AJM: How Independent Media in North Macedonia Navigate Fragmented Markets and Political Risk

North Macedonia’s media landscape is small, fragmented, and increasingly exposed to political and commercial pressures. In this environment, the Association of Journalists of Macedonia (AJM) has emerged as a key institutional anchor — raising awareness of funding opportunities, advocating for structural reform, and working to ensure that independent journalism does not fall prey to state-directed advertising or opaque ownership structures.

Building a sustainable funding base: still a work in progress

AJM has pursued two broad strategies to support its members in securing funding:

1. Awareness-raising: informing journalists and media organisations about available grant opportunities, particularly those offered by the EU, the UN, and other international donors.
2. Structural advocacy: pushing for the establishment of a dedicated Media Pluralism Fund, grounded in the Council of Europe’s recognition that public support for media pluralism is a state obligation.

Neither strategy has yet produced a truly sustainable long-term model. “Donor support has helped in the short term, but no effective long-term model has yet been established,” Spirovski acknowledges. This honest assessment reflects a broader reality across the Western Balkans, where the gap between donor-funded projects and structural media sustainability remains wide.

EU funding: a lifeline, not just a supplement

For many independent outlets in North Macedonia, EU funding is far more than a supplementary income stream. As Spirovski puts it plainly:

“For many independent outlets, EU support is not just ‘significant’ — it is often the primary buffer against closure or takeover by local business-political interests.”

This dependence makes the current EU budget negotiations a matter of urgent concern. AJM views the ongoing discussions around the Multi-annual Financial Framework (MFF) with what Spirovski describes as “a mix of urgency and caution,” warning that “any reduction in the Multi-annual Financial Framework or a shift in focus that de-prioritises media freedom could embolden illiberal actors.” The association is therefore advocating for more direct and accessible funding mechanisms for smaller, local media organisations, which often find EU bureaucratic processes a significant barrier to entry.

State advertising returns: a double-edged threat

The most pressing structural challenge AJM identifies is the combination of a very small, highly fragmented media market with the recent return of state-funded advertising. A 2024 legal change reopened the possibility for public money to flow into private media through so-called “public interest campaigns.” Although the mechanism has not yet been made operational (Parliament has not established the competent committee) Spirovski is clear about the risks it poses.

An additional and immediate threat is paid political advertising, which AJM sees as particularly dangerous in the online media sector.

“This is particularly problematic when entities with non-transparent media ownership are allowed to access such funds,” Spirovski warns, noting that such arrangements can directly undermine editorial policy.

AJM’s response has been to monitor these developments closely, raise concerns publicly and with relevant stakeholders, and consistently champion funding models built around editorial independence rather than political or clientelist influence.

Advocacy at national and European level

AJM’s policy engagement has taken place on two fronts simultaneously. Nationally, it has publicly opposed the return of state advertising to private media and has consistently advocated for a Media Pluralism Fund focused on public-interest journalism. At the European level, it has sought to shape the conditions under which EU funding reaches the region.

These positions are not simply reactive. They reflect a longer-term institutional strategy to shift the structural incentives facing North Macedonian media — away from dependence on political patrons and towards mechanisms that reward editorial integrity.

Protecting independence while working with institutional funders

Navigating relationships with the EU and international donors without compromising editorial independence is a challenge many journalist associations face. AJM has developed a clear internal framework for managing this tension. A Code of Ethics which is currently undergoing revision, with a new version expected by the end of 2026 serves as the primary filter for all institutional partnerships.

“When we work with the EU or international donors, the objectives are aligned with our mission: safety, ethics, and professionalism,” Spirovski explains.

Beyond ethics governance, AJM actively pushes funders for long-term grants rather than short-term “event” funding. The reasoning is strategic:

“We push for long-term grants over short-term ‘event’ funding to prevent the ‘project-cycle dependency’ that can compromise long-term strategic goals.”

In small media markets, where organisations are constantly at risk of chasing grants simply to survive, this discipline can be the difference between strategic coherence and institutional drift.

Lessons for journalist associations in emerging democracies

Drawing on its experience in North Macedonia, AJM offers three core lessons for journalist associations and public interest media organisations operating in comparable environments:

1. Invest in the institutions that support journalism, not just journalism itself. “Independent journalism cannot be strengthened without also strengthening the organisations that support and represent journalists.” Member-based associations need institutional grants and core funding — not only project support — so they can provide continuous legal aid, advocacy, training, solidarity mechanisms, and policy engagement over the long term.
2. Diversify funding, but be realistic about what markets can deliver. “In small and fragile media markets, commercial revenue alone is rarely enough to sustain public interest journalism.” AJM recommends combining donor support, institutional partnerships, membership-based models where feasible, and sustained advocacy for public-interest funding mechanisms — rather than assuming commercial viability will eventually materialise on its own.
3. Push for transparent, independent funding instruments. AJM is unequivocal that the goal should be media pluralism funds and similar mechanisms, not politically controlled advertising schemes. “Sustainable support should protect editorial independence and help build resilient media institutions, not deepen dependence on governments or political actors.”

The overarching message from AJM is one of structural ambition: “Invest in strong collective structures, secure core support for journalist associations, and advocate for funding models that treat independent media and professional associations as democratic infrastructure.” In a region where the line between political power and media ownership remains dangerously blurred, that is both a practical programme and a democratic imperative.