International Fund sets out the case to fight media’s ‘existential crisis’
PICTURE: ifpim.org
Khadija Patel
Journalist-in-Residence
International Fund for Public Interest Media.
It’s been a momentous time for us at the IFPIM.
Our team has grown, we’re supporting some of the most important journalism around the world, listening, learning and understanding more clearly how effective financial support for general operations really is. And we are also looking ahead, with a plan to scale up.
So we’re proud to present, ‘A Moment of Truth’, which sets out the case for renewed global commitment for the future of public interest news media.
The Executive Summary explains how ‘public interest media – independent media organisations dedicated to informing the public through high-quality journalism – are facing an existential crisis’.
‘The challenges are particularly acute in low- and middle-income countries. The economic factors that once enabled a diverse and pluralistic media landscape have been severely undermined by the market dynamics of the digital age as well as global economic downturns, hitting the world’s poorest and most populous countries hardest of all.
‘The IFPIM was created in response to this crisis: to dramatically increase funding to independent media organizations and to help develop new, sustainable business models in fragile democracies around the world.
‘The Fund aims to raise US$150-million by mid-2025 to signifcantly increase its support for the survival of independent media in low- and middle-income countries over the next three years.
‘This funding will provide fnancial life-support to 300 media organisations in 50 countries as well as accelerate innovation and contribute to the transformation of the sector. Since the traditional model for sustaining media is disappearing, the Fund will develop and support the creation of new and different national and regional fnancial models that can ensure longterm sustainability for the sector.
‘In this, it is building on the work already undertaken since its start of operations in 2022, that has shown early promise.’
- Read ‘A Moment of Truth’ here.
- See this good news story about one of IFPIM’s grantees – Bush Radio, based in Cape Town:
