mediadev library

Mapping the World's Digital Media Ecosystem: The Quest for Sustainability

James Breiner

In: What is Sustainable Journalism? Integrating the Environmental, Social, and Economic Challenges of Journalism

Peter Berglez, Ulrika Olausson, Mart Ots (eds.)

New York et al.: Peter Lang (2018), pp. 257-276

"Over the past years, a range of different databases have been constructed, and research efforts have been made to find the key to making digital news ventures successful. Many of them have searched for best practices, or a secret recipe for a business model that would make the news business economi ... more

Same Beds, Different Dreams? Charitable Foundations and Newsroom Independence in the Global South

Anya Schiffrin

Washington, DC: Center for International Media Assistance (CIMA) (2017), 32 pp.

"The growing trend of non-profit journalism has received much attention of late, but this report takes a unique look at how non-profit funding is affecting journalism in the Global South. Amidst the collapse of traditional business models for news organizations, funding from philanthropic foundation ... more

Inflection Point: Impact, Threats, and Sustainability. A Study of Latin American Digital Media Entrepreneurs
Inspiring Practice

Janine Warner, Mijal Lastrebner, Dulce Ramos, Jordy Meléndez, Ernesto Aroche, Mauricio Jaramillo, Sérgio Lüdtke, María Eugenia Álvarez et al.

SembraMedia; Omidyar Network (2017), 68 pp.

"The main finding of this study is that digital media entrepreneurs are deeply transforming the way that journalism is conducted and consumed in Latin America. They are not just producing news — they are generators of change, promoting better laws, defending human rights, exposing corruption, and ... fighting abuses of power. They are driven to produce independent news in countries that are highly politically polarized — and some of them are paying a high price for it [...] Nearly half the journalists interviewed for this study reported threats and physical attacks in response to their coverage. More than 20% of the founders and directors we interviewed admitted that they avoided covering certain topics, people, and institutions because of threats and intimidation. Others face punitive lawsuits, cyber-attacks, never-ending audits, and the loss of advertising revenues in retaliation for their coverage. Digital natives in Latin America have an even more important role to play than their counterparts in the over-saturated media markets of the developed world. News ownership is highly concentrated in these countries, and government advertising is frequently used to reward compliant media outlets. Even in the face of these legal, financial, and physical threats, entrepreneurial journalists are building sustainable businesses around quality journalism. The advent of social media and easy-to-use web design tools has made it possible to launch a digital media venture almost entirely on sweat equity. More than 70% of the ventures in this study started with less than $10,000, and more than 10% of those now bring in at least a half million dollars a year in revenues. After analyzing data on traffic, finances, revenue sources, staffing, and years in business, we identified four distinct tiers of business development. Diversified revenue was key to success, especially in the mid tiers, and we found more than 15 distinct revenue sources, including events, training, membership, crowdfunding, and native advertising. More than 65% reported they were earning revenue in at least three ways. In the top tier, where audiences reach more than 20 million visits per month, advertising is the top revenue source, but not the only one. In the mid ranges, there is no dominant business model and diversified revenue sources that combine advertising with audience-driven sources, such as events and crowdfunding, are crucial for sustainability. When we analyzed the lower tiers, we found lots of opportunities for improvement. Despite their dedication to quality journalism, more than 30% brought in less than $10,000 in total revenues in 2016. Broadly speaking, we found two paths to growing these businesses: building audience to drive traffic and advertising, or leveraging the loyalty of the audience to inspire micro-donations and the 15 other ways they are making money." (Executive summary, pages 6-8) more

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Media Feast, News Famine: Ten Global Advertising Trends That Threaten Independent Journalism

Michelle Foster

Washington, DC: Center for International Media Assistance (CIMA) (2017), 25 pp.

"This report looks at ten factors that have altered the media marketplace and that pose challenges to national and local news producers and their sources of revenue. They include ways in which governments interfere in media markets; changes in the structure of news distribution and audience behavior ... more

Punto de inflexión: Impacto, amenazas y sustentabilidad. Estudio de emprendedores de medios digitales latinoamericanos
Top Insights

SembraMedia; Omidyar Network (2017), 68 pp.

"Este estudio es el primer estudio exhaustivo sobre el impacto que tienen emprendedores de medios digitales, los riesgos a los que se enfrentan, y si ha surgido un modelo de negocio viable para el periodismo digital independiente y de calidad. Para llevar a cabo esta investigación, SembraMedia, con ... more

Developing Sustainable News Media in Africa: A Professionalisation Model to Curtail “the Brown Envelope” and Other Corrupting Influences

Peter J. Gade, Emmanuel-Lugard Nduka, Shugofa Dastgeer

Journal of Media Business Studies, volume 14, issue 1 (2017), pp. 5-24

"The development of free, independent, and sustainable news media in Africa is bedevilled by the “brown envelope syndrome,” the widespread practice of accepting money for news coverage. This paper reveals the pernicious effects the brown envelope syndrome has on African journalism and its abilit ... more

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Local Radio in Afghanistan: A Sustainability Assessment

Nathalie Paarlberg, Kamran Parwana, Eric Davin et al.

Altai Consulting; Internews (2017), 136 pp.

"This study assesses the role and impact of this local radio station network as well as its sustainability prospects, focusing on four pillars of sustainability in particular: Financial sustainability: at a minimum, radio stations need to be able to support their activities, and ideally enjoy some s ... more

Pathways to Media Reform in Sub-Saharan Africa: Reflections from a Regional Consultation
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Herman Wasserman, Nicholas Benequista

Washington, DC: Center for International Media Assistance (CIMA) (2017), 25 pp.

"To ensure that African media organizations remain viable players in this changing political and economic landscape, new coalitions need to be built and existing ones strengthened. The existing coalitions in the region display certain weaknesses: they tend to be unevenly spread across the region and ... more

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La presse en ligne en Afrique francophone: Dynamiques et défis d'une filière en construction

Sokhna Fatou Seck-Sarr

Paris: L'Harmattan (2017), 235 pp.

"L’auteure considère que des stratégies d’acteurs sont observables au coeur de la filière en construction de l’information en ligne et qu’il existe une redéfinition des rôles autour de la production, de la diffusion et de la consommation de l’information en ligne. L’ouvrage envisage ... more

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5th Conference on Media Development in Myanmar: Inclusive Independent Media in a New Democracy, 7–8 November 2016

Susan Cunningham

Yangoon: UNESCO (2017), 32 pp.

"Under the heading “Inclusive, independent media in a new democracy”, the 5th annual Myanmar Media Development Conference took place 7 – 8 November 2016 in Yangon, the first to be held under the new democratically elected government. The conference featured government representatives, media ow ... more

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Can Foundations Solve the Journalism Crisis?

Rodney Benson

Journalism, volume 19, issue 8 (2017), pp. 1059-1077

"In the context of the ongoing financial crisis in U.S. professional journalism, philanthropic foundation-supported nonprofits are increasingly proposed as a solution to the under-provision of civic-oriented news production. Drawing on an analysis of the social composition of boards of directors and ... more

Building Successful and Sustainable Film and Television Businesses: A Cross-National Perspective

Eva Bakoy, Roel Puijk, Andrew Spicer

Bristol: intellect (2017), 300 pp.

"This edited collection focuses on successful small and medium-sized film and television companies in Norway, Denmark, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. Using original interviews with company founders and other employees, contributors explore case studies of businesses that have made successfu ... more

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The Need and the Opportunities for Sustainability: The Case of Local Radio Stations in Tanzania

Christoph Spurk, Filip Dingerkus

Journal of Media Business Studies, volume 14, issue 1 (2017), pp. 38-59

"Local radio stations have mushroomed in Africa, including Tanzania, partly due to increased support from international donors. However, research results show that the lack of economic viability is a major constraint for local radio stations. They can hardly generate sufficient revenues from adverti ... more

"My Boss is 18,000 People": Journalism Practices in Crowdfunded Media Organizations

Adilya Zaripova

MedieKultur: Journal of Media and Communication Research, volume 33, issue 62 (2017), pp. 110-118

"This article analyses three crowdfunded media organizations in three different countries – Krautreporter (Germany), Direkt36 (Hungary), and Colta (Russia). Using qualitative in-depth interviews, it demonstrates that journalism practices in a crowdfunded newsroom are very different from those in o ... more

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Unter Druck: Zur Lage der Presse in Tschechien

Zuzana Lizcová

Osteuropa, volume 66, issue 11-12 (2016), pp. 103-118

"In Tschechien ist die Qualitätspresse in einer schwierigen Lage. Der Markt ist klein, die Kosten sind hoch und die Erträge bescheiden. Zeitungen und Nachrichtenmagazine werden ihrem Anspruch, seriöse Berichterstattung zu bieten, oft nicht gerecht. Die Verantwortung für die Boulevardisierung war ... more

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Media in Latin America: A Path Forward

Don Podesta

Washington, DC: Center for International Media Assistance (CIMA) (2016), 8 pp.

"The Center for International Media Assistance and Deutsche Welle Akademie have launched a series of regional consultations with media stakeholders–civil society and media watchdog NGOs, broadcast regulators, academics, media industry representatives, government officials, and others in the media ... more

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Fragile Finance: The Revenue Models of Oppositional News Outlets in Repressive Regimes
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Clare E. Cook

International Communication Gazette, volume 78, issue 6 (2016), pp. 514-535

"For journalists promoting the free flow of information in repressive or restrictive media environments, the issue of financial sustainability is complex. Both media in exile (out-of-country news outlets feeding independent information into the country of origin) and news outlets in restrictive news ... more

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El modelo de negocio de los medios

Daniel Chappell Voysest

In: Palabra libre: el derecho a la información, medios de comunicación y autorregulación

Luis Iberico Núñez (comp.)

Lima: Fondo Editorial del Congreso del Perú (2016), pp. 123-134

Measuring the Business Side: Indicators to Assess Media Viability

Laura Schneider, Ann Hollifield, Jan Lublinski

Bonn: Deutsche Welle DW Akademie (2016), 10 pp.

"In times of digital transformation media all over the world have to come up with new ways to ensure their survival. Meanwhile, media development actors are searching for new concepts and orientation in their support of media organizations and media markets. This paper presents DW Akademie’s sugge ... more