Project Oasis goes global: new directory and report feature more than 3,000 independent digital media

The new global digital media directory and a report compiling the findings of this extensive research are now available.

You can view the recording of the launch event that took place in Buenos Aires on July 30 on YouTube:

SembraMedia, in partnership with the Global Forum for Media Development (GFMD), European Journalism Centre (EJC), Google News Initiative (GNI), International Media Support (IMS), and Media and Journalism Research Center (MJRC), announced the launch of the Global Project Oasis, a research project on the sustainability, innovation, and impact of independent digital native media across multiple regions. This expanded initiative now includes research from Europe, the United States and Canada (thanks to LION Publishers), and Latin America, including Brazil (thanks to AJOR).

For this project, more than 100 researchers, analysts, and contributors mapped and studied media from 68 countries, producing a directory featuring 3,000+ media organizations, news creators and publishers-in-exile.

In addition to the directory, the team has produced a comprehensive report featuring trends and insights into sustainability, types of coverage, team formation, innovation, and press freedom worldwide. The organizations in this study range in size, from small volunteer-led initiatives to large, multi-platform ventures with significant annual revenues of more than $23 million.

“Independent digital media organizations play an important role in providing high quality news to communities across the world. Our goal with Project Oasis is to identify opportunities for collaboration and focus efforts on shared objectives that are beneficial for a diverse and innovative news ecosystem,” said Matt Cooke, Head of Ecosystem Investment Programs, Google.

Insights from the report

• Influence and impact: During the more than 30 years since digital native media first started appearing on the web, many have grown into significant news organizations that attract millions of visitors. Some make the top-10 most visited news sites in their countries.
• Threats and attacks: As these media organizations grow in size, and gain attention with their journalistic impact and international awards, they also receive more threats because of their work. More than 50% of digital media reported being subjected to online attacks, legal threats, and physical violence because of their journalism.
• Average revenues: Digital native media are growing and in this report we found the average annual revenue reported by the media in the directory from Europe had increased to $649,951; average revenue in the U.S. and Canada was $602,821; and in Latin America, $159,825.
• Editorial independence: Revenue diversity strengthens editorial independence. Media in the directory report their primary sources are: grants, advertising, audience support, consulting and content services (in that order). Among non-profit media, the majority report that grants are their primary source of revenue. Among for-profits, the primary source is advertising.
• Small teams: They have 6 to 8 full-time employees on average, and hire 6 times more journalists than other roles. Those that have at least one employee dedicated to sales or business development earn four to six times more than those without.
• Mission-driven founder: Many news organizations in the directory were started by experienced journalists who left high-profile positions in traditional media because they were told they couldn’t cover stories that were “too controversial, too dangerous, or would offend powerful interests.”
• Volunteer support: More than 10% say they have yet to make any money at all, but some of the media in the directory that report the highest revenues today were started by volunteers with little or no capital.
• Women leaders: Digital native media have a high number of women founders when compared with traditional media. More than 50% of the media in the directory were founded by teams that include at least one woman.

“I’m so proud of the team, and grateful to the partners, as we launch this first version of the Global Project Oasis directory,” said Janine Warner, co-founder and executive director of SembraMedia. “It’s fascinating to be able to compare media from so many different places to find insights, and we’re so excited to expand our work to more countries in the future.”