should finally come to fruition and allow La Maison des médias libres to open its doors in 2026. The building will offer various spaces such as open-plan offices, studios, a café-bookshop, as well as conference spaces.
Why is it interesting?
- These spaces foster the emergence of a collective ecosystem, where everyone can learn from one another.
- They strengthen the visibility of independent media by giving them tangible presence and enabling mobilization around shared causes.
- By creating spaces for dialogue, these initiatives help humanize journalistic practices and reconnect newsrooms with their audiences.
☆ By events
⟶ In September 2024, at the 89th edition of the Fête de l'Humanité, an Independent Media Village was set up, bringing together newsrooms such as La Déferlante, Basta!, Blast, Politis, StreetPress, Fakir, Reporterre, L'Âge de Faire, Au Poste, Mediapart, Socialter, Le Média, Le Chiffon, Reporters without Borders, Acrimed, Sphera, and Vert. This 400 m² space hosted round tables, live broadcasts, concerts and public meetings, addressing topics such as sexist and sexual violence, press freedom and ecological mobilisations against the far right. The initiative, born from protests against the far right in June and July 2024 — when several independent media outlets had gathered around stands in Place de la République during the demonstrations — aimed to strengthen ties between these media outlets and to amplify their collective impact.
« The Independent Media Village was a huge success—we didn't have a single empty moment. For me, it's a sign of strong public demand for places where the press converges and media awareness that there's a need to strengthen and support one another. The Village gave us visibility we would never have achieved on our own. Coming together allows us to multiply our impact and reach. » — Agnès Rousseaux, editor of Politis, speaking to Vert.
Why it's interesting:
- Events are a way to build a direct relationship with audiences and bring together communities that share similar values.
- They provide a platform to confront ideas, debate and bring forth concrete solutions.
- It's an effective way to mobilize public opinion and collectively take a stance on key issues.
☆ By editorial recommendation
⟶ In July 2024, on the occasion of a comic strip co-signed by Disclose journalist Ariane Lavrilleux published in the pages of the magazine La Déferlante, these two media outlets carried out a cross-promotion in their respective newsletters, here for Disclose, and there, for La Déferlante.
Why it's interesting:
- Recommending each other is a good way to increase visibility and discoverability.
- These partnerships create natural bridges between two media outlets with different content, but which share values of independence and commitment.
👉 As part of these partnerships, it is essential to clearly define the terms of the recommendation: its placement, the format used (brief mention, highlighted box, prominent placement with visual), as well as its length to ensure a balance between the two partners.
☆ By marketing and technical infrastructure
⟶ In 2022, the "Spring of Independent Media" offered shared subscription packages from four outlets: Arrêt sur images, Brief Science, Les Jours and Canard PC, initiated by the latter. On the crowdfunding platform Ulule, Canard PC offered four options: 1 year of subscriptions to all four outlets — Arrêt sur images, Brief Science, Les Jours and Canard PC — in digital at -40%, or 1 year of subscription to Canard PC and to Arrêt sur images, Brief Science or Les Jours of your choice, at -20%. 1,686 subscriptions were sold, exceeding the target by 417%.
⟶ Throughout November 2024, Arrêt sur images and Politis offered a joint annual digital subscription. « Often, for readers committed to press independence, it's difficult to choose one title over another given how rich and diverse the offerings are, but also because budgets are increasingly tight », notes Pierre Jacquemain, editor-in-chief of Politis.
⟶ Since summer 2023, Brief Media (Brief.me, Brief.eco, Brief.science) has been selling subscriptions and access licenses to multiple independent online media outlets to professionals, including Arrêt sur images, Marsactu and Mediacités. What's the point? "To promote access to pluralistic, quality information for public library users and students in educational institutions, and to strengthen the economic and therefore editorial independence of these media by helping them reach new audiences and new revenue streams", explains Edmond Espanel, Chief Executive Officer.
Why it's interesting:
- These initiatives make it easier for readers to access a variety of content while introducing them to new media.
- For media companies, it's a way to share the costs of acquiring new subscribers and increase their visibility.
- These offerings foster a sense of solidarity and belonging, for both audiences and teams alike.
☆ By financial means
⟶ On October 9, 2024, Coop-médias was launched, a cooperative aimed at strengthening the ecosystem of independent media in France. Faced with the rise of the far right and media consolidation, the organization invites citizens to become members by purchasing a membership share starting at 100 euros. The initial goal was to raise between 400,000 and 500,000 euros to support independent press projects. Coop-médias has now raised approximately 700,000 euros. In practice, media outlets will subsequently be able to obtain funding through calls for projects launched by the cooperative. Among the members: Politis, Blast, Médiacités, les Jours, Basta !, Vert, StreetPress, Le Média, Médianes…
« The idea is to become a resource for these independent media outlets, with them also being stakeholders. We can imagine the cooperative could offer shared management tools for payroll for example, or exchanges of best practices, or internalize skills that will be made available to partner media. Another dimension of this project is also to think about how to boost the visibility of independent media. This will happen first through visibility in the social and solidarity economy sector, but it could also take the form, potentially, of an online newsstand, or possible cross-subscription systems. » — Lucie Anizon, CEO of Coop-médias and secretary general of Enercoop, a network of cooperative societies offering renewable energy, speaking to Libération.
Why it's interesting:
- By sharing expensive resources, media outlets reduce their financial burden, which can be particularly clever for independent structures that are often economically fragile.
- This promotes synergies between editorial teams, who can share expertise, ideas, and contacts.
- Effective pooling of resources also enables better resistance to external pressures (political, economic, or legal).
☆ By pooling knowledge, expertise and practical resources
⟶ Published by Trouble Editions, Alphabet of Feminist Self-Publishing is a work that offers an exploration of self-publishing and its practitioners, providing tools, techniques and reflections useful to those who wish to print unconventional narratives: « Feminism touches both the intimate and the political, and therefore the collective. Pooling resources means organizing to create revolution (…) By pooling resources, we understand how to improve and do things differently. This is what creates a constellation of connections where we elevate each other. » — Clémentine Labrosse, co-author of the work and co-founder of Trouble Editions and the feminist magazine Censored, with Médianes.
⟶ Operating in small geographic areas, some media outlets practice so-called "hyperlocal" journalism, as close to the ground as possible. Some are now choosing to pool their efforts for practical, economic or journalistic reasons. This is the case with Marais Mood, Mon Petit 20e and Montmartre Addict, in Paris, brought together within the Hyperlocal Media Club.
Journalist at Médianes, Owen Huchon visited them in June 2023: " Members of the Hyperlocal Media Club take pride in the diversity of each person's background and see this diversity as an opportunity to share skills and experience. For now, collaborative article writing is not at the heart of the project. "
⟶ In Belgium, the Kiosque collective has brought together seven French-language Belgian publications since 2022 (Alter Echos, axelle, Imagine, Le Ligueur, Médor, Tchak! and Wilfried) that share common values. The goal: to strengthen themselves collectively and pool resources and services related to, for example, promotion, distribution, or advertising management. "Through a series of joint initiatives, our Collective aims to have an impact within Belgian society and harness its solidarity-driven momentum to make its voice heard by the political world and develop economic scenarios to preserve press freedom and diversity. It also seeks to enrich democratic debate and, in doing so, strengthen and restore the trust that links citizens and journalism." — Letter from Kiosque addressed to Belgian political authorities.
⟶ Since 2020, Médianes has shared on its site and through newsletters and podcasts case studies, practical guides and ready-to-use resources related to strategy, audience engagement, design and marketing for professionals in independent and mission-driven media.
Why it's interesting:
- By sharing tools and resources, independent media outlets reduce their costs and gain efficiency, which enables them to optimize their resources.
- Exchanging knowledge and best practices allows newsrooms to train each other and build collective expertise.
To go further
- Since October 2024, Médianes has coordinated Sphera, a network of 10 independent and committed media outlets in Europe, including StreetPress, 444, El Salto, Krytyka Polityczna, Popaganda, and VD News. By pooling our resources and expertise, this new phase allows us to consolidate our shared ambitions to support independent media across Europe. To do this, Sphera encourages editorial collaboration through investigations, podcasts, videos and events.
- This article offers 10 essential recommendations for independent media, and highlights key principles such as inclusivity, accessibility, and transparency. The idea? To work toward building futures more aligned with society's needs and rebuild connection with audiences.
- This way to find our inventory of actions, practices and formats implemented by independent media in June 2024 against the far right.
