Maison des journalistes #MDJ

What Maison des journalistes #MDJ does

Maison des journalistes (MDJ) is a Paris-based non-profit association (association déclarée) founded in 2001 that provides temporary shelter, social support, and professional reintegration assistance to journalists forced into exile due to persecution in their home countries. The organization operates 14 individual rooms at its headquarters in the 15th arrondissement of Paris, accommodating approximately 14 resident journalists at a time, with around 20 additional housing requests reported as pending. Its beneficiary base spans exiled journalists from countries including Syria, Turkey, Bahrain, Morocco, Chad, Burundi, Uzbekistan, Iraq, Tunisia, Egypt, and Zimbabwe.

MDJ delivers its mission through four primary programs. L'Œil de la Maison des journalistes is an online editorial platform where resident journalists can publish freely, serving as both a professional outlet and a voice amplification tool. Renvoyé Spécial is a sensitization program in which exiled journalists deliver testimony to high school students, university audiences, and people in correctional or judicial supervision settings across France. Presse 19, launched in November 2014 and named after Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, is a media education and intercultural communication program run with European institutional partners including the University of Turin. A pedagogical kit (Kit pédagogique) provides classroom-ready media literacy resources via a dedicated online portal.

The organization functions as a French association under voluntary membership, funded by institutional grants from the French Ministries of Culture, Justice, and Foreign Affairs; local authorities including Ville de Paris and Région Île-de-France; UNHCR and ICORN network support; and individual/organizational donations. MDJ does not charge beneficiaries for services and operates no commercial revenue streams. Governance is handled by a small staff of approximately 16 individuals under Directrice Darline Cothière, with a four-person leadership team spanning social action, communications, editorial, and directorial functions.

Name

Maison des journalistes #MDJ

Legal name

LA MAISON DES JOURNALISTES

Website

https://maisondesjournalistes.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2001

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Maison des journalistes (MDJ) is a Paris-based non-profit association, founded in 2001, that shelters and supports exiled journalists fleeing persecution, runs the Renvoyé Spécial school and prison sensitization program, and publishes the L'Œil de la MDJ online editorial platform.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Press Freedom Non-Profit Services

NAICS

Human Rights Organizations (813311)

akta.pro primary industry

Refugee, IDP & Migration Humanitarian Assistance (BPAGAAAH)

akta.pro secondary industry

International & Local Implementing NGOs (HLAJAKAD)

Keywords

• Exiled journalist housing
• Press freedom advocacy
• Media literacy education
• Journalist refugee support
• Press freedom sensitization

Headquarters

HQ city

Paris

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Public Support: MDJ operates primarily through public funding, grants from French government ministries (Culture, Justice, Foreign Affairs), local authorities (Ville de Paris, Région Île-de-France), and donations from individuals and organizations.
2. Membership and Voluntary Contributions: As an 'association déclarée' functioning by voluntary membership, MDJ receives contributions from members and supporters.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

MDJ provides temporary housing in 14 individual rooms and social/professional reintegration support to journalists exiled from their home countries due to persecution. The association complements this shelter with educational outreach programs (Renvoyé Spécial, Presse 19) and an online editorial platform (L'Œil de la MDJ) that allows exiled journalists to continue publishing.

Product overview

Maison des journalistes (MDJ) is a non-profit association that supports exiled journalists. Rather than a unified software platform, MDJ operates as a service organization offering multiple complementary programs: (1) L'œil de la Maison des journalistes, an online editorial platform where exiled journalists can publish freely; (2) Presse 19, a media education and fundamental values awareness program conducted with European institutional partners; (3) Renvoyé Spécial, a sensitization outreach program that sends exiled journalists to schools, prisons, and youth facilities to share their testimonies; and (4) direct hosting services providing temporary housing and social support to resident journalists. These programs work together to shelter, empower, and amplify the voices of journalists who have fled persecution in their home countries.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Presse 19: A socio-educational project in media education, awareness of fundamental values, and intercultural communication launched in November 2014, referencing Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
• Renvoyé Spécial
• L'œil de la Maison des journalistes

Products and services

• L'Œil de la Maison des journalistes Online journal where exiled journalists can freely express themselves and continue their professional work during their stay at MDJ.
• Renvoyé Spécial Sensitization program where exiled journalists share their testimonies with young people in schools, universities, and correctional facilities about press freedom and democratic values.
• Presse 19 Socio-educational project in media education, awareness of fundamental values, and intercultural communication, conducted in collaboration with European partners.
• Journalist Hosting and Support Services Temporary housing in 14 individual rooms and social support (legal, administrative, and professional reintegration assistance) for exiled journalists in Paris.

Quantifiable outcome

• 14 journalists housed simultaneously in dedicated accommodation
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

17 partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• École Publique de Journalisme de Tours (EPJT)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 6 December 2024Unique mentorship program pairing MDJ exiled journalists with EPJT Master 2 journalism students. Journalists from Afghanistan, Tunisia, Haiti, Egypt, and Russia supervised student groups, sharing expertise and critical perspective on journalistic projects. Final productions published on EPJT platform and L'Œil de la MDJ.
• École Publique de Journalisme de Tours (EPJT) - Partnership Against DisinformationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024MDJ and EPJT united against disinformation, combining expertise of exiled journalists with journalism school training to develop critical thinking among future journalists.
• Service Pénitentiaire d'Insertion et de Probation de Paris (SPIP)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLaunched in 2018, Renvoyé Spécial SPIP organizes approximately 10 encounters annually with journalists from MDJ addressing people under judicial supervision in open and closed prison settings (Quartier de semi-liberté Paris la Santé and closed facilities).
• UNHCR - Haut Commissariat des Nations unies pour les réfugiésflagshipOthersUNHCR partners with MDJ for refugee protection programs, supporting journalists who have fled persecution in their home countries.
• Ville de Paris - ICORN NetworkflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerMDJ renewed collaboration with Ville de Paris ICORN (International Cities of Refuge Network) for two consecutive years (2017-2019) hosting journalists in post-residency programs. Nazeeha Saeed, Bahraini journalist, was fourth ICORN laureate hosted by Paris.
• CLEMI-Canopé (Ministère de l'Éducation Nationale)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for media education during Semaine de la Presse et des Médias dans l'École, organizing Renvoyé Spécial sessions in schools across France.
• Caffè dei giornalisti (Italy)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerItalian partner for Presse 19 program, collaborating since 2014. Organized events in Turin with University of Turin for media education and press freedom discussions.
• Université de Turin (Italy)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Department of Cultures, Politiques et Sociétés for Presse 19 educational events and seminars on media freedom.
• Direction Territoriale de la Protection Judiciaire de la Jeunesse (DIRPJJ)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with PJJ (Protection Judiciaire de la Jeunesse) for Renvoyé Spécial sessions in youth correctional facilities across multiple territories including Paris, Val d'Oise, Seine-Maritime Eure, and Île-de-France.
• Région Île-de-FrancecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupporting Renvoyé Spécial Île-de-France program, reaching 10 schools across the region with special attention to schools in 'très grande couronne' areas.
• Reporters sans frontières (RSF)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for press freedom advocacy, joint events at Assises du Journalisme 2017 discussing 'Liberté d'expression face aux censures de demain'.
• Ministère de la CultureflagshipOthersFrench government ministry providing operational funding and institutional support for press freedom and journalist protection activities.
• Ministère de la JusticeflagshipOthersFrench Ministry of Justice supporting Renvoyé Spécial prison programs and journalist protection initiatives.
• Ministère des Affaires étrangèresflagshipOthersFrench Ministry of Foreign Affairs supporting international press freedom programs and diplomatic engagement.
• DILCRAH - Délégation Interministérielle à la Lutte Contre le Racisme, l'Antisémitisme et la Haine anti-LGBTcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupporting Renvoyé Spécial Pas-de-Calais program for press freedom and media literacy education.
• Université de New York à ParisminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner for Renvoyé Spécial Événements program, participating in educational initiatives.
• Irex EuropeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational development organization participating in Renvoyé Spécial Événements partnerships.

Scale indicators3 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Others

• ICORN (International Cities of Refuge Network): Network coordinating cities that host persecuted writers and journalists, of which Ville de Paris (and by extension MDJ) is a member. Functions more as an ecosystem and referral partner than a direct operating peer, but it is the structural framework through which MDJ's hosting mission plugs into international refuge infrastructure.

Broad incumbents

• Article 19: Global free-expression advocacy organization named after the same Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights that MDJ's Presse 19 program references. Operates at broader advocacy scale but shares MDJ's human-rights framing of press freedom.
• Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ): Larger global press-freedom organization that documents violations and advocates for persecuted journalists worldwide. CPJ operates a broader advocacy remit than MDJ but overlaps substantively on emergency support and visibility for exiled journalists, and is a primary reference point for funders active in the space.

Direct peers

• Index on Censorship: UK-based organization promoting freedom of expression, with programmes supporting exiled journalists and writers. Directly comparable to MDJ on advocacy for persecuted media professionals and on media-literacy work targeting young audiences.
• Free Press Unlimited: Dutch-based organization supporting journalists worldwide and producing press-freedom education content. Overlaps with MDJ both on supporting exiled journalists and on media-literacy and civic-resilience programming.
• PEN International: Worldwide literary and free-expression organization whose Writers in Prison Committee shelters and advocates for persecuted writers and journalists. Operates an effectively parallel model to MDJ at global scale, including city-based hosting programs that closely mirror MDJ's hosting mission.
• Reporters sans frontières (RSF): Paris-headquartered global press-freedom organization that runs an Assistance desk providing emergency relocation, shelter, and material support to persecuted journalists. Directly comparable to MDJ on the journalist-assistance core activity; both organizations have also partnered on advocacy events such as Assises du Journalisme.
• International Media Support (IMS): Denmark-based non-profit supporting media professionals in crisis zones and exile, combining safety support with media-development and education programming. Closely comparable to MDJ across both the shelter/assistance and the media-literacy missions.
• Rory Peck Trust: UK-based trust providing practical and financial support to freelance journalists, especially those in exile or working in conflict zones. Shares MDJ's narrow focus on persecuted journalists and the practical-reintegration element of the mission.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/MDJournalistes
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC1kpz-TVVQppuRio0hhbuYQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/MaisondesjournalistesMDJ
• Instagraminstagram.com/maisondesjournalistes
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/maison-des-journalistes-mdj

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Maison des journalistes #MDJ