Independent journalism, the challenge facing European media

How can independent journalism be sustained when traditional models no longer work? In Europe, there is no single answer: public funds, philanthropy, European grants, membership. These are often combined, but none alone is sufficient to guarantee stability. As mainstream media lose ground and tech giants drain advertising revenue, some are trying to build lasting support infrastructures. The results vary from country to country, but they share one insight: quality journalism cannot sustain itself on market rules alone.

Precariousness is widespread, yet some models emerge as more effective than others. Where there is a deep-rooted culture of giving or a structural public commitment, the outlook is more positive. Elsewhere, the race for cyclical grants dominates, with the constant risk of having to pursue the priorities of funders rather than those of reality.

Germany, donation, cooperation and physical spaces

The taz Panter Stiftung, linked to the cooperative newspaper Taz, is a concrete example of sustainable development. Since 2008, it has raised €9.2 million: approximately 80% from 7,800 private donors, often with modest contributions (between €20 and €100, with the largest being around €1,000 per year). The rest comes from grants from private foundations and the German government.

“It is unique that 80% still comes from small donors,” explains Gemma Terés Arilla, head of the foundation. Its success is based on a direct connection: “It works when they understand that their money has a personal impact.” Sixty per cent of donors are also members of the Taz cooperative (over 25,000 members, one vote each regardless of shareholding), creating a virtuous circle.

The foundation funds young critical journalists, projects to diversify German newsrooms (not only in terms of ethnicity or gender, but also economic background, migration, mental health) and international initiatives. Since 2011, Eastern Europe has been a key focus: weekly extracts from Meduza (Russian media in exile), podcasts on Belarus and Russia, immediate post-invasion aid to Ukrainian media in exile and the Exile Media Hub in Riga. Podcasts such as ‘East meets the West’ bring voices from eastern Germany beyond the stereotypes of the AfD and unemployment. In 2026, the focus will be on young people in local journalism to combat growing information deserts.

In Berlin, Publix represents a complementary approach: a physical space as a catalyst. The Schöpflin Foundation invested €25 million in a building inaugurated in 2024 in Neukölln, which houses freelancers, independent editorial offices (Correctiv, RSF) and NGOs. Since opening, it has welcomed almost 700 people, with around 450 active users. Revenue comes from rentals, a café, events, studios, fellowships (technology, education, media entrepreneurs) and public debates.

“A highly self-financing model,” says Maria Exner, director. But she is looking for ongoing partners. In five years’ time: “Part of a global network of journalism houses”. Berlin was chosen for its role as a crossroads: thousands of journalists, investigative newsrooms and civil institutions concentrated in a single hub.

The Netherlands: journalism as a democratic investment

In the Netherlands, public support is structural and seen as a pillar of democracy, not political interference. The BJP Fund directly finances journalists with grants that cover production costs and – crucially – working time. “We don’t want only an elite to be able to afford long-term projects,” explains director Joëlle Terburg. “If investigative journalism remained a privilege, we would lose different voices and perspectives.”

Independent from the government despite public funding, the fund entrusts its decisions to a jury of around 40 journalists from various backgrounds. The criteria: relevance, urgency, method. “We don’t cover daily news, but investigations that require extra time and resources.” Alongside this, there is a complementary fund for innovation and media infrastructure: together, they seek to level the playing field, making investigative journalism accessible to freelancers and small media outlets.

France, private philanthropy with clear rules

The Fonds pour une presse libre (FPL), founded by Mediapart, is 100% privately funded (no public funds according to its statutes). Eighty per cent of its funding comes from over 10,000 individual donors, with the rest coming from European foundations (Civitates, Léopold Mayer). It has strict rules: no precarious employment for journalists, at least 25 per cent self-financing from candidates, no exclusive dependence on the fund.

In addition to money, it offers training (digital security for sensitive investigations) and advice on hybrid models: subscriptions + monthly donations (some tripled since 2025). In 2026, it launched its ninth general appeal (until 8 March, approximately £170,000) and a specific appeal on the far right (“Enquêter, révéler, résister” – Investigate, reveal, resist). Small structure, big impact: a pillar for a pluralistic ecosystem in a country with growing media concentration.

The European voice, grants on the rise, but with shadows

JournalismFund Europe has been providing cross-border funding since 2009. In 2025, it reached a record high, disbursing £5.26 million (+40% vs 2024) out of 1,308 applications from 95 countries (total requests £30.9 million, +104%), but it reports a paradox: many publications do not pay freelancers if they have received a grant. “Unethical and often illegal,” says the director. “No company would say ‘give me everything for free because the costs are covered by others’.”

Solutions: clear agreements, defending rights, radical collaboration (shared platforms, local capacity building). “Journalism is a common good: it unites, improves debate, strengthens democracy. This message needs to be shouted louder.” The fund also supports local media with diversified survival strategies.

Taktak, the idea that didn’t hold up

Taktak began as one of the most ambitious and innovative attempts to tackle the economic crisis facing freelance journalism. Funded by the European Commission with approximately €1.1 million (out of a total of €1.37 million for the consortium) as part of the Journalism Partnerships – Collaboration programme (2024-2025), the project involved eight European partners: Worldcrunch (France, leader), La Marea (Spain), Pod Tepeto (Bulgaria), Mensagem de Lisboa (Portugal), Livy Bereg / LB.UA (Ukraine), Transitions (Czech Republic), WAN-IFRA (France) and Athens Technology Centre (Greece).

The central idea was simple but revolutionary: create a flexible ‘donate’ button that could be integrated directly into online articles, newsletters or even live events. Readers could donate any amount to a piece they liked, deciding how to divide the contribution between the freelance journalist (or content creator) and the media outlet that published it. ‘Pay as you read and as you want,’ read the slogan: a way to transform public support into a direct and transparent revenue stream, on top of traditional fees that are often low or non-existent.

The problem Taktak wanted to solve was structural. Many freelancers produce valuable investigative reports for major newspapers, but receive little or no payment, while the media reap the benefits of visibility and (sometimes) subscriptions. The button allowed this asymmetry to be bypassed: readers could reward those who had done the work directly, boosting income per article and incentivising quality. In addition, the project aimed to scale up across Europe, testing the tool in different contexts: local media (such as Pod Tepeto in Plovdiv or Mensagem in Lisbon), national media (La Marea in Spain) and international media (Worldcrunch), as well as crisis areas such as Ukraine with Livy Bereg.

In addition to technology, Taktak has produced valuable research. It conducted a survey of hundreds of freelancers in 33 EU countries (the first comprehensive study in over a decade), translated into 13 languages, which revealed alarming data: 62% have to do other jobs to survive, 60% have experienced burnout, and many complain of precariousness and lack of protection. This led to two white papers: one on freelance journalism in Europe (November 2025), which analyses working conditions, challenges and aspirations; the other on ‘The Audience That Sustains Journalism’ (December 2025), which explores why readers donate, trust in independent media and the sustainability of donor-supported models.

Despite the concrete results achieved – a functioning platform, a detailed survey of hundreds of freelancers in 33 EU countries (the first comprehensive study in over a decade), two downloadable white papers and a still-active homepage with a testable button – the project did not progress beyond the pilot phase.

The European Commission’s two-year grant (2024-2025) has run out and the request for renewal has been rejected. Worldcrunch, the consortium’s leading media outlet, has closed its doors after 15 years of activity. “It’s a terrible dependency: projects end up adapting to calls for proposals rather than real needs,” reflects Irene Caselli, a journalist and researcher involved in Taktak. Funding follows thematic cycles with a lag of a couple of years (today the environment, tomorrow artificial intelligence), and when the theme goes out of fashion, the support disappears.

Taktak remains online as a bitter reminder: innovative ideas can emerge, generate value and demonstrate real potential, but without a bridge to economic autonomy – a sustainable revenue model beyond grants – they come to an abrupt halt.

Three experiences compared, a common thread

IRPI Media was founded in Italy in 2020 by freelancers tired of proposing stories without oversight. Today, it is supported by European foundations, grants and a growing community, but it remains precarious. “As long as we are 80-90% non-profit, we will inevitably be fragile,” says Lorenzo Bagnoli. The dream: to go beyond pure non-profit, distribute better, and enter the public debate.

In Bulgaria, DEN (one and a half years old) starts with €20,000 in various grants, a small team and minimal salaries. Focus on social issues ignored by the mainstream. Goal: strengthen supporters, reduce dependence on short-term grants.

In Portugal, Fumaça (since 2016) climbed with Open Society in 2018: contracts, editing, research. Today, 60% European foundations, 40% individual supporters. No advertising, no paywall, stories when ready. Part of a collaborative Portuguese ecosystem, but financial pressure remains constant.

A balance yet to be found

Independent journalism in Europe is in transition: where there are signs of a growing culture of giving (Germany), independent public funding (the Netherlands) or structured philanthropy (France), there is greater stability. Elsewhere, the race for competitive and thematic grants dominates, with cycles that shift priorities.

The real challenge is cultural: re-educating the public to see quality journalism as an essential service, not a free commodity. Without a lasting mix of sources – public, private, community – and real cross-border collaboration, the balancing act continues. Precarious, but indispensable for informed democracies. (photo by Iván Díaz on Unsplash)

This content was produced as part of PULSE, a European initiative supporting cross-border journalism collaborations led by OBCT, together with n-ost and Voxeurop. Francesca Barca, Heloisa Traiano and Hugo dos Santos contributed to its creation.

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