The project will benefit individuals living in regions where media pluralism is under threat due to private monopolies, offering them an independent source of local news and information.
The Independent Media Portal, along with its editorial content, will offer a unique service: a manual, journalist-led content curation process that prioritises public interest topics, diverse viewpoints, in-depth analysis, and under-reported stories.
In an internet ecosystem dominated by algorithms—where quality is no longer a criterion for content recommendation—this platform aims to take a radically different approach: an alternative to Google News, offering a qualitative news aggregation tool dedicated to independent media, funded entirely by user donations.
The platform will offer:
- An overview of 80 rigorous French independent media outlets and 200 international sources
- Article summaries, thematic dossiers, and editorial press reviews offering deeper insights into complex topics
- Customisable filters to search articles by theme and location
- A manual, journalist-led content selection process prioritising originality, editorial quality, rigour, and public interest
Basta! is a free-access, French digital media outlet (pure player) founded in 2008, dedicated to covering ecological and social issues. It is best known for its long-form investigative articles on topics of public interest such as working conditions, public services, police violence, corporate lobbying, industrial agriculture, and public health.
Published by the non-profit organisation Alter-médias, Basta! generates 85% of its revenue from 5,000 donors annually. Although based in Montreuil (a suburb of Paris), the newsroom operates in a decentralised way, with permanent and freelance journalists based across several regions of France, particularly in medium-sized cities and rural areas.
Goals (Expected) of the Project
The current state of political and public discourse in France is a serious concern for those who believe in rigorous and ethical journalism. Disinformation has spread from social media platforms to private television and radio channels—and even into once-respected newsrooms. Far-right parties continue to grow in this environment, promoting false narratives (such as an immigration "flood" or the "disappearance of masculinity") as facts, often without adequate challenge from traditional media—many of which are now owned by billionaires openly aligned with far-right leaders.
This project seeks to foster a strong and trustworthy media environment—one capable of delivering alternative narratives based on facts, science, field reporting, and high-quality investigative journalism. It will reach individuals currently unaware of the rich ecosystem of independent media that exists.
The challenge is to create a simple, engaging, user-friendly, and paywall-free service that encourages people to change their information habits—bringing quality independent journalism directly to them.
Top Goals of the Project
- Break existing “information bubbles” rather than create new ones
- Empower the public to make more informed media choices
- Provide a safe, fake-news-free, and trustworthy platform—free from hate speech, invasive advertising, and tracking
- Highlight the diversity, originality, and depth of independent media content
