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Special features
Selected media organizations backed by philanthropy
Malaysiakini The philanthropically-backed Malaysiakini in Malaysia was founded by Premesh Chandran and journalist Steven Gan in November 1999 as a space for uncensored journalism. It has become a significant news source in Malaysia, and claims to …
Supporting independent media in an age of misinformation
Something decisive changed in 2016 in independent media support. It wasn’t a recognition that philanthropy is important to sustaining independent media. That has been recognized for many years as seismic technological and economic shifts have …
The media’s enlightened despots
The death and re-birth of journalism? In Latin America, it’s a bit more complicated. There is in the United States a publication with an ominous masthead and an intriguing motto. The first is ‘Newspaper Death …
Time to rethink philanthropy journalism in East Africa
If we consider that journalism is about freely exchanging information based on news, views or ideas, then the context within which journalism is practised matters. In East Africa this context is challenging. Intimidation and harassment …
The crisis of civic media
For more than a decade ominous clouds have been gathering on the horizon of civil society. A series of recent developments has drawn those clouds into a storm that threatens everything in its path – civil society’s …
Underwriting independent media
Over the last 30 years, digital disruption has caused media business models to struggle and sometimes fail. As a result, CEOs and boards of directors are faced with decisions that might benefit revenue but not …
Rule of the road for non-profit journalism funding
As the traditional advertising model for media continues to shrink, the role of philanthropic funding in journalism has reached a new moment of importance. It is merely the latest sign, that in September 2017, the …
The opportunities and limits of foundation-funded journalism
Journalism, it is said, is in crisis. But that isn’t strictly accurate. Journalism is actually beset by at least two different crises: a funding crisis and a credibility crisis. Philanthropy can help solve both, but …
Safeguarding the Guardian
At a time when challenges to media independence pollute and distort the news landscape and traditional revenue models continue to erode, independent media organizations are thinking innovatively about how best to fund high-quality independent journalism. …
The fight against ‘fake news’?
Helping to re-establish trust in journalism is essential if its audience is to be retained, but can funders establish their bona fides with the public? Around the world, policymakers, scientists and journalists are grappling with …