What Médianes does

Médianes (legal entity: Association Médianes) is a French non-profit founded in 2020 by Marine Doux, Christelle Perrin, and Baptiste Thevelein, structured around three integrated pillars: a media outlet, a consulting studio, and a European network supporting independent journalism. The organization serves founders, editors, and leadership teams of media outlets ranging from emerging startups to established titles including Le Monde, POLITICO, Le Monde diplomatique, Beaux Arts Magazine, Arrêt sur images, Socialter, Contexte, AOC, and 60 Millions de consommateurs, with more than 100 media organizations supported since inception. Its central proposition is that independent media need integrated support across editorial strategy, design, marketing, technology, management, and funding — not siloed vendor services.

The product portfolio spans Médianes Studio (bespoke consulting across marketing, design, tech, strategy, editorial planning, and management); Médianes Media (an editorial publication with articles, the bi-weekly 'Les 10 liens' newsletter, the monthly 'Coulisses,' practical guides or 'fiches pratiques,' and the multi-season 'Chemins' podcast); the Sphera Network (a European coalition of independent media outlets coordinated by Médianes since October 2024, including 444, El Salto, Popaganda, StreetPress, Krytyka Polityczna, and VD News); Socle (a digital-independence product launched January 2026, built on Ghost CMS infrastructure); the Club de Médianes (a paid membership community launched July 2025); the Programme Médianes (a multi-month collective accompaniment program with three completed cohorts of ~10 projects each); and the published book 'Créer un média' (sold via boutique.medianes.org). The underlying technology stack is intentionally pragmatic — Ghost CMS for publishing, Brevo and Mailchimp for email, Figma and Canva for design — reflecting a consultancy-and-content posture rather than a software-vendor posture.

Médianes generates revenue through four streams: adjustable project-based Studio consulting, recurring Club subscriptions, one-time book sales, and Qualiopi-certified training engagements that can be financed through French professional training funds, with additional support from local, national, and European grant applications. The organization is headquartered at 35 rue Chanzy, 75011 Paris, with a secondary presence in Rennes, and has expanded its operational scope to a European footprint via the Sphera Network and the annual Sphera Media Lab in Brussels. All published written content is released under a CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 FR license, reflecting the non-profit, community-oriented orientation of the enterprise.

Name

Médianes

Legal name

Association Médianes

Website

https://medianes.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Médianes is a French non-profit association supporting independent media through consulting services, editorial publishing, and cross-border collaboration. Founded in 2020, it operates a strategy/design/tech studio, publishes industry resources, and coordinates the Sphera Network across Europe.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Paris

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Studio consulting services: Bespoke professional services in marketing, design, tech, strategy, editorial planning, and management offered to media organizations. Pricing is adjustable based on project nature and available resources.
2. Membership (Club): Médianes Club provides a community space for mutualization and mutual aid among independent media professionals. Members receive exclusive content and access.
3. Book sales: Sale of the published book 'Créer un média' (Create a Media) - a practical manual for launching independent media.
4. Newsletter / content: Free and premium newsletters including 'Les 10 liens' (10 recommended links) and 'Coulisses'. Some content reserved for members.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Médianes is a French non-profit association that operates as a media, studio, and network for independent media organizations. It delivers bespoke consulting services in design, marketing, technology, strategy, editorial planning, and management to media founders and leaders across France and Europe. It also operates a content platform (articles, newsletters, podcast), a paid membership Club, and coordinates the Sphera Network of European independent media outlets.

Product overview

Médianes is a media, studio, and network organization dedicated to independent media. The company operates three interconnected offerings: (1) Médianes Media - a publication providing articles, newsletters (including 'Les 10 liens'), practical guides, and the 'Chemins' podcast; (2) Médianes Studio - consulting services providing expertise in design, marketing, technology, strategy, and management to media organizations; and (3) Sphera Network - a European network of independent media coordinated by Médianes, with programs including Media Collabs and Sphera Media Lab. Additional products include 'Socle' (digital independence solution), 'Programme Médianes' (accompanyment program for media founders), and the book 'Créer un média'.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Médianes Studio Consulting and advisory services for independent media organizations, providing expertise in design, marketing, technology, strategy, and management. Accompanies founding and managing teams in France and Europe.
• Médianes Media Platform A media platform providing articles, newsletters, practical guides, and podcast content about independent media development, strategy, and industry trends.
• Sphera Network European network of independent media coordinated by Médianes, including 444 (Hungary), El Salto (Spain), Popaganda (Greece), StreetPress (France), Krytyka Polityczna (Poland), and VD News (Italy), facilitating cross-border journalism and impactful content production.
• Socle Digital independence solution enabling media, creators, and organizations to digitize independently, easily, and cost-effectively. Built on Ghost platform infrastructure.
• Programme Médianes Collective accompaniment program for founders of emerging, independent, and engaged media. Multiple editions conducted with jury-based selection process.
• Créer un média (Book) First book published by Médianes — a practical manual for launching independent and engaged media, compiling methodology, advice, and founder case studies.
• Chemins Podcast Médianes' podcast featuring conversations with media founders about practical launching, business models, strategy, and transitioning from journalism to media entrepreneurship.
• Media Collabs Program Eight-month accompaniment program within Sphera Network for independent media and content creators, including individual coaching, in-person trainings in Paris and Brussels, and Sphera Media Lab participation.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 100 media organizations supported since 2020
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers20 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Feature2 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Sphera NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2024Since October 2024, Médianes coordinates Sphera, a European network of independent media outlets (444, El Salto, Popaganda, StreetPress, Krytyka Polityczna, VD News) previously coordinated by Babel International. The network focuses on cross-border journalism, impactful content production, and collective defense of press freedom. Médianes coordinates the network, organizes the annual Sphera Media Lab in Brussels, and runs the Media Collabs program.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves11 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• Lenfest Institute for Journalism: The Lenfest Institute is a Philadelphia-based nonprofit supporting local news sustainability through funding, technology, and innovation programs. Operates as an emerging player with comparable mission and similar programmatic/funding approach to M\u00e9dianes, but with US geographic focus.

Broad incumbents

• Poynter Institute: Poynter Institute is a US-based established journalism training and research organization with broad programs including the International Fact-Checking Network. While operating at significantly larger scale and US-centric focus, it shares M\u00e9dianes' mission of supporting journalism through training and resources.
• Reporters sans fronti\u00e8res (RSF): RSF is a global press freedom organization advocating for journalists and media independence. Notably listed as a M\u00e9dianes client, RSF represents a broader incumbent in the same mission space of supporting independent journalism and press freedom, with a more established global footprint.
• Nieman Foundation for Journalism: The Nieman Foundation for Journalism at Harvard University provides fellowships, training, and resources for journalists. Operates as a broader incumbent in the journalism support space with mission alignment to M\u00e9dianes, though backed by significantly larger institutional resources.
• News/Media Alliance: News/Media Alliance is a US-based trade association representing news publishers on policy and legal matters. Broader incumbent in the media support ecosystem with a wider advocacy mandate and established member-based service model, sharing target member profile with M\u00e9dianes.

Direct peers

• European Journalism Centre: European Journalism Centre is a Netherlands-based foundation that supports journalism across Europe through grants, training, and innovation programs. Shares M\u00e9dianes' European focus on journalism sustainability and operates in a directly comparable mission space of resourcing independent journalism.
• LION Publishers: LION Publishers is a US-based membership organization supporting independent local online news publishers through shared resources, training, and community. Both organizations serve a directly comparable role of helping independent media outlets achieve sustainability - LION focuses on the US while M\u00e9dianes operates in France and Europe.
• Investigative Reporters and Editors (IRE): IRE is a US-based nonprofit membership organization of investigative journalists providing training, resources, and conferences. Both M\u00e9dianes and IRE serve similar roles as mission-driven organizations supporting journalism practice, training, and sustainability through community-based models.
• SPIIL (Syndicat de la presse ind\u00e9pendante d'information en ligne): SPIIL is the French union of independent online news publishers, representing and advocating for independent media in France. Operates in the same French media ecosystem as M\u00e9dianes with a directly comparable target member base and similar mission of strengthening independent journalism.

Regional players

• European Federation of Journalists: The European Federation of Journalists represents journalists' unions across Europe and advocates for press freedom and working conditions. Regional player in European media ecosystem with directly comparable geographic focus but a trade-union rather than consulting-oriented approach.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/medianes_org
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/medianes-org
• Instagraminstagram.com/medianes_org

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Médianes