What is Innovation at IPI?
IPI’s Media Innovation and Sustainability portfolio guides media organizations through innovation practice and business development to achieve financial, technical and editorial sustainability.
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Why Media Innovation at IPI?
At IPI we believe that media innovation is a critical cornerstone to the organization’s mission of defending press freedom.
As independent newsrooms are facing challenges such as authoritarian and legal repression, waning public trust, unstable revenue streams and digital disruption, it is important to enhance their resilience by protecting their independence and sustainability. Media innovation enables media to respond to the rapidly changing political, social and technological environment, to grow and adapt to competition, supporting a pluralistic, independent media landscape. IPI’s media innovation portfolio equips newsrooms with the skills, tools and peer networks to build diversified business models, cultivate strong connections with audiences, and leverage technology to their advantage.
Since piloting our Accelerator programmes in 2022, IPI’s Innovation programmes have helped 61 media outlets from 32 countries all over the globe to future-proof their editorial and business models. Our methodology includes a unique mix of training, personalized advisory services, strategic advice, core funding and networking opportunities.
Each of our flagship 5-8 month-long Accelerator programmes is tailored to the pressing needs of new media, media in transition and local media.
The learning journey we provide is based on in-depth needs assessments with IPI’s in-house innovation experts, which then inform both broad capacity-building modules and skills development tailored to specific pain points and markets.
With the support of expert speakers and innovation methodology coaches working 1:1 with the media organizations, we provide a space to experiment, develop and test ideas, as well as the funding to bring these ideas to life. Our beneficiaries gain access to IPI’s global network of editors, journalists and media executives.
Our approach
➔ Personalized advisory services
➔ Adaptive training
➔ Network of innovators
➔ Funding
➔ Needs assessment
➔ Revenue diversification
➔ User centricity & audience research
➔ Design & product thinking
➔ Increase resilience
➔ Serve audiences
➔ Innovate & grow
Our impact goals
FINANCIAL SUSTAINABILITY
We support the development of diversified revenue streams that advance media companies toward sustainability and independence.
AUDIENCE
We prioritize projects that invest in audience research, build engaging products and deliver relevant news and insight where it is needed most.
DIGITAL TRANSITION
We prioritize projects that are digital-first and build new and engaging ways to interact with audiences. We help existing newsrooms pivot their business and technology to remain relevant and meet long-term goals.
PUBLIC INTEREST AND INDEPENDENCE
We empower (local) media to play a watchdog role against democratic decline, serve audiences with relevant content, and fill information gaps in news deserts. We help media achieve financial and editorial independence to ensure resilience to government pressure, tech platform dominance, and economic crises.NETWORK
We grow the wealth of knowledge and experience that the IPI network offers to build a community of practice, where participants support and learn from alumni and peers.MEDIA MANAGEMENT
We support strategic thinking, goal setting, and planning.
IPI’s Innovation Team
