The recent International Journalism Festival in Perugia, Italy, brought together over 2,000 journalists for four days of forward-looking discussions. As the industry navigates contraction, two standout themes emerged: the power of live journalism to rebuild public trust, and the resilience of nonprofit newsrooms through creative donor strategies. Below, we dive into seven key questions that capture these transformative ideas.
1. What was the International Journalism Festival in Perugia and why is it significant for journalism’s future?
Held annually in the historic Italian city, the International Journalism Festival is one of the largest gatherings of journalists globally. In its most recent edition, it attracted more than 2,000 attendees, including 526 speakers, for four days of panels and conversations. The festival serves as a bellwether for the industry, highlighting emerging trends and practical solutions to challenges like declining trust and financial sustainability. Sessions ranged from AI’s impact on entry-level reporting to innovative audience engagement. The event’s vibrant, collaborative atmosphere underscored a collective determination to make journalism more human, sustainable, and inventive.
2. How does live journalism restore trust between journalists and the public?
Live journalism, as practiced by Diario Vivo in Madrid, puts real journalists and ordinary people on stage to share unscripted, personal stories. Nothing is recorded; the experience is purely oral and ephemeral. Founder Vanessa Rousselot explains that the format is designed to make audiences laugh and cry, thereby rebuilding emotional trust in a profession often viewed as distant. Audience members arrive not knowing what stories they’ll hear, creating a sense of shared vulnerability. Since launching in 2017 with just 100 attendees, Diario Vivo now sells out 1,000-seat venues, and over 25,000 people have witnessed its shows across multiple cities. This approach challenges the notion that journalism must be mediated through screens or print, emphasizing the raw power of spoken word.
3. How does the German newsroom Correctiv use theater to amplify investigative stories?
Correctiv, a German nonprofit investigative newsroom, transforms its reporting into theatrical performances acted by professionals. Editor in chief Jean Peters notes that the organization is building a network of over 50 theaters across Europe to distribute these journalistic productions. The publisher, David Schraven, estimates that each two-hour theater performance is “equivalent to 3.6 million seconds spent on TikTok, but with a much bigger impact.” Theater offers a concentrated, communal experience that deepens engagement and memory, compared to the fleeting nature of social media. By staging investigations, Correctiv not only reaches new audiences but also creates a powerful emotional resonance that can drive civic action.
4. What is the tradition of live journalism, and how is it being revived after the pandemic?
The live journalism movement traces back to Pop-Up Magazine, launched in California in 2009, which attracted tens of thousands of attendees across North America with sold-out shows. The pandemic devastated its business, and it closed in 2023. However, successors like Diario Vivo and Correctiv are now revitalizing the format. These modern iterations emphasize face-to-face storytelling as a remedy for digital fatigue and dwindling trust. By bringing journalists and audiences together in physical spaces, live journalism creates a shared, unrecorded moment that feels authentic and urgent. It’s a deliberate shift away from the click-driven economy, focusing instead on local, tangible impact. The revival indicates that, even in an era of screens, people crave live, communal experiences that rebuild the social contract between media and communities.
5. How do nonprofit newsrooms like ProPublica sustain themselves through individual donors?
ProPublica exemplifies a successful nonprofit model with 90,000 individual donors, ensuring independence from any single billionaire’s whim. The organization distributes its work across eleven platforms and has partnered with hundreds of publishers, from the New York Times to NPR. It is now developing a Local Reporting Network to extend its investigative capacity into underserved regions. By cultivating a broad base of small and mid-size supporters, ProPublica stabilizes its revenue while maintaining editorial autonomy. This donor diversification strategy also builds a loyal community invested in the organization’s mission, turning readers into stakeholders. The key is consistent, transparent communication and high-impact reporting that proves journalism’s value to the public.
6. What unique fundraising strategies did The 19th’s founder Emily Ramshaw deploy to build a $30 million endowment?
Emily Ramshaw, founder and CEO of The 19th, raised a $30 million endowment in just six months by sending 100 cold messages per week to wealthy individuals. She deliberately targeted non‑traditional news philanthropists, particularly those focused on women’s rights. Her most valuable investments were a $75 Instagram verification and a $1,000 LinkedIn Pro account, which she jokingly credited for streamlining donor cultivation. The 19th now aims to raise between $100 million and $200 million to put the organization on a long-term sustainable footing. Ramshaw’s approach demonstrates that creative, personalized outreach and platform-specific tools can unlock major gifts from unexpected sources. By aligning her mission with donors’ values, she turned the traditional media fundraising playbook upside down.
7. How did the Center for Investigative Reporting merge with Mother Jones, and what does it mean for nonprofit journalism?
The Center for Investigative Reporting (CIR) announced a merger with Mother Jones, combining their documentary film capabilities with Mother Jones’s magazine-style investigative reporting. The merger allows both organizations to pool resources, reduce overhead, and expand their reach in a challenging media landscape. For CIR, which produces films like those seen on PBS and at film festivals, merging with a well-known print and digital outlet diversifies its storytelling formats. For Mother Jones, the partnership infuses its newsroom with filmmaking expertise, enabling multimedia investigations. This consolidation reflects a broader trend among nonprofits: merging to survive and thrive, rather than competing for scarce philanthropic dollars. The combined entity hopes to leverage scale for greater impact, while maintaining independent editorial voices.