Dear reader,
Hope you’ve had a good week and we’re happy you’re here. Things have been busy lately, and there’s been a lot going on behind the scenes. We’ve put together all the latest updates for you, so grab a coffee and stick around to see what’s new.
- We released Financial Signal #7, our regular digest of what media company finances reveal about the future of journalism, extracted from ongoing research conducted as part of the Media Influence Matrix project. In this edition we focused on the Slovenian Dnevnik , China-owned Phoenix New Media, Croatia's Hanza Media, the Latvian Delfi, and Romania's Digi Communications .
- “The Architecture of Media Capture: Typologies, Global Patterns, and the Tech Threat” study authored by our director Marius Dragomir, has been reviewed by Laboratorio de Periodismo (FUNDACION LUCA DE TENA). The review, in Spanish, offers a well-argued analysis of the study, highlighting its key case studies and clearly presenting one of its central conclusions: that addressing media capture does not require eliminating public support for journalism, but rather democratizing it.
- We released Secure Internet Observatory Signal #4, May edition. The Signal is designed as an explainer of explainers: a monthly briefing that translates fast-moving developments in quantum technology into clear, actionable intelligence for journalists, editors, and civil society professionals, without assuming a technical background. The Signal is available to members of the Media and Journalism Exchange, MJRC's internal network for journalism and media professionals.
- Marius Dragomir was cited in a new analysis by the German outlet taz , where he cautioned that restoring Hungary’s media landscape after years of political capture will be far more complicated than simply dismantling propaganda. Meaningful change requires reforms across public broadcasting, media regulation, state advertising practices, and the credibility of newsrooms. His key message is that the next six months will reveal whether Péter Magyar truly intends to create independent media institutions, or merely replace one party’s control with another.
- The Media Capture Monitoring reports for Romania, Greece, and Hungary, produced in collaboration with International Press Institute (IPI), were cited in “The Independence of National Regulatory Authorities,” a report published by the European Audiovisual Observatory | Observatoire européen de l'audiovisuel with support from Creative Europe Media (European Commission) and the Council of Europe.
- We continued our series of audio briefings on Spotify, building on the study by Marius Dragomir that explores how to define a typology of media capture. This week, the focus was on Russia, where the Kremlin, in the years following 1989, developed a model that would later be replicated in other parts of the world. While this original playbook has evolved over time, it remains a useful blueprint for understanding how media capture takes shape and adapts across different contexts.
- A new interview by our colleague Robert Nemeth with Stephanie Reuter of the Rudolf Augstein Stiftung takes a closer look at how the foundation is supporting journalism in a rapidly changing landscape. From backing exiled journalists to investing in local news initiatives, the conversation highlights an evolving approach to strengthening independent media. The article is featured in the latest Journalism Funders Forum newsletter, curated by our centre, Media and Journalism Research Center at Philea - Philanthropy Europe Association.
- Damian Radcliffe has just published the 2025 edition of his annual Social Media in the Middle East and North Africa report. Running since 2012, the series has become one of the longest-standing annual analyses of social and digital media trends across the Arab world.
As we close this week's newsletter we invite all of you to join us on our Media and Journalism Exchange, the place to exchange information, tips and collaboration opportunities. Sign in with the QR code below or click here to join: https://journalismresearch.org/join.
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