JX Fund – European Fund for Journalism in Exile

The sports outlet «Tribuna» is actively expanding its network of apps and services – cutting-edge not just for Belarus, but for the entire region. Belarusian Association of Journalists spoke with Tribuna’s director, Maksim Berazinski, about how modern technologies are being integrated into their journalistic and editorial work.

Forced into exile, independent media outlet Frontier Myanmar has adapted to survive. By focusing on niche audiences and diversifying revenue streams with a membership model, data agency, and co-working space, the media outlet thrives despite challenges.

Finding revenue, repelling attacks and protecting sources: Media leaders from Nicaragua, Afghanistan, Belarus and El Salvador open up about leading organisations that report on their countries from afar.

As Vladimir Putin’s regime tightens its grip on free speech, the Russian Independent Media Archive (RIMA) is stepping up to preserve endangered journalism. With backing from PEN America and Bard College, RIMA safeguards independent media, ensuring critical journalism outlasts authoritarian attempts to erase it.

In Cuba’s economic crisis, the exiled independent news outlet El Toque has transformed into a vital resource for currency exchange information. With an AI-powered dashboard, it provides real-time rates that challenge government narratives, gaining popularity and user trust amid increasing censorship and political pressure.

The Business of Independent Myanmar Media Post-Coup: Experimenting with business models inside the country and in exile examines the ways in which independent media businesses have responded to, and been changed by, the 1 February 2021 military coup, and the business opportunities they have seized in its wake.

A new generation of Russian writers in exile is reviving Soviet-era tactics to outsmart Putin’s censorship. Through digital publishing, they’re documenting the war in Ukraine and government repression, reaching thousands back home with uncensored stories Russian authorities try to suppress.

Exiled journalists in Latin America face growing challenges, from economic instability to threats against their safety. Cuban journalist José Nieves is tackling this crisis with innovative strategies for media sustainability. His podcast “Hablando en Plata” offers insights into financial survival and resilience for independent media in hostile environments.

In Cuba, Nicaragua, and Venezuela, exiled reporters are not just surviving, they’re innovating. Despite crackdowns, they’re finding new ways to keep independent journalism alive, earning the 2024 IAPA Press Freedom Prize for their bold defiance of censorship.

As Russian independent media continues to face severe censorship following the invasion of Ukraine, the Russian Independent Media Archive (RIMA) is stepping in to preserve critical journalism for future generations. Co-founded by renowned journalist Masha Gessen and historian Ilia Venyavkin, RIMA aims to protect the work of over 55 independent media outlets from disappearing under the weight of state repression.

With beabee for media in exile, funded by MIZ Babelsberg, a team from German independent newsroom CORRECTIV and Russian podcast platform Radio Sakharov set out to develop a membership and community platform designed especially for the needs of media in exile. Using the existing open source platform beabee, the team implemented additional features to enhance security for users in countries like Russia and facilitate (anonymous) engagement.

Russia’s censorship following its 2022 invasion of Ukraine not only led to the blocking of numerous independent Russian media outlets but also social media platforms popular with their audiences. For the Fix Veronica Snoj wrote down how exiled publishers serve audiences on new platforms and educate them on tools to bypass censorship.

As an exiled media outlet addressing Russian audiences, Meduza quickly fell under the Kremlin’s radar. It became one of the first media outlets the Russian authorities added to its “foreign agent” list in April 2021. For The Fix Veronica Snoj took a look at the tools the Latvia-based media outlet uses to reach its audiences in Russia.

Podcast radios are becoming a new media niche in the Russian media landscape challenged by war-reinforced oppression. The Fix talked with Maksim Kurnikov, the head of Ekho Online, which was the first in the Russian media landscape to launch such a service, and Polina Filippova, the producer of podcasts of Radio Sakharov, which has been operating for a year.

Meduza’s leader, Galina Timchenko, hit by spyware two weeks after the Russian government deems Meduza ‘undesirable’. Read about the first Pegasus infection of a Russian journalist in this article.

In the midst of full-scale war, censorship and widespread repression have unleashed propaganda. This analysis explores the implications of these changes for the future of the Russian media sector.

Staying afloat amidst press freedom erosion and democratic decline: Journalists Ritu Kapur and Peter Erdelyi share five tips on how their outlets have navigated challenging times.