media co-op
media co-op is a Glasgow-based, women-led workers' cooperative founded in 2004 that produces award-winning film, animation, podcasts, graphic design, and branding for the public sector, charities, social enterprises, and cooperatives, using a participatory co-production methodology focused on social justice and climate justice.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2004
- HeadquartersGlasgow, United Kingdom
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What media co-op does
media co-op (legally Social Change Productions, Company No. 277277) is a not-for-profit, women-led workers' cooperative founded in 2004 in Glasgow, Scotland, providing award-winning media production services to the public sector, charities, social enterprises, and cooperatives. The company operates as a democratic, worker-owned business with equal salaries across all roles and no outside shareholders, distinguishing it from conventional commercial agencies. Core offerings span four interconnected service areas: Film and Podcasts (documentary production), Animation (campaign and training content), Digital and Design (websites, branding, graphic design), and Co-production (participatory media methodology where community members actively shape the creative output). Since 2004 the company has refined a co-production methodology that enables people with lived experience of social issues to participate meaningfully in media production, often in sensitive subject areas including domestic abuse, learning disabilities, refugee experiences, and stalking.
The business model is project-based professional services with quote-based pricing that is not publicly disclosed. Revenue derives from bespoke media commissions for UK public sector bodies (NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, Scottish Government, local authorities), Scottish and UK charities (Rape Crisis Scotland, Scottish Refugee Council, MND Scotland, Girlguiding Scotland), universities (University of Glasgow, Glasgow Caledonian University), and cooperatives. The company has also extended into standalone digital products, notably the FollowItApp for stalking victim-survivors (co-designed with Rape Crisis Scotland) and the STEP Learning App for children from travelling families, alongside Mobile Journalism (MoJo) training workshops. Underlying technology is conventional media production tooling for film, animation, podcast, and graphic design workflows, with no disclosed AI/ML components; the core differentiator is the human-centered co-production process rather than proprietary technology.
Go-to-market is community-led, relying on reputation, word-of-mouth within the social sector, membership in cooperative networks (Co-ops UK, Social Enterprise Scotland, Workers.coop, CoTech), and the marketing value of award recognition (Royal Television Society, BAFTA Scotland, Amnesty International Media Award, Chicago International Film Festival). The visible core team numbers 7 with stated headcount of 11-50, and the company relocated to Glasgow Collective in July 2025. The cooperative's reach is evidenced by content virality including 1.3 million YouTube views for the Courage refugee film and 360,000+ views for the I Just Froze campaign, which function as both mission impact and inbound marketing channels.
media co-op firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- media co-op
- Legal name
- Social Change Productions
- Website
- https://mediaco-op.net
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2004
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- media co-op is a Glasgow-based, women-led workers' cooperative founded in 2004 that produces award-winning film, animation, podcasts, graphic design, and branding for the public sector, charities, social enterprises, and cooperatives, using a participatory co-production methodology focused on social justice and climate justice.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
media co-op industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Media Production Services
- NAICS
- Motion Picture and Video Industries (5121), Independent Artists, Writers, and Performers (71151)
- SIC
- Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Production (7812), Services-Allied To Motion Picture Production (7819)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Branded Documentary / Nonfiction (Corporate & NGO) (MPADADAK)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Media Localization Operations & Fulfillment (Packaging, Naming, File Prep, Delivery) (MPAHAFAI), Media Arts & Film/Photography Nonprofits (BPAGAHAJ)
Keywords
Where media co-op is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Glasgow
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
media co-op business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Professional Media Production Services: Project-based media production services including film, animation, podcasts, graphic design, and branding for social justice causes. Works with public sector, charities, social enterprises and cooperatives on bespoke media projects.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels5 records
media co-op product offering
Product offeringCore offering
media co-op is a workers' cooperative that produces documentary film, animation, podcasts, graphic design, and branding for public sector, charities, social enterprises and cooperatives. Core services are delivered through a participatory co-production methodology that has been their specialism since 2004. Standalone digital products include the FollowItApp for stalking victim-survivors and the STEP learning app for travelling families.
Product overview
media co-op is a not-for-profit women-led workers' co-operative providing award-winning media production services since 2004. Their core offerings consist of four interconnected service areas: Film + Podcasts (documentary production), Animation, Digital + Design (websites and branding), and Co-production (participatory media creation). The company also develops standalone digital products including the FollowItApp for stalking victim-survivors and the STEP learning app for travelling families. Services are delivered primarily to the public sector, charities, social enterprises, and co-operatives with a focus on social justice and climate justice themes.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Film + Podcasts Documentary film production and podcast creation services focused on social justice, climate justice, and community storytelling themes, delivered to public sector, charities, social enterprises and cooperatives.
- Animation Animated content creation for awareness campaigns, training materials, and educational purposes, often produced in multiple languages and accessible formats, for public sector and charity clients.
- Digital + Design Website design, branding, graphic design and digital content creation services for public sector and charity clients.
- Co-production Participatory media production methodology where community members actively contribute to and lead the creative process, used since 2004 with diverse communities across social justice, healthcare, and education projects.
- FollowItApp Mobile app for victim-survivors of stalking to securely record incidents over time, created with Rape Crisis Scotland and Scottish Women's Rights Centre through participatory co-design.
- STEP Learning App Free iOS learning app designed for children from travelling families to support home learning with tools for planning, writing, drawing, photographing, and teacher communication.
- Brand Development Complete branding packages including logo design, visual identity, illustration libraries and brand guidelines for charities and public sector organisations.
- Accessibility Services Making films and media accessible through BSL, subtitles, language versioning (dubbing or subtitling), and audio-description for diverse audiences including deaf and hard-of-hearing viewers and speakers of other languages.
- MoJo Training Mobile journalism (MoJo) skills training workshops teaching participants to shoot and edit professional-quality videos on mobile devices.
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 245,000 online views for Trauma and the Brain animation - now used globally from US Judges to Canadian Mounties
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use media co-op
Customer profileNamed customers16 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
media co-op technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature2 records
media co-op partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Co-ops UKcoreActive membership in Co-ops UK cooperative network. Shortlisted as Co-ops UK Co-operative of the Year, demonstrating active participation in the cooperative movement.
- Social Enterprise ScotlandcoreActive membership in Social Enterprise Scotland, supporting the social enterprise community in Scotland.
- Workers.coopcoreMembership in Workers.coop, the organization representing worker cooperatives.
- Living Wage EmployercoreAccredited as a Living Wage Employer, demonstrating commitment to fair pay beyond the government minimum.
- Disability ConfidentcoreDisability Confident employer, committed to hiring and developing disabled people.
- Wellbeing EconomyminorMembership in Wellbeing Economy network, supporting economic models focused on wellbeing and sustainability.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
media co-op competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- BBC Studios: UK public broadcaster's production arm producing factual, documentary, and educational content. Overlaps with media co-op in broadcast-quality documentary production, particularly through BBC's public-service remit.
- Tiger Aspect Productions: UK production company (part of Banijay) producing factual, documentary, and drama content. Comparable in documentary and factual production genre, but at substantially larger scale.
- Wall to Wall Media: UK factual and documentary production company producing observational and factual television. Comparable in documentary production genre, particularly for broadcast and public-service clients.
- STV Studios: Scottish broadcaster and production company producing drama, factual, and entertainment content. Overlaps with media co-op in Scotland-based broadcast and documentary production, but at much larger scale.
Regional players
- Stripe Communications: Edinburgh-based communications and creative agency serving public sector, charity, and corporate clients in Scotland. Comparable regional Scotland focus and client base, though broader in scope (PR, communications, creative).
Direct peers
- Just So Film: UK purpose-driven film production company producing brand, charity, and documentary content for social-impact clients. Comparable in client segment and production style.
- The Edge Picture Company: UK creative content production company producing film, animation, and digital content for brands and organizations. Overlaps with media co-op in film/animation service offering.
- Diva Creative: UK-based creative agency specializing in video, animation, and digital content for charities, public sector, and social enterprises. Closely comparable in mission, client base, and service mix to media co-op.
- Born + Raised: UK creative agency producing film, animation, and digital content with significant work for charities and public-sector clients. Comparable in mission orientation and service mix.
Emerging players
- Junction 18: UK-based creative production agency producing film, animation, and digital content with purpose-led clients. Partial overlap in service offering and values-aligned client base, though typically serving commercial brands.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
media co-op social profiles
Digital presencemedia co-op financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
media co-op leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles7 records
media co-op funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
media co-op M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about media co-op
What does media co-op do?
media co-op is a workers' cooperative that produces documentary film, animation, podcasts, graphic design, and branding for public sector, charities, social enterprises and cooperatives. Core services are delivered through a participatory co-production methodology that has been their specialism since 2004. Standalone digital products include the FollowItApp for stalking victim-survivors and the STEP learning app for travelling families.
Is media co-op a public or private company?
media co-op is a private company. It is classified as management employee owned and is currently operating.
When was media co-op founded?
media co-op was founded in 2004. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is media co-op based?
media co-op is headquartered in Glasgow, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does media co-op make money?
One revenue line is on record: professional Media Production Services.
Who are media co-op's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are BBC Studios, Tiger Aspect Productions, Wall to Wall Media and STV Studios. Stripe Communications is listed as a regional player. Direct peers are Just So Film, The Edge Picture Company, Diva Creative and Born + Raised. Junction 18 is listed as an emerging player.
Does media co-op have an API?
No public API is recorded for media co-op.
What industry is media co-op in?
media co-op's product category is Media Production Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPADADAK, Branded Documentary / Nonfiction (Corporate & NGO), with a secondary code of MPAHAFAI, Media Localization Operations & Fulfillment (Packaging, Naming, File Prep, Delivery). Its NAICS code is 5121 and its SIC code is 7812.