24.HU is one of Hungary’s largest independent news portals, reaching hundreds of thousands of readers daily with high-quality public-interest journalism. As part of Central Médiacsoport, Hungary’s largest stand-alone independent media company, 24.hu operates in a complex media environment where advertising markets are heavily distorted and independent outlets face significant political and structural pressure.
Against this backdrop, 24.HU has taken an ambitious step to diversify its business model, build resilience, and ensure long-term independence: the creation and scaling of 24 Extra, its membership and subscription programme.
The 24 Extra Distribution Project aimed to expand 24.hu’s subscription model by integrating a sophisticated ticketing and event-registration system within the existing REMP environment, establishing a scalable multi-tier membership programme, and offering exclusive content, services, and events for loyal readers. The project also included a structured internship program to support the production of premium journalism, ensuring both quality content and the development of emerging talent.
The project aimed to deepen audience relationships, diversify revenue streams, and strengthen long-term sustainability in a market where relying solely on advertising is no longer viable.
Before this project, 24.hu had already taken major steps toward introducing paid content and had launched an early version of the membership concept.
However, the technical infrastructure was incomplete (especially the event-ticketing and registration module), the editorial team had limited experience operating a subscription model, site depended heavily on advertising revenue, and there was no integrated system for selling, managing, and analysing events—an increasingly important part of the value proposition.
Despite these constraints, the outlet had a strong foundation of readers and a growing pool of registered users.
The 24.hu team worked diligently toward all targets, continuously learning, experimenting, adapting and overcoming several challenges as needed.
24.hu needed to transform its business model, moving away from a large-reach, advertising-driven approach toward a value-focused, user-supported strategy. This shift required a long-term commitment to generating revenue through subscriptions, prioritizing reader loyalty over sheer scale, and investing heavily in audience analytics and user experience to better understand and serve their members.
At the staff level, journalists and editors adapted by creating content packages specifically tailored for subscribers. These offerings included premium analysis, in-depth interviews and series, and experiences tied to events, all designed to provide added value for members and foster deeper engagement with the publication.
The project also emphasized capacity building across the organization. Teams strengthened their skills in subscription product development, audience segmentation, and user analytics, while gaining experience in planning and executing events. Editorial and technical teams learned to coordinate more closely, integrating workflows to ensure a seamless experience for both staff and readers.
The ticketing module proved to be the most complex aspect of the project. Challenges arose from internal developer team changes, miscommunication within the organization, misalignment with the external supplier, and an underestimation of the complexity involved in integrating REMP modules. Despite these difficulties, persistent coordination, clearer communication channels, and continuous problem-solving allowed the team to successfully integrate the system.
As the audience grew rapidly, the demand for events—such as live podcasts, editorial meetups, and exclusive talks—quickly outpaced expectations. To celebrate the first anniversary of the 24 Extra membership program, the team hosted live podcast events that drew scores of loyal readers to packed, fully booked venues. The new ticketing module became essential in managing registrations, payments, audience data, and ongoing communication, providing a unified, scalable workflow to support events as a core membership benefit.
Managing membership growth to over 10,000 members in a single year required significant adaptations. Editorial workflows were adjusted, support and communication capacity expanded, and a wider variety of member benefits were offered. The team also focused on improving personalization and service quality, ensuring that the rapidly growing membership base received a high-value, engaging experience.
Despite facing numerous challenges, the system proved resilient, and the team adapted quickly to personnel changes. Their dedication and hard work translated into tangible results, demonstrating both operational agility and commitment to the organisation’s goals.
Membership growth marked a major milestone for 24 Extra, expanding by over 200% in just twelve months. This rapid increase not only validates the subscription model but also signals growing reader trust, loyalty, and willingness to pay for high-quality journalism.
Complementing this growth, live events became a flagship feature of the membership experience in 2025, with six fully booked gatherings, including live podcast recordings and journalist-led discussions, solidifying events as a core value proposition.
Technical integration of the REMP ticketing module was achieved despite operational and development hurdles, creating centralised subscriber databases, automated service packaging, and data-driven marketing workflows. These improvements lay the groundwork for scalable growth and smarter retention strategies.
Coupled with the relaunch of the internship program, which brings fresh perspectives and nurtures young talent, the organisation has strengthened both its editorial and organisational capacity. Together, these developments support a more sustainable, independent business model in Hungary’s challenging advertising landscape.