Incubator for independent media

Taking part in the Knowledge Exchange Week gave Eda Doğançay the opportunity to reflect on how several independent Turkish media organisations are innovating to survive, and how collaborating with each other could strengthen the whole media ecosystem. This article is part one of a two part series exploring how different media platforms are surviving in Turkey. Read part two here.

Independent journalism is a cornerstone of a democratic society, but for the past decade mainstream media in Turkey has been increasingly state controlled and stifled by stringent censorship and escalating polarisation.

Despite these challenges, journalists have been resilient, establishing alternative digital media channels. Today, a variety of platforms exist, ranging from comprehensive news ​w​ebsites to those specialising in women’s rights, the environment and the arts.

In the ​p​ast 10 years, international funding and a growing digital advertising market have fue​lled the rise of many news platforms. However, recent global downturns have significantly reduced international funding, while the advertising market has become increasingly unpredictable because of Google​’s dominance, fluctuating demand, algorithm changes and shifting budgets. The absence of structured public or philanthropic funding for journalism in Turkey exacerbates these difficulties.

The current landscape presents a stark divide. ​W​hile some independent media platforms​ continue to be supported by wealthy patrons who understand the critical role of independent journalism in political opposition, numerous small to medium-sized digital platforms, once reliant on funding and advertising revenues, are struggling to survive. Many are on the brink of downsizing or shutting down entirely, ​w​ith digital platforms focusing on gender-based journalism​ particularly hard hit.

A significant problem is the ​failure to exchange knowledge ​and experience, as platform​s experiment with survival strategies in isolation. ​Some are pivoting to subscription models, reader support revenues, social media engagement, donation campaigns, or ​subsidising their platforms through side events. However, these efforts remain fragmented​.

"A significant problem is the ​failure to exchange knowledge ​and experience, as platform​s experiment with survival strategies in isolation."

As a journalist and editor, my recent experience with ​The Guardian Foundation’s Knowledge ​Exchange week​ highlighted the​ potential of collaboration. The week-long program​me provided invaluable insights from Guardian journalists, technical experts and colleagues, equipping me with numerous actionable ideas, particularly on branding, business modelling and reader revenue strategies. This experience underscored the importance of creating a space for exchange among independent media. The sessions ​l​ooked at how old and new practices could be adapted for media outlets in Turkey, despite stark differences in political realities, journalists’ working conditions, freedom of expression and economic conditions.

One​ crucial takeaway from ​The Guardian Foundation’s Incubator for Independent Media is the importance of aligning positioning and editorial principles with​ overarching vision. This should guide not only ​t​he branding strategy but also business and revenue models, as exemplified by the Guardian’s guiding principle: “Open to ​all, ​funded ​by ​many, and ​beholden to ​no ​one.” This philosophy permeates every aspect of operations, from​ branding to artificial intelligence and social media engagement to cultivating a sense of belonging among employees. Another key takeaway was the clarity with which the Guardian reaches such a large audience without compromising brand integrity.

"This experience with The Guardian Foundation underscored the importance of creating a space for exchange among independent media."

Of course, the Guardian’s success results from a combination of guiding principles, commitment to good and sustainable journalism, and its ​2​00-year history​,​ along with the unique political and economic conditions ​in which it operates. However, the underlying approach can be universally applied. This includes creating sustainable business models, maintaining editorial independence, and fostering strong community engagement, even if implementation may be slow and challenging at first.

In Turkey, some media platforms are already experimenting with principles inspired by the Guardian. While some are adopting subscription models and reader-supported revenue streams, others are enhancing their social media engagement or launching donation campaigns, all while tailoring their approach to ​Turkey’s specific political and economic challenges.

By learning from each other and adapting these principles to their circumstances, independent media outlets can strive towards a more resilient and impactful future. To encourage this conversation, I spoke to five media platforms in Turkey to learn more about their survival strategies.

Whether opting for a reader-support or subscription model, a critical determinant of success is an organisation’s relationship with its audience. In recent years one of the Guardian’s strategies has been to expand its newsletter operation. Beyond their news function, different types of newsletters serve as effective tools for expanding reach and reader support. The language in these newsletters is particularly effective in building engagement and loyalty. Workshops we attended on reader-revenue strategies, marketing and branding were invaluable in understanding how to create and maintain this loyalty.

With this in mind, let’s examine two digital platforms in Turkey, Medyascope and 10Haber, and explore how they balance their business models with audience building.

From grassroots to reader-driven future: Medyascope

Medyascope is a digital news outlet founded in 2015 by the renowned journalist Ruşen Çakır. During the first year the voluntary efforts of dedicated journalists who supported its mission and operations were crucial in establishing Medyascope as a reputable source of news and information.

Kaya Alexander von Heyse, the news coordinator of Medyascope, says: “Our goal is to replace the now-defunct mainstream media. We do not consider ourselves dissidents. We are a media company, and our purpose is to revive reporting and strengthen our institution by leveraging the news distribution and monetisation features of new media.”

Over nine years, Medyascope has faced significant challenges. Heyse says: “We don’t succumb to polarisation or get involved in polemics. We just do journalism. But because of the extreme polarisation in Turkey, we sometimes face criticism from these polarised groups.”

Initially operating with zero funds and voluntary contributions, Medyascope later sought and secured external funds. From 2016, it relied heavily on these funds, primarily from the European Union and international institutions supporting journalism. Three years later it began focusing on revenue models and noticed a significant change on YouTube with the introduction of a ‘join’ membership feature. It began using this and Patreon for crowdfunding, taking a significant step towards reader support.

The YouTube Join initiative grew, and it now aims to develop its own reader support-based software model. Heyse says: “Our dependency on [donor] funds has decreased from 95% to around 50%, with advertising revenue making up 30% and reader support approximately 20%.” Despite their firm belief that information should be free and accessible to everyone, the team hope to offer perks to supporters. “There will be no paywall, but we will provide early access to videos and online meetings with our founder, journalist Ruşen Çakır, among other premium features.”

However, the Guardian model remains an aspirational goal. “Implementing it fully is very difficult for us because it’s an organisation with hundreds of editors, offices worldwide, and a 200-year history. We admire their model, but we are taking baby steps and seeing results.”

As Medyascope grows, it is working on technical infrastructure and refining its premium features and branding, and hopes to hire a community manager. “We want to convey an optimistic message, not one of desperation. This requires continuity. We don’t have a customer representative or public relations officer; we do everything ourselves. We are only 30 people with offices in Istanbul, Ankara, and Diyarbakır.”

Heyse adds: “We are not against receiving funds; they are a means to ensure sustainability. But in the future, if we replace them with new income sources and increase employment, we won’t give up on funds either. We’ll use them for special projects, not to pay salaries but to train journalists for example.”

Heyse highlights the company’s unique management structure: “Our founder is a journalist, which allows our journalism to progress freely. We strive to be different from existing media institutions in Turkey, ensuring our employees develop a sense of belonging and pride in working here. The Guardian serves as an example for us in this regard.”

Breaking the Chains: 10Haber

10Haber stands out in Turkey’s media landscape by boldly experimenting with a subscription model, setting it apart from outlets that depend on international funds and ad revenue. Starting as a daily bulletin, 10Haber transitioned to a direct subscription model with the establishment of its website in 2023. Its team of 20 people work tirelessly to bring this business model to life.

Hakan Çelenk, the editor-in-chief of 10Haber, says: “We’ve witnessed the demise of mainstream media in Turkey due to political divisions. Journalism has become nearly impossible under the current government’s pressures. In the past, mainstream media outlets were commercial, yet managed to maintain relative neutrality and independence, providing daily news needs professionally. We’ve now shifted to a divided media system, where ‘you’re either with us or against us.’ This division has led to the demise of unbiased journalism. After the 2023 elections, a new approach was needed. Impartial news is a fundamental need, and journalists strive for this, although it has been forgotten … We aim to be in the centre, which is our core strategy, and we believe people need this.”

The team agreed on the subscription model. Çelenk says: “In many countries, most platforms operate on a subscription basis because generating income is essential. Journalists need to be paid. The current digital media model, reliant on Google Ads, leaves no other way to generate revenue. The only alternative now is to return to a conventional strategy. This isn’t a brand-new model; it’s the pre-internet world’s model. It became clear that the system couldn’t function with Google Ads, which some may argue exploits journalist labour. In the past, people paid for their newspapers at newsstands, and advertisers needed visibility for their products. This revenue model is a return to the old system, or at least an attempt.”

Regarding the reader support model, Çelenk says it is more suitable where people support an organisation ideologically. “But when you aim to stay in the centre, you view news as a service people receive and pay for. We meet people’s current need for objective news. You can sometimes adopt a stance as a business model, and that’s not a bad thing. This can be tried, but we preferred the subscription model in line with our vision. We believe this is the salvation route for media organisations in Turkey.

“If readers like us and appreciate the news service we provide, they’ll pay a certain amount, just like they do for a book. This way, we can ensure the sustainability of media organisations. Even if we progress slowly, our goal is to make subscriptions our main source of income.”

Çelenk argues for collective efforts: “Our common interest is to implement this model together. Many media organisation depend on Google Ads, some on funds, and others on political party support. We need to try this together. Google is a monopoly right now. No one can say the future is in this model. The media is only trying to survive in the hands of a global social media and internet giant. We need a way out, and salvation lies in the subscription system or the reader-support payment system.”

Read part 2 here

Since 2018, Eda has served as the chief editor of the SES Equality, Justice, Women Platform. She was also the project coordinator for ""The Voice of Women"" and ""Women’s Voice for Peace"" projects.