This is especially important in Ukraine, where independent media face major challenges due to war, economic hardship, staff shortages, and a decline in advertising revenue. This new model seeks to create more stable and diverse income streams by turning the audience into active supporters and partners in sustaining independent journalism.
Why did Make Sense decide to focus on this project?
With close connections to its Chernivtsi audience, the “Your Media, Your Voice” project focused on growing the Slovyansk hub and its audience relationships after relocating at the start of the Russian Federation’s full-scale invasion in 2022. “Now we have a situation with war in our region and our city,” Oleksandra Pylypenko, director of media, said. “And people, I think that they feel the value of our work in Slovyansk now.”
How did applying design-thinking principles help?
The first step: understand the audience. Collaborating with mentors on the best ways to reach its audience, Make Sense conducted surveys asking what they value about the media, what information they want, and what types of content they prefer. The project focuses on creating a platform that is human-centered and collaborative.
Make Sense emphasised the importance of maintaining a connection to Slovyansk, especially as many internally displaced people have relocated. “It’s important to save this connection with our city, with our hometown,” Pylypenko said. This effort is part of the group’s diversification strategy to become more independent, reduce reliance on grants and donor support, and develop alternative income sources. Even small amounts help demonstrate value to readers and build connections.
Did Make Sense’s approach change engagement with its audience in any way?
Make Sense developed the platform based on responses from its audience survey. The team began producing more of the content requested by its audience, including coverage of safety in Slovyansk, as well as financial, government, and employment topics. It also added a Q&A section to improve communication and is working to make the platform easier to subscribe to.
What challenges did Make Sense encounter and how did it address them?
Building and designing the platform was fairly straightforward. The biggest challenge has been communicating with the audience and helping them understand why the platform exists and why it is worth supporting, even during a crisis.
Some people wondered why they should contribute to a media outlet when they have so many other urgent needs. The team realised it is important to raise awareness that independent journalism still matters, all the more during wartime. Independent journalism is crucial for maintaining a democratic society, especially in a country defending its freedom.
“Journalism is not separate, it’s a part of the struggle,” said grant manager Natalie Hanzha.
After launching the platform, the team shared updates on their NGO’s website and social media, but the response was limited. To improve communication, a communications manager recently joined to create a clearer strategy for engaging the audience and highlighting the platform’s importance.
How was Make Sense’s project received by its audience?
The platform has received several donations and five subscribers. Some posts have received likes and occasional comments, but overall engagement has not reached the level the team is aiming for. They noted that subscription models are still relatively unfamiliar to their audience, and many people are not used to supporting media through regular contributions.
What insights or lessons did Make Sense gain from this project?
The team learned that thorough preparation before launching the platform is important. They emphasised that the platform must be comfortable and safe for users, especially given the sensitive context, to build trust and encourage participation. They hope the recent addition of a communications manager will help them explain the value of ongoing contributions and build stronger connections with the audience.
What does Make Sense plan on doing next?
The team plans to implement a new communication strategy with the communications manager over the next month. They will focus on writing articles and posts on social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram. Following a mentor’s advice, they are considering offering some free content to allow the audience to experience what they have to offer.
What advice would Make Sense give to other journalists or organisations considering a similar path?
Make Sense points to the importance of investing in audience research for projects like this. The group’s mentors kept emphasising this advice throughout the process, and the team agrees that it’s essential. They said their mentors’ support made all the difference, helping them understand early on just how important it is to study and connect with their audience. That way, they can build a platform that meets their needs and has a better chance of success.
- Long-term Impact:
They have sustained the practice of gathering audience feedback, testing content and communication approaches, and analysing engagement data. These lessons inform another project focused specifically on audience engagement. They are communicating more actively through social media, using simpler and more relatable language, and identifying topics that create a stronger connection with readers. The team understand that developing trust and reader revenue is a long-term process, but the original project helped us identify where this work needed to begin. The team now uses the design-thinking approach when developing new projects and content formats. (30/06/2026)
Credit: Transitions, Journalismfund Europe's partner for implementing the Microgrants for Small Newsrooms programme, produced this case study.
