Several French publications are coming together under a new co-operative organisation, Coop-médias, to deepen collaboration and access funding.
Launched on 9 October, the project aims to support independent media and is backed by the French national federation of worker co-ops, CG Scop, which sees it as an opportunity to strengthen press freedom and encourage democratic and sustainable economic models in the media industry.
Members include Blast, Streetpress, Vert, Reporterre, Alternatives économique, Liberación, Le Média and Basta!, all left-leaning publications. Coop-médias has set a target to raise €3-4m by September 2025, with a long-term desire to have €15 to 20m in funds to guarantee the independence of its members, enabling them to resist the economic pressures of large groups.
The new organisation will also perform lobbying and awareness-raising duties on behalf of its members. CG Scop has allocated an initial €10,000 grant to the project, to get it off the ground and help founding members recruit people with the right skills to run it. The apex will also provide Coop-média’s access to its network of co-ops and its expertise in co-operatives and fundraising.
Coop-médias will be set up as collective interest cooperative society (Scic), a type of multi-stakeholder co-op. Members will include publications, individual citizens and SMEs wishing to support the project. The publications joining Coop-médias will benefit from collective funding and a common identity.
“Media outlets such as Politis, Fracas Magazine and Alternatives Économiques, to name but a few, are structured as SCOPs,” said Fatima Bellaredj, general delegate of the CG Scop. “What could be more logical than to support these media outlets in an innovative, neutral and independent way through a collaborative platform in the form of a SCIC designed to develop them sustainably?
“The circle is complete! We had to think about it. True to our values of citizen economy and democracy, we were convinced by the Coop-médias team because the media sector is fragile and needs more sustainable models to promote plurality and freedom of the press in our country.”
Jacques Landriot, president of the CG Scop, added: “By supporting Coop-médias, we affirm our commitment to a free and independent press but also to a model of democratic governance. This innovative project contributes to the promotion of economic models that strengthen democracy and diversity of opinions in France.”
Lucie Anizon and Robin Saxod, founders of Coop-médias, said: “We are delighted that the CG Scop has joined our vision. Implementing emerging models is not an easy thing, and we are grateful for the financial contribution of the CG Scop, as well as the support of its network of companies and its multiple resources to amplify this initiative which is just beginning and which represents a real promise for the future of press independence in France.”
