Digital media disruptors 'punching above their weight,' achieving societal impact on shoestring budgets, amid ongoing threats
PR92814
LONDON, November 4, 2021 /PRNewswire=KYODO JBN/--
- Report based on interviews with 200 digital native media in Latin America,
Africa, Southeast Asia provides key lessons for growing sector
- More than 85% have contributed to 'significant political and societal
changes'; more than half have won journalism awards
- More than 60% reported making less than $50,000 in total revenue in 2019;
more than half subjected to online attacks
Digital media entrepreneurs are producing ground-breaking journalism and
achieving significant impact on their societies, in spite of often tiny budgets
and constant online threats and attacks, a new global report revealed today.
The Inflection Point International report, published by SembraMedia, a
non-profit that supports entrepreneurial journalists, in partnership with the
global philanthropic organisation Luminate, is based on interviews with 201
independent digital native media organizations across Latin America, Africa and
Southeast Asia.
Coming a month after the announcement of journalists Maria Ressa and Dmitry
Muratov as 2021 Nobel Peace Prize laureates, the report found that more than 85
percent of the media outlets interviewed had produced journalism that had led
to significant political and societal changes.
"This report shines a light on a new generation of creative and courageous
media entjrepreneurs, who, like Nobel Laureates Maria Ressa and Dmitry Muratov,
are having a real impact on their societies, strengthening the workings of
democracy and holding power to account," said Stephen King, CEO of Luminate.
The top three ways media outlets reported having achieved impact were:
- Contributed to increased civil engagement (76%)
- Inspired audience members to participate in protest demonstrations in person
or through online activism (42%)
- Contributed to a change in laws or the legal system (38%)
Download the full report
The full report is available on the Inflection Point International website, and
can be downloaded in English, Spanish, and Portuguese. The Executive Summary is
available in 12 other languages, including French, Thai, and Filipino
Janine Warner, co-founder of SembraMedia said the 2021 findings built on those
of the first Inflection Point report, which focused only on Latin America and
was released in 2017.
"While there are differences across the three regions, what struck us most as
we reviewed the data were the similarities that emerged among these news
organizations as they strive to cover their communities and build sustainable
business models," she said. "Our goal with this report is to draw lessons from
the innovative media organizations we studied so others can learn how to build
stronger and more sustainable organizations without compromising their
journalistic ethics."
Grant funding offers media lifeline through pandemic crash
While 60 per cent of the digital news outlets interviewed made less than
US$50,000 in revenue, they suffered less from the 'pandemic crash' than
traditional media as they were less reliant on advertising revenue.
Grant funding, notably from international philanthropic organizations and
corporations, was their largest source of income, growing from 16 per cent in
the 2017 study, to 28 per cent in 2019, and 31 per cent in 2020. It was highest
in Latin America. Beyond grants and advertising, media organizations also
earned income from consultancy services, content production and reader revenue.
Stephen King of Luminate said: "This report demonstrates the vital role that
grant funding is playing in supporting digital media organizations through this
pivotal moment of change. This is not about funding without end - it's about
helping a vibrant new generation of media entrepreneurs to evolve their
business models so they can build pathways to sustainability while continuing
to produce important journalism in the public interest."
In spite of their impact, the report found many digital native outlets still
operate under an unthinkable barrage of threats and attacks, especially those
reporting on hot-button issues such as human rights, corruption and abortion.
Across all three regions, 51 per cent of the media organizations in this study
said they were the victim of digital attacks, and 40 per cent said they had
been threatened for their work - often weekly if not daily.
About SembraMedia
SembraMedia's mission is to empower diverse voices in media to publish news and
information with independence, journalistic integrity, and a positive impact on
the communities they serve. We help digital media entrepreneurs build more
sustainable, independent news organizations by offering business and technical
training, market intelligence, networking opportunities, specialized
consulting, and direct financial support. Our work is driven by an
international team of journalists, entrepreneurs, consultants, and academics
with deep knowledge of global political, economic, and media markets. We are
guided and supported by a distinguished Advisory Board whose members contribute
their expertise as journalists, media executives, professors, and consultants.
To learn more, visit Sembramedia.org.
About Luminate
Luminate is a global philanthropic organization focused on empowering people
and institutions to work together to build just and fair societies. We support
innovative and courageous organizations and entrepreneurs around the world, and
we advocate for the policies and actions that will drive change across four
impact areas: Civic Empowerment, Data & Digital Rights, Financial Transparency,
and Independent Media. We work with our partners to ensure that everyone has
the opportunity to participate in and to shape the issues affecting their
societies, and to make those in positions of power more responsive and
accountable. Luminate was established in 2018 by philanthropists Pierre and Pam
Omidyar. The organization was founded by The Omidyar Group.
www.luminategroup.com
SOURCE: Luminate and SembraMedia
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