A new climateXchange (cXc) report, Making Climate Pay: Southeast Asia, offers ideas for sustainable climate journalism and news products. Each idea is audience-driven, monetisable, cross-platform, and climate-conscious. The report also suggests revenue and funding strategies for climate journalism.
Born from the discussions at the cXc knowledge eXchange Southeast Asia in October 2023, the report highlights three prototypes for newsrooms to explore. Developed using a cXc proprietary tool—the Sustainable Climate Journalism Business Model Canvas— the prototypes seek to help news organisations develop strategic and climate-conscious news products collaboratively.
Bridging news and innovation: three Southeast Asian climate editorial prototypes
- Save the Dish: A culinary journey uncovering endangered recipes, showcasing the interconnectedness of climate, food, wellbeing, and travel.
- Book for the Future: A platform for young voices to share their climate change observations, fostering a blend of local insight and youthful perspective.
- Pitch for the Planet: A competition connecting green innovators with investors, highlighting sustainable solutions through an engaging, entertainment format.
“These prototypes, stemming from deep conversations with Southeast Asian newsrooms, represent crucial steps toward amplifying the impact of climate journalism. They’re not just innovative solutions but essential tools in engaging communities and driving environmental action. By closely aligning with the region’s specific needs, we aim to transform how climate stories are told and heard, making a lasting difference.” Dr. Carmen Nicoara, Impact Manager, cXc.
DOWNLOAD: cXc Report Making Climate Pay
Four principles for sustainable news products
At the heart of each prototype lie four core principles essential for the future of news products: being audience-driven, monetisable, cross-platform, and climate-conscious. These principles guide the development of content that resonates and engages and ensure that such initiatives can thrive financially and environmentally.
Seven revenue and funding strategies
The report also outlines seven revenue and funding strategies tailored to support climate journalism. From commercial partnerships and reader revenue models to innovative approaches like crowdfunding and venture capital investment, cXc offers a comprehensive roadmap for newsrooms looking to embrace a sustainable future.
What’s next?
Download the report, explore the prototypes, and join us in shaping the next chapter of climate journalism. Whether you’re seeking to collaborate on these groundbreaking projects or seeking expert guidance on monetising your climate content, reach out to cXc.
ABOUT:
WAN-IFRA is the ClimateXchange support partner in South East Asia.
ClimateXchange is the lead initiative of a CIC non-profit Syli.
ClimateXchange stands on three pillars of complementary activities:
- contentXchange: A reporting and distribution hub where engaging, high-impact journalism on climate and the just transition can be created or shared for reuse and republication by global news media
- regionalXchange: A network of regional hubs where climate reporting is commissioned and cross-border and cross-regional collaborations are seeded
- knowledgeXchange: Where the process of ecosystem change begins and sustainability solutions for newsrooms covering the climate crisis are developed and refined
ClimateXchange has gained philanthropic support from the IKEA Foundation and the KR Foundation.