Why audience validation is only the beginning of building sustainable, impactful media projects Media innovation rarely starts with numbers or business plans. It begins with a feeling that something important is missing—and with people who care enough to try to fix it. During the latest Validation Booster cycle, I worked with several media teams that carried that kind of motivation. Among them, two stood
Article Archive: December 2025
Facing donor withdrawal and rapid AI disruption, independent outlets explore fresh strategies for sustainability at Thomson Foundation’s regional masterclasses Since the beginning of 2025, independent media in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) and the Western Balkans (WB) have been facing financial challenges that demand a fresh approach to sustainability. The withdraw of the USAID earlier this year has triggered a shift in the landscape
How an award-winning investigation exposed the hidden realities of Albania’s women-led garment workforce The story uncovering the exploitation of women in Albania’s garment factories secured the Citizens’s team third prize at the EU Investigative Journalism Awards 2025. Their investigation brought long-overdue attention to the urgent and often-overlooked social and economic challenges faced by thousands of women across the country. For years, journalist Erisa Kryeziu