Launch of Media Viability Manifesto: ensuring the survival of journalism
Free Press Unlimited, together with IMS and DW Akademie, initiated a core group of 13 organisations that developed the Media Viability Manifesto: a global initiative set up to ensure the financial survival of journalism. The Manifesto was made with the input from more than 150 individuals from 55 countries, representing 86 media organisations.
Journalism and independent media are going through rough times. The economic model is less and less fitting and functional, due to digital competition, and extraction of advertisement revenue by enemies of press freedom in governments, such as Viktor Orban (Hungary), Daniel Ortega (Nicaragua) or Vladimir Putin (Russia). And also by mall-intentioned oligarchs all over the world or digital tycoons such as Musk or Zuckerberg.
The Media Viability Manifesto is meant to shape the economics needed to safeguard the fundamental right to freedom of expression and access to information around the world, and protect the economic autonomy and independence of media across the globe. The manifesto and the developed theory of change aims to underpin more structured dialogues about the survival of journalism and independent media across sectors and develop pathways to lasting change that will impact the funding landscape for journalism.
Viability is about more than finances
Often media economy is explained as establishing financial resilience, through membership, subscription and advertisement revenue and in some cases public subsidies. But focusing on this part alone is insufficient. Viability is something different from sustainability. Viable means free from pressure and financially independent, which is different from just developing a business strategy. In many countries, media are subject to a more complex set of factors where it is not just about increasing the direct revenue. Free Press Unlimited mostly works in countries where the conditions that are needed for this, are absent. There is often legal pressure, and there is media capture, where most media are controlled by one powerful party that influence or censors the content of news. Therefore the focus on finances is insufficient to ensure the survival of independent media.
Often media economy is explained as establishing financial resilience, through membership, subscription and advertisement revenue and in some cases public subsidies. But focusing on this part alone is insufficient.
This was the starting point for Free Press Unlimited to start working with partners and like-minded organisations on creating the Manifesto. We asked the questions: what are the criteria that are needed for independent media to be able to exist; how can media remain independent and avoid being under the influence of one owner, and how can they become financially independent within their own unique context.
Focus on small media
Free Press Unlimited works in many conflict ridden and repressive contexts. In such contexts, the resilience of small and local media have a niche role but are very important to reach under served audiences, hold authorities accountable, and provide information of public interest. Investigative journalism platforms and freelance networks of cooperating journalists conduct important research on power abuses. We emphasise that it is essential to sustain such smaller media to maintain a pluriform media landscape. Other suggestions we brought forward is the creation of space for new initiatives and innovation, enabling a legal environment that does not obstruct media, foster diversity of media, and pay attention to media staff and their well being.
Leon Willems, Senior Advisor International Partnerships and co-writer of the Manifesto, explains why it is so important to invest this time and energy in the viability of media: “Free Press Unlimited hopes that with this initiative, more funds will be made available for investing in a pluriform, viable media landscape, especially in countries where press freedom is at stake, in order to be of better service to citizens with more autonomous reporting, and more transparency and accountability of governments. Currently only 0.03% of all development funds is spent on journalism and information, this is not enough and should at least be 1%.”