Learning from cooperatives: Key lessons for media viability

How do we build trust and support among our audiences and sustain it? How can we diversify revenue streams without compromising editorial independence? How can democratic decision-making be maintained as a media organization grows and needs to move faster?  

At the 14th edition of Festival Gabo, the most important gathering of journalists in Latin America, DW Akademie created spaces for reflection and discussion on the viability of journalism today. Journalists, founders of independent and community media outlets and media practitioners from across the region, including Colombia, Brazil, Venezuela, Bolivia and Argentina, explored independent journalism approaches. Particular attention was given to media cooperatives. 

“What characterizes cooperative media is their boldness,” said Ernesto Lamas, researcher and community radio pioneer from Argentina. “They aren’t afraid of new technologies or AI, while always remaining aware of the risks. They create media with their own rules, defining their own topics and aesthetics and find deep satisfaction in that editorial freedom.” 

Lamas also gave a preview on an upcoming DW Akademie study, scheduled for publication at the end of 2026. Lamas conducted a series of interviews with representatives of media organizations organized according to cooperative principles — media organizations that operate on a non-profit basis and are oriented toward the public good. They seek to guarantee decent working conditions and employee participation in decision-making, while dedicating significant efforts to building active connections with their communities. 

From TV to loans to funerals 

William Galindo is director of Viboral TV, a local television channel located in a rural community in Colombia. The channel is part of a cooperative that offers various services to its members, including affordable credit, funeral services and internet access.  

According to Gallindo, being a cooperative means operating under strict state oversight and therefore requires highly organized administrative and financial management. The reward for these efforts is strong institutional recognition, which can translate into support from other entities, including financing. 

The cooperative provides stability for the television channel and, according to Gallindo, the community media outlet is also a major asset for the cooperative because it reflects community life: local festivals, football matches and also local politics. Journalists are not afraid to criticize politicians because they do not depend on government funding. Instead, the channel is sustained through member subscriptions. 

Nothing without the community 

For , community is at the center of their work. 

 “92% of our revenue comes from subscriptions. We have a very close relationship with our community, with constant two-way communication,” Rómboli explained.  

Every day, the La Diaria newspaper sends a newsletter to 250,000 people. The newspaper transitioned to a cooperative in 2006 and during this process, received support from the German taz Panter Foundation. The foundation is part of the German newspaper taz – die tageszeitung, a longstanding example of cooperative journalism that emerged from the left-wing social movements of the 1970s in Germany.  

“You don’t just have readers — you have a committed community,” said Gemma Terés Arilla, director of the taz Panter Foundation.  

Agencia Mosquetero brought that relationship to a co-creational level. It is a communications and content agency affiliated with the alternative Colombian media collective El Cuarto Mosquetero, founded as a sustainable model to provide journalistic and creative services to organizations, unions and companies.  

“Our greatest achievement is co-creating content with communities,” said Alejandra Mayorga, editor at El Cuarto Mosquetero. “Media viability requires diversifying revenue streams according to each media outlet’s reality, with editorial independence and transparency as fundamental principles.” 

Tremendous challenges in a volatile environment 

In some countries, bureaucratic barriers make it more difficult to establish a cooperative. Bolivia is one such example and one of the reasons why Muy Waso, a feminist community media platform, chose to establish a foundation instead. Nevertheless, their model is based on collective decision-making, as co-founder Michelle Nogales Cardozo stressed. 

In a world of increasingly rapid change, media organizations must redefine their strategies in order to survive and fulfill their role in society. Cooperative models offer an alternative for those seeking to build media organizations with a social purpose.  

10 key lessons on media cooperatives from Festival Gabo 

1. Sustainability is about more than money

Participants viewed sustainability as not only an economic challenge, but also a social and political one. 

2. Communities can be a crucial source of support 

Strengthening relationships with audiences helps build trust and long-term support. 

3. Revenue diversification and independence can go hand in hand

Cooperative models aim to balance financial viability with editorial autonomy. 

4. There is no single cooperative model

Some media organizations embrace cooperative principles without necessarily adopting a cooperative legal structure. 

5. Legal contexts matter 

National regulations can either facilitate or complicate the creation of cooperatives. 

6. Democratic governance requires effort

Maintaining participatory decision-making becomes more challenging as organizations grow. 

7. Cooperatives can provide stability

The experience of Viboral TV shows how cooperative backing can strengthen the sustainability of community media. 

8. Community support reinforces editorial independence 

Membership and subscriber-based models can reduce reliance on other funding sources. 

9. Audience engagement is a strategic asset

Experiences such as La Diaria demonstrate that involving communities can be a key factor in success. 

10. Cooperative journalism deserves attention

Although it is not the only solution for the media sector, it offers valuable lessons for organizations committed to serving the public good.

Article written by Matthias Kopp, Project Manager, DW Akademie