On Thursday, 28 November, the Journalism Value Report was published, providing a detailed overview of the state of independent public interest journalism in Europe. Drawing on responses from 174 newsrooms across 31 countries, the report explores this growing sector’s challenges and opportunities.
At Reference, we are committed to supporting independent public interest media, which provide essential journalism across Europe. The Journalism Value Report offers valuable insights to help newsrooms, policymakers, and funders better understand the sector and identify ways to strengthen it.
Some key insights from the report:
- Investigative journalism as a focus: Two-thirds of surveyed newsrooms prioritize investigative reporting, reflecting the sector’s emphasis on accountability journalism.
- Financial precarity for local outlets: Local newsrooms report significant challenges, with many relying on less than six months of secured funding.
- Steps toward sustainability: Recommendations include increased core funding, capacity-building programs, and fostering greater collaboration within the sector.
The report – conducted by Netzwerk Recherche, the German Association of Investigative Journalists – is part of the Journalism Value Project, a initiative to explore how independent media can better sustain themselves financially while continuing to serve the public interest. This two-year project is a joint collaboration between three independent European newsrooms, Átlátszó Erdély, Fumaça, Investigate Europe, the journalism network Netzwerk Recherche, and the Reference Circle, a self-organised network of independent European news publishers incubated by Arena for Journalism in Europe, which provides operational support.
These findings will also inform a 2025 whitepaper aimed at advocating for stronger political and financial support for independent journalism.
In addition we will use the data to publicly pinpoint the importance of independent public interest journalism for our democracies in times of rampant populism and diminishing trust in media and advocate to stakeholders like funders and politicians for more effective support schemes.
With a deeper understanding and stronger evidence of successful business models and powerful value indicators in hand, we aim to kindle a new era of resilient, thriving public interest media in Europe.
Explore the report and interactive map here.