What’s Next for Independent Media?
Funding is down, pressure is up. How are journalists responding?
The recent termination of key USAID-funded media programs in Jordan has shaken the independent journalism community worldwide and in the Middle East as well. With donor funding drying up, press freedom shrinking, and subscription models still struggling to gain traction in the Middle East, many news outlets are cutting staff, shelving investigations, or scrambling to find new ways to stay afloat. Some are also exploring hybrid revenue models, such as memberships, training programs, and partnerships, to ensure their sustainability.
That being said, the challenging media situation extends beyond funding and is more technical as well. Media outlets face several pressures, including limited resources, stricter regulations, and the need to adapt to shifting audience preferences, particularly as more people consume news via digital and social platforms, especially on mobile devices.
According to a 2023 assessment by Internews, these changes are prompting journalists to expand their skills to include video production, social storytelling, and audience engagement. But how does this shift affect the way journalists uncover, report, and prioritize stories?
Here are some of my favorite independent and upcoming media outlets that are not mainstream: Daraj, Raseef22, Breaker Media, Puck News, Substack newsletters. Please share some of your favorites with us, and we’ll feature them in next month's newsletter.
These shifts are also influencing our work as we continue to adapt. This month, we created and published a visual story on the transformation of recycled materials into art and we are preparing to launch another episode on YouTube featuring the snarky puppet, Fesfori.
We are also redesigning our workspace to better reflect the narratives we wish to tell. Photos to come next month in our newsletter!
We will share more updates in the "What We've Been Up To" section, along with insights into what has captured our interest.
Thank you for being here. If anything resonates with you, we would love to hear your thoughts.
Warm wishes,
Rana F. Sweis
Founder, Wishbox Media Company
💡 What we've been up to
🖼️ Turning Trash into Treasure: How can discarded materials be transformed into art through a visual story about sustainability and creativity. You can watch the full report here.
🏠 A Fresh Space for Fresh Ideas: Big changes start at home. We gave our office a makeover—new paint, and walls now filled with snapshots of our work. It’s not just decoration, it’s also a daily reminder of why we do what we do.
📽️ Stories from Zarqa: We recently sat down with journalist and community storyteller Rakan Khawaldeh, known for his social media series “Hkaya min Az Zarqa” (Stories from Zarqa). Together, we're planning a special video feature that dives into the history and current reality of some of the city's oldest schools, dating back to the 1950s. It’s a story about education, memory, and resilience.
📢 The State of Journalism: This month, our Managing Director, Rana Sweis, appeared on Al Mamlaka’s documentary Truth Messengers to talk about investigative reporting, community-based storytelling, the risks journalists face in conflict zones, and the future of the industry. Watch the segment below.
🎙️ Fesfori Returns: Our youth-focused YouTube series Fesfori is back! With humor and heart, it continues to tackle tough topics—from digital rights to political engagement —for a new generation of thinkers.
📺 Our YouTube Channel Is Growing: We’re expanding our video content with more documentaries, interviews, and behind-the-scenes moments. If you haven’t yet, take a look and don’t forget to subscribe to receive notifications when we publish new content.
📁 Our Creative Portfolio: Have you checked out our new portfolio? It showcases the full scope of our work: storytelling, training, animation, and everything in between. If you're curious about our services and examples of our work, this is a good place to start.
🌍 International Connections: Earlier this month, we delivered a presentation on media in Jordan and the wider region to a visiting delegation of German scholars. We’ll be sharing some of these results next month.
🗄️ From the archive
📹 In 2022, we collaborated with the Konrad Adenauer Foundation on "Youth Perspectives" project, producing a three-part video series capturing Jordanian youths' views on political participation, economic development, and freedom of expression. This initiative aimed to amplify the voices of young people through discussions about the country's political reforms.
📺 Our media consumption
🧰 We came across a fantastic roundup of under-the-radar AI tools curated by Toha Khan. While ChatGPT gets the spotlight, these 12 hidden gems might be just what you need to level up your workflow, whether you’re designing, writing, or building your next big thing.
📰 For those following journalism in the MENA region, the Global Investigative Journalism Network published an in-depth piece on the state of investigative reporting in North Africa. Journalists are facing mounting repression, but their resilience is just as powerful. As Walid Mejri of Tunisia's Alqatiba puts it, “We are under attack, but we are not defeated.”
🧭 Foreign Affairs published a sobering analysis titled "Jordan’s Looming Crisis" by Curtis R. Ryan, examining how the war in Gaza has escalated into an existential threat for the Kingdom. The article highlights the internal and external pressures Jordan faces, including proposed plans for Palestinian resettlement and the complexities of its alliance with the United States.
📡 We came across a compelling piece on Substack: Jordan’s telecom regulators are considering a new fee on unregistered mobile phones, sparking discussions about digital rights and surveillance, particularly as Starlink makes its debut in the Kingdom. A subtle yet significant shift that could affect access and autonomy in the region.
📩 Looking for fresh ways to tell your story, produce a video, or design a report? Get in touch, and let’s bring your ideas to life!