We make journalism sustainable and impactful
First Draft Media launches new titles and publications, and supports existing journalistic organizations as well. First Draft Media support journalistic platforms that often—though not always—occupy a particular niche or fulfill a specific audience need.
First Draft Media does so in order to foster a pluralistic media environment even in those places that are most hostile to a free and independent press. To these aims, First Draft Media implements a set of activities that centers the audience, puts the publisher first, and develops innovative publishing technologies and solutions.
Publish & Professionalize
Joris van Duijne—Chief Executive Officer
Engage & Sustain
Innovate & Secure
Publish & Professionalize
Launch new journalistic titles
First Draft Media launches new journalistic titles, as publisher, in cooperation with journalists and editors that have a unique voice and wish to contribute to a pluralistic and high-quality media environment.
Promote editorial professionalization
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Strengthen (exiled) media management
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Do you want to find how to launch a commercial publication and professionalize your newsroom editorial and management practices?
Get in touch—we’re happy to chat!
Engage & Sustain
"At First Draft Media, we believe in a journalism that serves the public in ways that engage audiences to sustain your journalism in return. That’s why we partner with newsrooms, entrepreneurial journalists, and media organizations to evolve how journalism is produced, distributed, and funded."
Research user needs and uncover novel audience insights
We work with you to collect meaninfgul feedback from your users, comb through all that data and make sense of it in a way that helps decision-making. We aim to make audience research fun for you AND your audience!
Implement membership and donations
We work with teams to build simple, honest membership models that fit their journalism and community based on their audience needs and editorial values.
Introduce innovative news products
From audience-first explainers to AI-powered workflows, we help you see your journalism from a product lens and turn your ideas into news products that work and can be monetised.
Coach news publishers one-on-one
We offer one-on-one support to publishers navigating growth, audience development, business development, and AI integration. We come in like a temporary member of of your team, working with you to build sustainable systems, tools, and processes.
Do you want to learn how your newsroom can better engage its audiences and sustain its operations?
Get in touch—we’re happy to chat!
Innovate & Secure
"Publishers and their audiences—especially those in heavily censored environments—have specific security and privacy needs that often aren't met by the internet freedom community. Censorship and security innovations at First Draft Media put the relationship between publishers and their audiences first."
Develop innovative publishing technologies
Key to the First Draft Media portfolio is the development and distribution of digital tools and services that support journalists and media outlets.
Mitigate internet censorship and shutdowns
Advance newsroom digital security
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Protect sources and whistleblowers
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Do you want to improve newsroom and technology innovation, and secure your audiences, your sources and your journalists?
Get in touch—we’re happy to chat!