In the theme Media resilience and viability we work towards viable, independent, and resilient media organisations who effectively serve the public interest, maintain journalistic independence, and adapt to changing environments. Here we identify a number of major challenges.
Big tech
Competition from tech giants and social media platforms are a major challenge to media's viability, leading to declining public discourse and trust in journalism, increasing news avoidance and hindering growth opportunities. Additionally, the wide spread of misinformation and disinformation, coupled with the arrival of artificial intelligence, further complicates the media landscape. Limited knowledge of and access to innovative tools and practices on top of ineffective business models, make it more difficult for media organisations' to adapt to changing environments.
Media capture
Another threat to media viability is media capture: when powerful public or private groups take premeditated actions to control media institutions. Media capture happens when governments pressure the media by tightening regulations, give more public money to those loyal to them, or when oligarchic companies can purchase and control private media outlets. When large amounts of media organisations are owned by one single company, they are called conglomerates. Big advertisers prefer to go to these conglomerates, because it will give them a higher outreach, leaving smaller independent media disadvantaged. Especially around elections, this is a means for repressive authorities to take control.
Lastly, a lack of supportive legal, political, and digital frameworks for independent journalism, significantly impacts the sustainability and effectiveness of independent media.
Media in exile
Financial sustainability is a persistent challenge for independent media in exile. Donor funding is the primary source of income for the majority of exiled media. However, funders often prefer to invest in specific outcomes rather than provide general, core operational support. This poses a significant risk to the survival of media in exile, many of which have seen their operational costs grow significantly as a result of their (forced) relocation. Generating sufficient market-based revenue to support their operations is extremely difficult. Income generated from advertisements is seriously lacking, as the home countries of media in exile are generally extremely closed, repressive or in active conflict. On top of that, media in exile face significant challenges in consistently creating credible, independent content and remaining relevant while in exile.
Our response
To safeguard journalism's independence, resilience, and viability, Free Press Unlimited adopts a multifaceted approach, supporting independent media through capacity sharing, financial assistance, experimentation, coalition building, research and advocacy. Drawing from decades of experience, we are able to tailor our strategic interventions to the unique contexts of, and in close collaboration with, independent media partners.
The objective is to foster a supportive environment where independent media organisations are resilient, financially viable, and able to adapt to changing political, economic, and technological landscapes.
We work on three different areas within this theme:
- Audience engagement: we focus on audience engagement to build trust and bridge societal divides. In our collaboration with media partners we work towards a greater understanding of and connection with audiences through audience research and production of content that better aligns with diverse public needs and interest. This will result in more engaged and active audience communities, which are crucial for building greater public support, trust and credibility for the viability and resilience of independent media.
- Collaboration for innovation and resilience: we facilitate partnerships among media organisations, civil society, academia, and tech developers to promote knowledge exchange and resource sharing. This will lead to better utilisation of both current as well as newly emerging technologies for content creation and distribution, diversification of revenue streams, and improving medias’ financial stability and independence.
- Advocacy: we strengthen advocacy efforts by equipping partners to influence policy and decision-makers, aiming for a supportive environment for independent journalism. Advocacy towards tech companies is crucial for protecting citizens and quality journalism against the spread of misinformation, defamation and hate speech. Advocacy efforts will strengthen the capacity of media organisations to engage with stakeholders, which will lead to strengthened legal frameworks for media viability, and increased support from tech companies.
