Building Chayka’s capacity in the domains of local journalism and commercial sustainability

Chayka is the sole independent Russian-language news source in Daugavpils, a largely Russian-speaking city near Latvia’s border with Belarus. It has become a trusted go-to place for the city’s residents, who often feel disconnected from decision-makers in Riga, while also covering sensitive issues – like LGBT+ rights and Russia’s war in Ukraine – that other outlets ignore or distort. Chayka will embark on two complementary projects: 

• Harnessing Chayka’s storytelling skills to launch a profitable creative studio, delivering native advertising and creative assets to clients across Latvia, diversifying Chayka’s revenues and supporting the outlet’s journalistic activities; 
• Expanding news coverage into the wider Latgale region, an area underserved by both national and local media.

Target group

Chayka serves a population that often reports feeling disconnected from the central government and the rest of Latvia. In polling, Russian-speakers (96% of whom consume news in Russian, and who make up around 80% of Latgale have also expressed high levels of distrust in independent media, with a significant percentage either trusting Kremlin-aligned outlets more, or trusting neither Kremlin-aligned nor independent outlets.

Goals of the project

The project aims to augment access to distinctive content for Russian-speaking audiences in Latgale and across Latvia. This content will concentrate on the region's culture, history, language, and travel, addressing the current deficiency in the media landscape. By delivering relevant, timely, and engaging news stories, we intend to nurture more informed communities in Latgale. Our efforts will also serve to give the Latgale communities a national platform for their voices, easing their feelings of disconnection from the rest of Latvia and decision-making processes.

Further, the project targets the establishment of a profitable creative studio to diversify Chayka's revenue sources. This step will not only bolster Chayka's business model but also ensure its long-term commercial sustainability. With the generation of higher revenues, we plan to invest further in supporting and expanding Chayka's independent, Russian-language content about Daugavpils and Latgale, equipping audiences with essential information and diverse perspectives.

About the media outlet

Chayka, legally known as CHAYKA.LV and operating under the business name DAmedia, is a non-profit society (Biedrība) registered in Daugavpils, Latvia. Founded on December 11, 2018, Chayka stands as the only independent Russian-language news source in Daugavpils, a city predominantly populated by Russian speakers and located near Latvia's border with Belarus.

Over the years, Chayka has gained the trust of the local community, serving as a crucial bridge between the residents and decision-makers in Riga. Known for its objective coverage, Chayka does not shy away from addressing sensitive issues like LGBT+ rights and Russia's war in Ukraine, topics that other outlets often overlook or misrepresent.