Workshop: New tools, new challenges, new revenues : a workshop on donations

With: Baptiste Thevelein (Médianes) Donations are a pillar of many independent media outlets, but also of well-established ones such as The Guardian who counts 1.4 million recurring digital supporters, but it’s only one example among dozens of others. Giving can be a key driver of a news outlet's economic development, but it remains fragile, mainly because it requires nurturing the relationships built with your community. Moreover, AI and changing habits are reshaping how audiences find and consume news, and Big Tech platforms are taking up more and more of their attention. To stay independent, media outlets need to own their tools and build direct relationships with their communities. Since 2020, Médianes has advised and supported media outlets in France and Europe with one goal: independence, whether editorial, economic or technological. We have helped launch several outlets and helped others raise the funds they need to get started or keep going. As part of this work, Médianes developed Socle Dons, a tool for collecting and managing one-off and recurring donations for media outlets.