Democracy is under fire, and Southeast Asian newsrooms are on the front lines. Last November, a critical meeting took place at the Rappler headquarters, bringing together representatives from six prominent Asean newsrooms. The goal? To tackle the persistent challenges that have been battering their operations and revenue streams in recent years.
Editors, often juggling multiple roles, alongside managers responsible for growth marketing, community engagement, and digital product development, spent a day in intense discussions. They sought common ground and explored potential solutions for newsrooms striving to survive in the face of relentless pressure from AI and big tech.
The newsrooms represented included Indonesia's Tempo, Malaysia's Malaysiakini, Myanmar's Mizzima, Cambodia's Kiripost, Singapore's Straits Times, and Rappler. The conversations revolved around the rapidly evolving media landscape, sharing newsroom best practices, and identifying potential areas for collaboration.
And this is where it gets interesting... As a starting point, the editors agreed to...
