Indy News Forum: Help crowdsource a better media
Your source for independent media news and insights
In this newsletter
Industry news and trends
Latest content from independent media
Funding opportunities
Media jobs and opportunities
Updates on media policy and legislation
Diversity reading list
Practical tips and techniques
If you have a story to share, we encourage you to reach out to us via email at community@ima.press. We're excited to hear from you!
Industry news and trends
Indy News Forum: A programme for the day of peer-to-peer conversation and coworking – lots of getting to know new people, small group conversations, crowdsourcing ideas and priorities and working together on issues you choose. Read more
National journalism funds. This discussion paper is open for comments until the end of August 2023. Read more
Expert perspectives on misogyny in the press. From Hacked Off, this looks at how misogyny in the press endangers women and what legislators can do to address it. Read more
The Scottish Beacon collaborative journalism website launched. Eighteen independent local and hyperlocal news publications serving urban and rural communities across Scotland have joined forces to create The Scottish Beacon, a new national publication. Read more
Launch: Participatory grant-making for journalism. This guide outlines how learning and best practice from participatory grant making, which is widely used within philanthropy, could be adapted for journalism funding to meet this aim. Read more
Latest content from independent media
US to re-define law on sexual consent, with potentially massive consequences. The Canary reports that the American Law Institute (ALI) will debate the draft of a law that attempts to re-define sexual assault, including sexual consent. Few people know about this legal group, and even fewer are aware of this significant debate. Read more
The media scandal the media didn’t want to touch. Byline Times’ editorial on the Dan Wotton scandal. Read more
Tufton Street-linked trans-exclusionary charity receives surge in funding. Another one from Byline Times, they report the LGB Alliance has received a surge in donations amid ongoing calls for it to lose its charitable status. Read more
What banning trans women from elite chess exposes. From QueerAF: Trans women won't be able to compete in elite chess until they've been individually approved, as part of a two-year process to review if trans competitors can continue participating in the sport. Read more
Police files on Kelso Cochrane’s unsolved racist murder must be released. openDemocracy reports Kelso Cochrane's family want police to release secret case files that could provide answers about his 1959 murder. Read more
Funding opportunities
August is a really quiet month for fundraising… if you know of any open grant or investment opportunities please email community@ima.press, and we’ll include them in the next newsletter.
Media jobs and opportunities
Heading of fundraising at mySociety. mySociety is a small, purposeful charity which uses digital tools to enable citizens to participate more fully in democracy, make governments and society more transparent and help people work together to address societal challenges. Read more
Free to publish op-ed. PINF has written an op-ed about the work they’re doing through News for All in the UK and internationally. Any publisher can re-use this content with proper attribution. Read more
Research fellowship at Corporate Watch. They’re looking for a research fellow to work on a project that aims to investigate and disseminate information on around 200 private companies that have existing NHS contracts. Read more
Updates on media policy and legislation
Opinion: The dangers of trial by media
by Francesca Cociani
“On 6 July 2023 the Sun published their latest scoop headline “BBC crises over top star in sex photos probe” declaring that a “well-known presenter is accused of giving the teen more than £35,000 since they were 17 in return for sordid images”.
“The story unambiguously alleged that the mystery presenter had paid a 17 year old vast amounts of money in exchange for sexual images, and that the cash was used to fund a crack habit. It added that the police was approached “but they couldn’t do anything as they said it wasn’t illegal”.
“Whilst the Sun did not reveal the name of the presenter in question, it did state that he is “a familiar face who is known to millions” and is also paid a six-figure salary by the BBC.
“These allegations were later denied by the lawyers representing the man in question, now 20 years old, and questions quickly became to surface as to what actual evidence was gathered or enquiries made to ascertain the voracity of the story.”
Diversity reading list
Queer and getting into journalism? Networking could be a lifeline
“I was 20 when I first realised I was in love with a girl.
“I’d say that it was the moment I realised I was queer, but at that point, the word was barely in my vocabulary. It had never occurred to me that I could be anything other than 100% heterosexual.
“Cue months of questioning, soul-searching and googling. I even re-watched The Bold Type, in which the “totally hetero” Kat is shocked to find herself falling for another woman.
“But none of it could eradicate the imposter syndrome. I was afraid to enter queer spaces, even online ones because I felt like I didn’t belong.”
Practical tips and techniques
What gets readers to pay? Transparency on the price of journalism. Subscribers like digital offers, joining a community or supporting independent news. But new research indicates what really gets them over the line is the right combination of appeals. Read more
Countering news avoidance: focus on relevance and value. When half of the population are avoiding the news, the best cure is to give them a stake in the stories and news outlets that matter most to them. Read more
19 journalists give their top tips on breaking into journalism. What is the best way to get journalism work experience? How should I format my cover letter and CV? How can I use TikTok as a journalist? These are just some of the most frequently asked questions about breaking into journalism. Read more
Share your wins and successes
We want to hear about your achievements and successes in the independent media landscape. Share your stories with us at community@ima.press and inspire others with your journey.
Be featured in the newsletter
If you're working on an exciting project in the independent media industry and would like to be interviewed for our newsletter, get in touch with us at community@ima.press. We look forward to showcasing your work!