The independent news publication received a £30k digital innovation boost seven years ago, but the pandemic, steep production overheads and a cost-of-living crisis meant it now seeks £150k to stay in business
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After more than 50 years as a leading voice in 'global justice journalism', telling stories that mainstream media ignores, The New Internationalist navigates its own crisis.
The 4,600 reader-owned co-operative has launched an emergency crowdfunding campaign to raise £150,000 by 7 July, warning that its next issue could be its last if the target is not met.
The campaign, ‘Save NI: More than a magazine’, comes as the publication grapples with soaring production costs and a cost-of-living squeeze on its readers.
The New Internationalist is roughly halfway through the 40-day campaign but still needs to raise around two thirds (£97,000) of its target. The pressure is on as the campaign enters its final weeks.
More stark is the situation when considering that The New Internationalist was selected as one of the grantees of the Nesta Future News Fund seven years ago — a government-backed innovation scheme born out of the Cairncross Review into the future of journalism.
Jacob Granger
The fund aimed to help news organisations develop new ways to engage audiences and build sustainable business models. The New Internationalist’s "Bridging The Gap" project, which was focused on making its in-depth reporting more accessible and community-driven, was awarded £30,000.
And it delivered. The objective of the pilot project was a specific edition of the magazine exploring air pollution and climate justice, with some of the stories also appearing online.
The team also tested a community-funded subscription model, which allowed regular readers to sponsor subscriptions for local groups and activists who could not otherwise afford them.
The Future News Pilot Fund was disrupted by a global pandemic shortly after its launch, and although the news publication adapted those projects to lockdown conditions, it was ultimately cut off from its most powerful subscription conversion routes: face-to-face conversations with would-be readers at festivals, conferences and on university campuses. This revenue has since been restored, but has not returned to pre-pandemic levels.
News Club events (monthly meet-ups) and solidarity funds (donations that go towards groups unable to afford subscriptions) came out of the Future News Fund but provide limited revenue.
Inflation and the arrival of generative AI have further disrupted journalism since 2019, and co-editor Amy Hall observed that many other Nesta grantees have rebranded, restructured or have gone out of operation entirely.
"One-off grants are not going to be what sustains journalism, although they can help. And for many, they are not going to be a magic bullet to fix the sustainability issue, particularly when it involves additional project work on top of the day-to-day journalism," she explains.
If the current crowdfunding campaign succeeds, Hall says the funds will be used to stabilise the organisation and invest in its future:
"Like most media organisations in the 21st century, we are still going to have to turn to our readers for support in future. Being reader-powered protects our independence. What has always seen us through is our readers," says Hall.
"We have 4,600 co-owners who have bought community shares, we have others who donate regularly, as well as thousands of loyal subscribers.
"Since the Nesta project, we have strengthened our democracy, including through work with our Common Council of co-owners who offer critical friendship to NI, but we want to continue to bring our readers and supporters closer to us in the coming years."
Keep tabs on the £150k crowdfunder as it runs until 7 July 2026
