The International Journalism Festival in Perugia, Italy, gathered over 2,000 journalists last week, unveiling two critical strategies for the industry's future: live journalism events and nonprofit newsroom models. These approaches are gaining traction as traditional media contracts under economic pressure.
Madrid-based Diario Vivo puts journalists and ordinary citizens on stage to share unrecorded personal stories. Founder Vanessa Rousselot told the festival: 'The format makes people laugh and cry, restoring trust between journalists and the public.' The group started with 100 attendees in 2017; now it sells out 1,000-seat venues, with over 25,000 people attending shows across multiple cities.
German nonprofit Correctiv transforms investigations into theater performed by professional actors. Editor in chief Jean Peters explained: 'We're building a network of 50+ theaters across Europe to distribute journalistic productions.' Publisher David Schraven estimated that each two-hour performance is 'equivalent to 3.6 million seconds on TikTok, but with much bigger impact.'
These projects revive the live journalism movement pioneered by Pop-Up Magazine (2009–2023). Background: The industry faces declining revenue and AI disruption, making human connection a key differentiator.
Live Journalism as Trust-Builder
Rousselot emphasized that live events fill a void: 'Audiences crave authenticity. When nothing is recorded, the moment is pure.' Correctiv's approach reaches new audiences who may avoid traditional news, according to Peters.
'Theater gives investigation an emotional weight that text alone can't match.' — Jean Peters, Correctiv editor in chief
Nonprofit newsrooms are also demonstrating sustainability. ProPublica has 90,000 individual donors and partners with over 300 publishers, including The New York Times and NPR. It is now launching a Local Reporting Network.
Nonprofit Newsrooms: A Thriving Model
The 19th News raised a $30 million endowment in six months. Founder Emily Ramshaw cold-emailed 100 wealthy individuals weekly, targeting women's rights donors. 'My $75 Instagram verification and $1,000 LinkedIn Pro were my best investments for donor cultivation,' she joked. She aims for $100–200 million total.
The Center for Investigative Reporting merged with Mother Jones to expand from documentary film into broader investigative work. Such mergers reduce overhead and broaden reach.
Background: A Sector in Crisis
Thousands of journalism jobs have been cut globally in 2025. AI now performs entry-level tasks like writing briefs, forcing newsrooms to rethink training. The festival panel on which I participated focused on how journalism education must evolve when AI does routine work.
What This Means
These strategies offer a dual path: live human storytelling rebuilds trust, while nonprofit models ensure financial independence from advertisers and billionaires. The industry can shrink but become more resilient and inventive. As one attendee noted, 'The future isn't in algorithms; it's in communities.'
For more, explore the International Journalism Festival and live journalism resources.