In 2020, we launched with one idea in mind: to put our energy at the service of journalists, media founders, and media leaders in creating and developing their projects. Four years later, we like to think that this work has enabled emerging and established media outlets to connect with their audiences through the values they defend – ecology, feminism, social justice – and through business models that prioritize independence and trust – subscriptions, donations, memberships. (We'll tell you more about it soon in our first impact report!)
To go further, we have invested in pooling efforts and resources, a key lever for strengthening the impact of independent media. This is what we do through medianes.org, an independent nonprofit media association that supports over 5,000 sector players, and Médianes, le studio, our consulting agency that assists around a hundred newsrooms and leaders on strategic and operational matters.
It is with this objective in mind that, since October, Médianes has taken over the coordination of the Sphera network, previously managed by Babel International. By pooling our strengths and expertise, this new phase allows us to consolidate our shared ambitions to support independent media across Europe.
What is Sphera?
Sphera is a European independent media network created in 2021 by Babel International, the association behind Cafébabel, the first participatory European magazine translated into six languages.
For three years, Sphera has been promoting cross-border, human-centered and socially committed journalism:
- Cross-border journalism that brings together journalists from different nationalities to collaborate and publish in seven languages: English, French, Italian, Spanish, Greek, Polish, and Hungarian.
- Socially engaged journalism that pays particular attention to the themes that drive our continent and concern us all: social issues, the climate emergency, the search for identity and stories of exile, the future of our democracies.
- Human-centered journalism that draws from everyday life to amplify new voices and explores a sense of European belonging among young people.
To do this, Sphera encourages editorial collaboration across Europe through reports, podcasts, videos and events produced with its partners. The network brings together ten partners in seven European countries:
- StreetPress* (France) – StreetPress is an online media outlet focused on urban culture and social issues. Since 2009, the outlet has championed investigative journalism with real impact, designed to rebuild trust between citizens and the media.
- 444 (Hungary) – 444 was launched in 2013 by a small group of online media professionals who wanted to create an honest, entertaining, and truly independent news site in a challenging media environment in Hungary.
- El Salto (Spain) – Independent Spanish media outlet launched in 2017 on a cooperative model, El Salto covers topics such as politics, ecofeminism, migration and culture, with a radical perspective.
- Krytyka Polityczna (Poland) – A progressive network of institutions and activists comprising a sociological and cultural studies institute, a publishing house, an online socio-political daily, and sociocultural venues, Krytyka Polityczna operates at the intersection of activism, media, education, and culture to strengthen democracy.
- Popaganda (Greece) – Founded in 2013, Popaganda is Greece's first online multimedia magazine focused on culture, society and the arts, with a mission to discuss major social issues in connection with pop culture.
- VDNews (Italy) – Independent media for young people, VDNews offers real stories and original documentaries on current events and lifestyle, giving voice to citizens and opening debates on an ever-changing world.
- Europod (Belgium) – Founded in 2018, Europod is the only European agency entirely dedicated to podcasting. Through its various audio formats, Europod explores European cultures, politics and societies to encourage the development of a European public sphere and dialogue between the continent's diverse communities.
- Arty Farty (France) – A non-profit association under French law, Arty Farty has built, over 25 years, an ecosystem of events, venues and programs open to the emergence and empowerment of young generations in the fields of culture and music, media and ICC, and intellectual debate. Alongside its activities in producing artistic events, creating and managing cultural venues, and steering European projects, Arty Farty supports emerging media through its incubator Hôtel71, which operates in Lyon and Paris.
- Dinamo (Italy) – Italian web agency specializing in video production and social media marketing, Dinamo combines technical expertise and creativity to drive its projects from concept through distribution.
Sphera network coordination is made possible by support from the European Commission, national public and philanthropic funding, as well as the work of a production studio.
*Médianes, the studio has supported the StreetPress team since 2021, helping develop an editorial and economic model centered on donations. Learn more.
Why this partnership?
After four years of activity, and as the far right gains ground, threatening press freedom and democracy, we naturally asked ourselves what comes next: how can we go further and strengthen our impact?
Over time, we've had the opportunity to support numerous newsrooms in France and beyond. We began working with European and international media outlets such as POLITICO, RFI, Contexte, as well as with around twenty media leaders from the Balkans as part of a program with CFI. This year, we also organized our first event in New York and took part in the International Journalism Festival in Perugia in Italy, thereby highlighting independent and committed media on the international stage.
We have also been collaborating for two years with the Babel International teams, particularly on the development strategy and editorial content of the Sphera network. These exchanges revealed shared values, complementary networks, and similar challenges. But above all, they strengthened a shared ambition: to bring new voices to the fore, sustainably, across Europe.
Our shared mission: cross-border, independent and committed journalism
Through daily work with and for these newsrooms, we observed that the challenges they face extend far beyond national borders. There are shared struggles across Europe: defending press freedom, pluralism, and building a fairer and more sustainable society. This is why it seemed essential to us to unite and expand our actions to better support these causes throughout Europe.
The integration of the Sphera network within Médianes marks a key milestone in this initiative. This merger enriches our understanding of European media, strengthens our expertise in cross-border journalism, and expands our scope of action. By collaborating with new stakeholders, we aim to support independent media more effectively, while addressing the social and environmental challenges affecting Europe.
With the expertise we have developed at Médianes, we are now pursuing the coordination and development of the Sphera network, alongside its founding team.
What does this mean for Médianes?
Medianes now takes charge of strategy and coordination of the Sphera network. By becoming coordinator of the Sphera network, Medianes will now collaborate closely with the 10 partners in the network spread across 7 European countries, while contributing to the emergence of new voices across Europe.
To do this, we strengthened our team by integrating members from the Sphera team. The salaried team, consisting of three people, joined Médianes' team, while the extended team, made up of five freelancers, continues to work on network coordination, now under Médianes' direction.
They are joined by:
- Francesca Festa, co-founder of the Sphera network, now director of development at Médianes
- Gabrielle Goyer-Mével, administrative and financial coordinator
- Hélène Pillon, journalist and editorial coordinator
- Sasha Tyan, video journalist and editorial coordinator
- Quentin Ariès, journalist and editor-in-chief of the Sphera network
- Quentin Teissier, filmmaker and videographer
- Meredith Ruleman, journalist and English translator
- Marco Carlone, journalist and Italian translator
A new internal culture is thus developing at Médianes, integrating skills in managing European projects and cross-border journalism, with a diversity of languages, expertise and perspectives.
Médianes is also expanding its support and editorial offerings on a European scale. Our ambition is to identify and disseminate best practices and examples across Europe through our media. At the same time, we will continue to support and assist media outlets through our studio, while pursuing the editorial development of Sphera, focused on a young European audience.
What next?
Médianes' core mission remains unchanged: we will continue producing editorial content and supporting journalists, media founders and leaders through our media and studio, with a now consolidated team. The integration of new collaborators from Sphera allows us to strengthen our European approach and continue our mission with, we hope, even greater impact.
This new milestone opens up unprecedented opportunities, not only for those we support, but also for us. Integrating the Sphera teams is prompting us to reflect on our own structure, organization, and management. This is an important step, and we are fully aware that we will likely make mistakes along the way. We're counting on you, your suggestions and feedback to help us develop in the best way possible, while staying the course and remaining as close as possible to your needs.
To go further
- To learn more about the change in Sphera network coordinator, read the press release.
- To learn more about the two projects, discover the About Médianes as well as the Sphera network one.
- To share your feedback, ideas, questions or suggestions with us, please don't hesitate to write to us at [email protected].
- Want to learn more? Sign up for our newsletters! We'll do our best to share more behind-the-scenes content and updates in the coming weeks.
