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Cracking the media management puzzle through insights, solutions and data. ▪️Website — http://thefix.media ▪️Newsletter— http://bit.ly/2Tsr0M9 Reach out: @thefixmediabot
As Hungary makes news across Europe, more major publishers are also broadcasting in English. The Fix’s Alessandro Pilo spoke with Telex, Direkt36, Átlátszó, and Lakmusz.
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📰 Last week, we shared what we learned from Reuters Institute’s 2026 trends report and looked at how Russia’s new takes on censorship challenge the work of journalists.
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💰 Don't have a huge budget for fundraising experiments? You don't need one.
In our latest FixEd podcast episode, Wikimedia's Fundraising Director Sheetal Puri shares a key tip: learn from the A/B tests of larger organisations. Get inspired by what works for them and adapt it to your own authentic voice.
This episode is packed with practical, low-cost advice for building a reader revenue stream.
🎧 Listen to the full conversation with Sheetal Puri and Jakub Parusinski on:
▶️ Youtube
🎵 Spotify
OR your platform of choice.
📰 Last week, we profiled a French investigative media outlet that relies solely on donations and learned how two German outlets are engaging the older offline generation.
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After being pushed out of public radio, Polish veteran journalist Dariusz Rosiak faced an uncertain future. He turned to crowdfunding as a last resort, and the listener-funded model not only saved his programme, Raport o stanie świata, but transformed it.
◼ The response from listeners was immediate and overwhelming. Within hours of the campaign's launch on Patronite, a Polish alternative to Patreon, it had raised hundreds of euros. In about a week, the campaign hit its monthly target needed to produce the podcast weekly.
◼ Today, "Raport o stanie świata" operates on a stable monthly budget of around 120,000 zlotys (about 28,000 euros), sourced entirely from donations with around 7,000 patrons on Patronite. Operational costs of the project are funded by its audience.
◼ "I'm probably one of these few people in the world who say I have enough money. I don't need more money," Rosiak tells The Fix. This financial stability is built on a core principle that the team maintains total editorial control.
◼ "Our business model is credibility," Rosiak says, adding that they have rejected potential donors whose image was not aligned with the podcast's values.
◼ While patron funding has reached a ceiling after its initial rapid growth, Rosiak is not concerned with constant expansion: "Our aim is not to grow all the time. We are not a corporation. We have to be the best, but not the biggest".
◼ This philosophy allows the team to focus on quality, comparing the project to a “family pizza place rather than a corporation preparing noodles.” The podcast consistently ranks 4th of all podcasts in Poland, while being the only news podcast in the top 10.
◼ The podcast's continued success challenges the long-held myth that audiences aren't interested in international issues. Rosiak notes that the more “exotic” or seemingly distant a topic is, the more listeners it often attracts.
❓ This journey of Raport o stanie świata showcases a powerful model for sustainable, audience-first journalism. What other examples of successful listener-funded media do you admire?
📍 Read the full story on our website.
🗞️ The print decline hits hardest among readers aged 50+. Many still prefer paper and resist digital news.
But two German outlets, taz.de and RUMS, found smart ways to change that.
Here’s how they helped older audiences transition online (and stay!)
📰 Happy New Year! Last week, we looked back at 12 of our best stories from 2025, and now we're looking ahead to another year of media transformation.
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The media no longer holds a monopoly on traffic and advertising reach due to the growth of social media and increased global internet penetration, Marcela Kunova of JournalismUK said on the year-end episode of the FixEd podcast, pointing to the new realities for media organisations.
Hear more of her and Jakub Parusinski's thoughts on the past year (and hopes for 2026) here.
After his contract was not renewed by Polskie Radio Trójka in January 2020, veteran journalist Dariusz Rosiak faced an uncertain future. With hesitation, he turned to crowdfunding as a last resort. The listener-funded model not only saved his programme, Raport o stanie świata, but transformed it into one of Poland's most successful independent podcasts, built on a quality-over-quantity model.
◼ The response from listeners was immediate and overwhelming. The main reason for such a response was the strong personal brand of Rosiak and his 14-year-old podcast. Within hours of the crowdfunding campaign's launch, it had raised hundreds of euros, and in about a week, it hit the 25,000 zlotys (about 5,800 euros at the time) monthly target needed to produce the podcast weekly.
◼ Today, Raport o stanie świata operates on a stable monthly budget of around 120,000 zlotys (about 28,000 euros), which comes only from donations. Rosiak believes this is sufficient. “I'm probably one of these few people in the world who say I have enough money. I don't need more money,” he tells The Fix.
◼ This financial stability is built on a core principle that the team maintains total editorial control. “Our business model is credibility,” Rosiak says, and adds that they have rejected some potential donors whose image was not aligned with the podcast's values.
◼ While patron funding has reached a ceiling after its initial rapid growth, Rosiak is not concerned with constant expansion: “Our aim is not to grow all the time. We are not a corporation. We have to be the best, but not the biggest”. This philosophy allows the team to focus on quality over quantity, comparing the project to a “family pizza place rather than a corporation preparing noodles”.
◼ This approach has proven successful, with the podcast consistently ranking 4th of all podcasts in Poland, while being the only news podcast in the top 10.
◼ The podcast's continued success challenges a long-held myth within some Polish journalism circles that the audience is not interested in international issues. Rosiak finds that the more “exotic” or seemingly distant a topic is, the more listeners it often attracts.
◼ The story of Raport o stanie świata offers a lesson in audience-first journalism that prioritises being the best over being the biggest in a testament to the power of a loyal community and a business model built on credibility.
❓What are your thoughts on crowdfunded journalism as a sustainable model for the future of media?
📍 For a deeper dive into this fascinating case study, read the full article on our website.
Courrier International marks 35 years since its founding, with a circulation of approximately 175,000. This French news weekly translates articles from foreign newspapers to offer an international perspective on current events and major issues. Amid digital challenges like AI translation, the publication rejects staff replacement by artificial intelligence, focusing instead on engaging youth and combating fake news.
For this piece available to our paid members, The Fix interviewed board chairman François-Xavier Deveau.
CORRECTIV is testing a bold new model in Gelsenkirchen: journalists working directly inside a public café, publishing a weekly newsletter, and hosting events that pull the community back into local democracy. Amélie Reichmuth spoke with editor-in-chief Tobias Hauswurz about early learnings and what this hybrid newsroom model means for the future of local news in Germany.
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In the latest episode of the FixEd podcast, we discuss resilience in newsrooms under attack, with a focus on the situation in Serbia.
Media expert Maja Vasic-Nikolic joined host Orsolya Seregely to discuss how propaganda influences viewers and, more importantly, how to boost morale amid political pressure.
Listen to the full conversation and read highlights from the interview.
📰 Last week, we learned about a North Macedonian investigative media outlet that relies on citizens, how Austria’s inclusive newsroom functions, and how publishers can defend themselves against AI bots stealing journalistic content.
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The Dutch investigative outlet Follow the Money has achieved what many modern media organisations strive for: a sustainable, member-funded business model. Since its shift in strategy a few years ago, the platform has grown into a formidable newsroom known for holding power to account. With a strong foothold in the Netherlands, it is now embarking on its most ambitious project yet – replicating its success across Europe.
The Fix discussed building a self-sustainable investigative media outlet with Follow the Money’s editor-in-chief Harry Lensink.
◼ A few years ago, Follow the Money was primarily a platform for freelance journalists. However, the leadership decided to bring journalists in-house, offering them full-time contracts. This strategic shift fueled significant growth, and the team expanded from around 9 employees four years ago to nearly 50 today.
◼ The outlet’s financial strength comes directly from its readers. An impressive 80-90% of its budget is financed by its community of almost 50,000 paying members. This loyalty is fostered by a paywall strategy that allows free access to any article for the first 24 hours after registering an account, encouraging subscriptions.
◼ The success of this model is built on the audience’s belief in the outlet's mission. "Many members are not frequent readers, but they think a platform like Follow the Money has to exist to get the balance straight, like the fourth power in society," notes editor-in-chief Harry Lensink. A key factor in its broad appeal is its non-partisan stance.
◼ Follow the Money generates its stories by looking for investigative angles on current events, leveraging Freedom of Information Act requests, and acting on tips from whistleblowers. The impact of its work is often felt at the highest levels of government, with investigations frequently cited in the Dutch parliament.
◼ The primary strategic goal for Follow the Money now is its international expansion. The team believes a sustainable revenue model would work if they could reach just 0.01% of the 450 million Europeans. The main challenge is identifying the topics and investigations that will resonate with a diverse, pan-European audience.
◼ Navigating varied legal landscapes across the continent is another hurdle, as media liability laws differ significantly. To manage these challenges, the outlet is focused on building a network and collaborating with other investigative platforms.
❓ What do you think are the biggest challenges for member-funded journalism in today's media landscape?
📍 Read the full article to learn more about Follow the Money's journey and its plans for the future.
In 2020, ten journalists launched a small pilot: Building a newsroom where journalists with and without disabilities create stories together. Four years later, andererseits has become one of Austria’s most innovative media start-ups. The Fix's Amélie Reichmuth spoke to editor-in-chief Lisa Kreutzer about their vision for reshaping journalism.
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Venezuelan journalists exiled in Spain hope that the American operation in Venezuela will restore freedom of the press, Romain Chauvet writes in his latest article for The Fix. In the meantime, they are using innovative initiatives to overcome censorship.
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For decades, Belarus was considered a “blank spot” on the international map of investigative journalism, with its government consistently ranking as the least open in Europe. Despite this, investigative journalism is now in its best state ever, with the Belarusian Investigative Center (BIC) at the forefront.
◼ Since its formation, the outlet has systematically exposed high-level corruption and disinformation, leading to dozens of international sanctions and earning global recognition. The Fix spoke with BIC founder Stanislau Ivashkevich about investigating the Belarusian regime.
◼ To achieve this, BIC adopted a unique, process-driven approach. Founder Stanislau Ivashkevich calls it the 'Henry Ford-isation' of investigations. “We built pipelines where outstanding journalists could multiply their skills and capabilities by focusing on the specific processes they excel at," he says.
◼ The results are tangible. Since 2020, their investigations have led to approximately 90 sanction actions against more than 40 individuals and legal entities by the European Union and the United States. By the outlet's count, the total value of schemes uncovered in collaboration with partners reaches nearly $2 billion this year alone.
◼ This high-stakes work carries significant risks. "After every investigation, we could face a lawsuit. We receive legal threats or pre-litigation warnings for roughly every third or fourth investigation,” Ivashkevich notes. To protect itself, BIC is insured against strategic lawsuits (SLAPPs) through OCCRP’s Reporters Shield initiative.
◼ Beyond financial corruption, BIC also tackles other critical issues. "War crimes don't have a monetary value, so we investigate all those we consider significant," says Ivashkevich. Furthermore, BIC runs a popular anti-disinformation project called "Weekly Top Fake," which has a dedicated TikTok account with 90,000 subscribers.
◼ Ivashkevich asserts that "Belarusian investigative journalism is now in its strongest state ever.” This boom is fueled by factors like the hacktivist group Cyber Partisans opening up previously inaccessible government databases, creating fertile ground for journalists.
◼ Operating almost entirely on grants from international donors, BIC's story is a powerful example of how journalism can make a real impact on authoritarian regimes. As Ivashkevich concludes, "Today, the highest-profile investigations are done by consortiums and 'corporations' whose goal is not profit, but maximum impact on real life."
❓ How can international collaboration and innovative structures empower investigative journalism in challenging environments?
📍 Read the full article on our website to learn more about the Belarusian Investigative Center.
The war against Ukraine has brought censorship in Russia to a new level. By now, restrictions in accessing information have taken a new turn, posing even more challenges to media makers, Veronica Snoj writes in her latest article for The Fix.
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New from The Fix – Anton Protsiuk writes about three key observations from Reuters Institute’s fresh trends report in his latest article for The Fix. Will everyone become a creator by 2027? How do AI platforms change what kind of journalism we produce? What platforms will publishers (de)prioritise this year?
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🤝 More newsrooms are teaming up with independent creators with their own audiences — not just asking readers to visit their sites.
🗣 The Fix’s Anton Protsiuk spoke with James West, Executive Editor of Mother Jones, about how the nonprofit newsroom is experimenting with “creator-journalists” to report on the real-life impact of politics and policy.
✍️ They discuss the potential of these partnerships, what they mean for the future of serious journalism, and where sustainability fits in.
🎧 Listen to the full conversation on:
▶️ YouTube
🎵 Spotify
🍏 Apple Podcasts
OR wherever you get your podcasts.
With nearly 400,000 euros in donations collected in 2025, the French media outlet Basta! is targeting a loyal audience to counter the decline in social media traffic. The Fix's Romain Chauvet spoke with its development manager, Nicolas Camier.
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As we’re emerging from the holiday season, let’s take a moment to revisit some of The Fix’s most popular and best work from 2025.
Read a few (or listen to AI-powered audio versions) – and follow us for more this year.
📰 Last week, we explored CORRECTIV’s café-newsroom experiment that reimagines local journalism, heard about the success of the French news weekly Courrier International, and had Marcela Kunova and Jakub Parusinski look back at 2025.
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In a special episode of the FixEd podcast, we’re looking back at 2025 and ahead to 2026.
The Fix’s co-founder and director, Jakub Parusinski, and JournalismUK’s managing director, Marcela Kunova, joined host Orsolya Seregély to trade their takes on the good and the bad in media this past year – and their aspirations for 2026.
Read a few highlights from the interview – and get much more by listening to the full conversation.
📰 Last week, we explored whether Reddit can be used as a new publishers' tool for visibility and audience growth, and learnt one way to explain Poland to foreigners.
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To stay relevant, news media companies should work with news creators – or at least learn from them to borrow the most successful tactics while maintaining journalistic integrity. We spoke with media industry journalist Simon Owens about the key lessons publishers can learn from the creator ecosystem.
◼ One of the key lessons has to do with proper monetisation. According to Owens, "The best creators don’t leave money on the table – they're actually trying to monetise every channel they operate in." Many traditional media companies have huge audiences on platforms like YouTube and TikTok but aren't directly monetising that content beyond basic revenue share.
◼ Creators are also more open to thinking outside the box in terms of business models, selling physical products, services, and their own tools. Owens notes, "You really don’t see many media companies thinking outside the box about what they can offer beyond selling advertising and subscriptions."
◼ Another key takeaway is leaning into personal brands. "A lot of media companies are still really uncomfortable with embracing the personal brand and individuality of their journalists and content creators," Owens says. This means they fail to capitalise on the powerful parasocial relationship between creators and their audiences.
◼ Creators are also more willing to create native content for platforms, whereas media companies are still largely focused on sending people back to their own websites. They are also better at cross-pollination, pushing audiences from one platform to another to diversify and build a more resilient following.
◼ Some publishers are learning. Bloomberg, for instance, handed Matt Levine his own newsletter, and he's created his own fan base around it. Puck has created verticals around a few star creators, giving them equity in the company and a percentage of the subscriptions they bring in.
◼ For publishers looking to partner with creators, Owens advises identifying what you can offer that they don't already have, such as a larger audience, production help, or benefits like a steady salary and health insurance.
◼ The partnership model can vary. Publishers can pay creators to produce content for their owned channels, or they can help creators monetise their existing channels and take a revenue share.
❔ How can traditional newsrooms best integrate the "creator mindset" without compromising their journalistic standards?
📍 Read the full interview with Simon Owens to explore this topic in more detail.
Poland's global profile has risen: it is now among the world's top 20 economies, yet its politics remain a chaotic maze. For locals and internationals alike, understanding the news requires balanced insights amid partisan noise from local outlets. The Fix examines how Notes from Poland helps bridge this gap with editor-in-chief Daniel Tilles.
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Some European media outlets, incluidng Revue21 and l'Informé, are experimenting with Reddit to reach a new audience and increase visibility. However, using this platform is not as simple as it seems, Romain Chauvet writes in his latest article for The Fix, which is available to our paid members.
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As AI bots scrape journalism at scale, publishers face a difficult choice: either join the AI ecosystem or block them, Priyal Shah writes in her latest article for The Fix.
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📰 Last week, we learned lessons from newsrooms turning reporting into performance, how Russia’s new “national” app MAX can impact independent media, and gained useful insights into leveraging SMM for media.
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