The Samir Kassir Foundation (SKF) is implementing a three-pronged strategy to move independent media from visibility to viability through the Agency for Equality, Skroll, and Soora. These initiatives aim to reduce reliance on unpredictable donor funding by diversifying revenue streams, increasing collective digital discoverability, and securing fair market compensation for photojournalists, according to the foundation.
This approach was detailed during a peer-to-peer webinar series organized by WAN-IFRA as part of the BRAVE Media initiative. BRAVE Media is a three-year global initiative led by BBC Media Action and co-funded by the European Commission, designed to strengthen independent media through mentoring, technical support, cross-regional learning, innovation, and financial assistance across Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and Latin America.
Independent newsrooms currently face a combination of political pressure, shrinking revenues, disinformation, declining public trust, and rapidly changing technologies. SKF asserts that while donor funding remains essential for safety and capacity building, media organizations must diversify income to protect their editorial independence.
How the Agency for Equality diversifies newsroom revenue
The Agency for Equality helps independent media outlets enter advertising and communications markets typically dominated by larger commercial players. SKF designed the initiative to leverage the creative and production strengths of public-interest newsrooms, allowing them to generate income without compromising their editorial values.
The foundation explains that the ability of these outlets to compete in the advertising space is rooted in their editorial integrity. By forming ethical partnerships and focusing on mission-driven work, the Agency for Equality treats advertising as a sustainability tool rather than a compromise to independence.
What is Skroll and how does it solve digital visibility?
Skroll is an independent media aggregator created by SKF to combat the challenges of a fragmented digital environment. The platform operates on the principle that independent media are more discoverable when they pool their reach collectively, rather than competing individually against dominant platform algorithms.
By aggregating credible journalism, Skroll reduces the visibility barriers created by social media algorithms. SKF suggests that this collaborative model allows publishers to expand their audience reach and reduce operational costs by sharing infrastructure.
How Soora supports the economic viability of photojournalists
Soora is a specialized platform developed by SKF to address the chronic undervaluation of visual journalism. The initiative focuses on photojournalists who document social, political, and humanitarian realities—often in conflict zones—but struggle to secure fair remuneration or maintain ownership of their work.
The platform connects photojournalists directly with buyers, ensuring that the creators retain full earnings from their work. SKF noted that the demand for high-quality visual storytelling has increased, making it critical that such work serves as a reliable source of income for the professionals producing it.
The role of collaboration in media resilience
SKF maintains that collaboration is the fundamental driver of these three initiatives. Whether linking newsrooms to advertisers, publishers to a shared aggregator, or photographers to buyers, the foundation argues that sustainable solutions require partnerships that combine diverse expertise and resources.
The foundation believes these models—shared infrastructure, collaborative visibility, and diversified revenue generation—are applicable beyond their original local context and can be adapted by media ecosystems facing similar challenges. For organizations starting this process, SKF recommends identifying strong assets and testing mission-aligned revenue opportunities incrementally.
This work continues the legacy of journalist and historian Samir Kassir, who was assassinated more than two decades ago for his expressions of opinion. SKF reports that despite censorship and insecurity, journalists continue to adapt, with some social media-based platforms in Lebanon now influencing public debate and policymaking at the highest levels.
The BRAVE Media consortium continues its mentoring and innovation support for independent media organizations. Further updates on the program’s outcomes are expected as the three-year initiative progresses.
Do you work in an independent newsroom? Share your experiences with revenue diversification in the comments below.