Reporter ohne Grenzen
Reporter ohne Grenzen is the Berlin-based German section of Reporters sans frontières, founded in 1994, that defends press freedom globally through the annual Press Freedom Index, journalist support and legal advocacy, and donation-funded campaigns.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1994
- HeadquartersBerlin, Germany
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Reporter ohne Grenzen does
Reporter ohne Grenzen is the Berlin-headquartered German section of Reporters sans frontières (RSF), a registered nonprofit association (eingetragener Verein e. V., VR 15012 Nz, AG Berlin Charlottenburg) founded in 1994. The organization defends press freedom worldwide, serving at-risk journalists through emergency assistance, legal advocacy, exile support, and public campaigns, and serves individual supporters, members, and the broader public through information products and engagement platforms. Its primary outputs are research publications - the annual Rangliste der Pressefreiheit (Press Freedom Index) ranking 180 countries, now in its 25th year, and the real-time Barometer der Pressefreiheit tracking journalists killed (18), imprisoned (488), kidnapped (26), and missing (142) - alongside petitions, campaigns, a press distribution list segmented by region, a newsletter, podcast, photo books, the Minecraft-based Uncensored Library for censored journalism, and the annual RSF Press Freedom Prize.
Revenue is generated almost entirely from individual donations, memberships (Vereins- und Fördermitgliedschaft), recurring monthly donations (Dauerspende from 15 Euro), merchandise sales via Spreadshirt, and crowdfunding campaigns such as Social-Kaffee. Payment processing relies on third-party integrations including PayPal, Sofortüberweisung, Micropayment, and Limeflavour, while email delivery runs on CleverReach and web analytics on Piwik PRO hosted on Microsoft Azure Germany. The organization holds official Beraterstatus at the Council of Europe, the UN Human Rights Council, and UNESCO, and maintains a broad coalition of strategic partners including Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, IMS, Deutsche Welle, OSCE, and Netzwerk Recherche.
There is no proprietary technology platform or software product; the digital stack is an engagement and distribution layer, and the website is the primary channel for donations, membership sign-ups, petitions, merchandise, and information dissemination. Customer-facing products are not software-as-a-service but advocacy services, research publications, and engagement platforms; the addressable "customer" base is two-sided - at-risk journalists as beneficiaries, and individual donors/members as the funding base - with no enterprise or grant-anchor customer disclosed.
Reporter ohne Grenzen firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Reporter ohne Grenzen
- Legal name
- Reporter ohne Grenzen e. V.
- Website
- https://reporter-ohne-grenzen.de
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1994
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Reporter ohne Grenzen is the Berlin-based German section of Reporters sans frontières, founded in 1994, that defends press freedom globally through the annual Press Freedom Index, journalist support and legal advocacy, and donation-funded campaigns.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Reporter ohne Grenzen industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Press Freedom Advocacy
- NAICS
- Periodical Publishers (513120), Newspaper Publishers (51311)
- SIC
- Newspapers: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2711), Periodicals: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2721)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Investigative & Nonprofit News Organizations (MPAJADAF)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Media Relations & Press Office Services (MPAAADAI)
Keywords
Where Reporter ohne Grenzen is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Berlin
- HQ country
- Germany
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Reporter ohne Grenzen business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Others, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Donations and Membership: Primary revenue stream from member fees (Vereins- und Fördermitgliedschaft) and one-time or recurring donations (Dauerspende). Supporters can donate monthly starting from 15 Euro and receive merchandise as a thank-you gift.
- Shop Sales: Sale of merchandise including clothing, tote bags, coffee (Social-Kaffee), and photo books through the organization's online shop.
- Crowdfunding Campaigns: Special fundraising campaigns such as 'Social-Kaffee' crowdfunding initiative to generate support for press freedom activities.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Monthly | Recurring donation (Dauerspende) starting at 15 Euro per month |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
Reporter ohne Grenzen product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Reporter ohne Grenzen is the German section of Reporters sans frontières (RSF) and operates as a nonprofit advocacy organization defending press freedom worldwide. Its core activities include publishing the annual Rangliste der Pressefreiheit (Press Freedom Index) covering 180 countries, maintaining the Barometer der Pressefreiheit that tracks journalists killed, imprisoned, kidnapped, and missing, providing emergency and legal support for journalists at risk, conducting political advocacy at European and UN institutions, and running public campaigns and petitions.
Product overview
Reporter ohne Grenzen is a non-governmental organization dedicated to defending and promoting press freedom worldwide. Rather than a unified software product, its offerings consist of advocacy services, research publications, and engagement platforms. Core offerings include the annual Press Freedom Ranking (Rangliste der Pressefreiheit) covering 180 countries and the real-time Press Freedom Barometer tracking journalists at risk. Direct services encompass emergency and legal support for journalists, political advocacy, and campaign/petition tools. Communication products include a newsletter and thematic press distribution list (Presseverteiler). Digital projects include the Uncensored Library—a Minecraft-based virtual library for censored journalism. Revenue-generating activities include merchandise (Social-Kaffee coffee campaign, clothing via Spreadshirt) and membership/donation programs. The organization does not offer a software-as-a-service product but operates its website as an engagement and distribution platform.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Rangliste der Pressefreiheit (Press Freedom Ranking)
- Barometer der Pressefreiheit (Press Freedom Barometer)
- Unterstützung für Journalist*innen (Support for Journalists)
- Politische Arbeit (Political Advocacy)
- Petitionen und Kampagnen (Petitions and Campaigns)
- Uncensored Library
- Social-Kaffee (Social Coffee)
- RSF-Preis für Pressefreiheit (RSF Press Freedom Award)
Quantifiable outcome
- Annual ranking of 180 countries on Press Freedom Index
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Reporter ohne Grenzen
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments1 record
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Reporter ohne Grenzen technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration7 records
Reporter ohne Grenzen partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
25 partnerships are on record, tiered major, core and minor.
- Deutsche WellemajorCo-organizer of Global Media Forum; collaboration on international media development and press freedom advocacy.
- OSZE (OSCE)coreInternational security organization with media freedom mandate; RSF collaborates on impunity and journalist protection issues.
- International Media Support (IMS)majorCollaboration on media support programs and advocacy for journalists in countries like Azerbaijan facing press freedom restrictions.
- Sport for Rights CampaignminorJoint campaign focusing on human rights and press freedom concerns around sporting events in authoritarian countries.
- Deutsche Gesellschaft für die Vereinten Nationen (DGVN)minorGerman UN society; co-organizer of Internet Governance Forum Deutschland addressing digital rights and press freedom online.
- Collaboratory e.V.minorCivic tech organization; partner in Internet Governance Forum for digital policy and press freedom discussions.
- youthpartminorYouth participation organization; partner in Internet Governance Forum for engaging young people in digital policy.
- Salon Karl-Marx-BuchhandlungminorBerlin bookshop; co-host of Sunday matinee events and book presentations on press freedom.
- European ExchangeminorCivil society network for dialogue on European issues including media freedom and propaganda.
- EU-Russia Civil Society ForumminorPlatform for civil society cooperation addressing media freedom issues between EU and Russia.
- n-ost (Netzwerk für Osteuropaberichterstattung)minorNetwork for Eastern European reporting and media freedom advocacy.
- Deutsch-Russischer AustauschminorGerman-Russian exchange organization for civil society dialogue on media and press issues.
- Hertie School of GovernanceminorPolicy university; co-organizer of data protection and right to be forgotten discussion.
- Bundeszentrale für politische BildungminorGerman federal agency for political education; joint event on NSA surveillance.
- Friedrich-Naumann-StiftungmajorLiberal German political foundation co-organizing events and panels on press freedom in Iran and other countries.
- Human Rights WatchmajorJoint press conferences and advocacy work on press freedom and human rights issues, including repression of journalists in Azerbaijan.
- Media in Cooperation and Transition (MiCT)minorInternational media development organization; joint press conferences on media freedom in conflict regions like South Sudan.
- Digitalcourage e.V.minorDigital rights organization; co-campaign calling on German government to hold surveillance firms accountable.
- European Center for Constitutional and European Rights (ECCHR)minorLegal organization; joint campaign on surveillance firm accountability.
- Wau Holland StiftungminorGerman hacker foundation; joint panel discussion on NSA surveillance consequences.
- Amnesty InternationalmajorMajor international human rights organization; joint actions including BNÜberwachung press conferences and panel discussions.
- Europarat (Council of Europe)coreReporter ohne Grenzen holds official consultative status (Beraterstatus) with the Council of Europe, enabling direct advocacy at European institutional level for press freedom protections.
- Vereinte Nationen / UN MenschenrechtsratcoreConsultative status with the UN Human Rights Council allows RSF to participate in international human rights mechanisms and submit reports on press freedom violations.
- UNESCOcoreOfficial consultative partner status with UNESCO for promotion and protection of press freedom and freedom of information globally.
- Netzwerk RecherchemajorGerman network of investigative journalists; annual conferences and professional development for journalism.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Reporter ohne Grenzen competitors and assessment
Company assessmentEmerging players
- Access Now: International digital rights NGO defending online free expression and opposing internet censorship. Comparable in the digital press-freedom and surveillance-policy advocacy space where RSF increasingly operates.
- PEN International: Global literary and free-expression organization running the Writers in Prison Committee and advocacy campaigns. Overlaps with RSF on free-expression cases for journalists and writers, particularly in authoritarian contexts.
Broad incumbents
- Human Rights Watch: Global human rights research and advocacy organization with significant press-freedom work. Overlaps with RSF on cases like Azerbaijan and on country reporting, but covers a much wider rights portfolio.
- Amnesty International: Largest global human rights NGO with a press-freedom portfolio inside a broader mandate. RSF has formal joint-campaign partnerships with Amnesty (e.g., surveillance accountability) but Amnesty is a broad incumbent rather than a focused competitor.
Direct peers
- ARTICLE 19: London-headquartered NGO focused on freedom of expression and information globally. Comparable in legal advocacy, country monitoring, and policy work on surveillance and free speech issues overlapping with RSF's mandate.
- Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ): New York-based nonprofit that documents press freedom violations, advocates for jailed journalists, and publishes an annual Impunity Index. Directly comparable in advocacy, research publications, and emergency-assistance mandate.
- International Press Institute (IPI): Vienna-based global press freedom network of editors, publishers, and journalists. Comparable in press freedom monitoring, advocacy, and journalist-safety initiatives, with overlap on European institutional access.
- International Federation of Journalists (IFJ): Brussels-headquartered global federation of journalists' unions. Comparable in journalist safety programs, press freedom advocacy, and emergency support for media workers, though operating through union membership rather than individual donors.
- Index on Censorship: UK-based nonprofit that publishes a quarterly magazine documenting free-expression violations and runs advocacy programs. Directly comparable as a publishing and advocacy NGO with similar content products and country monitoring.
- Reporters sans frontières (RSF): Parent international organization headquartered in Paris that founded the press-freedom NGO movement in 1985. Reporter ohne Grenzen is the German national section of RSF, sharing mission, methodology, and global advocacy priorities.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Reporter ohne Grenzen social profiles
Digital presenceReporter ohne Grenzen compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance4 records
Reporter ohne Grenzen financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Reporter ohne Grenzen leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles7 records
Reporter ohne Grenzen funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Reporter ohne Grenzen 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 Reporter ohne Grenzen
What does Reporter ohne Grenzen do?
Reporter ohne Grenzen is the German section of Reporters sans frontières (RSF) and operates as a nonprofit advocacy organization defending press freedom worldwide. Its core activities include publishing the annual Rangliste der Pressefreiheit (Press Freedom Index) covering 180 countries, maintaining the Barometer der Pressefreiheit that tracks journalists killed, imprisoned, kidnapped, and missing, providing emergency and legal support for journalists at risk, conducting political advocacy at European and UN institutions, and running public campaigns and petitions.
Is Reporter ohne Grenzen a public or private company?
Reporter ohne Grenzen is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Reporter ohne Grenzen founded?
Reporter ohne Grenzen was founded in 1994. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Reporter ohne Grenzen based?
Reporter ohne Grenzen is headquartered in Berlin, Germany, in the Europe region.
How does Reporter ohne Grenzen make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Donations and Membership is the primary driver. The others are shop Sales and crowdfunding Campaigns.
Who are Reporter ohne Grenzen's main competitors?
Emerging players on record are Access Now and PEN International. Broad incumbents are Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International. Direct peers are ARTICLE 19, Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), International Press Institute (IPI), International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), Index on Censorship and Reporters sans frontières (RSF).
Does Reporter ohne Grenzen have an API?
No public API is recorded for Reporter ohne Grenzen.
What industry is Reporter ohne Grenzen in?
Reporter ohne Grenzen's product category is Press Freedom Advocacy. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAJADAF, Investigative & Nonprofit News Organizations, with a secondary code of MPAAADAI, Media Relations & Press Office Services. Its NAICS code is 513120 and its SIC code is 2711.