The Loop is a Journalism Value project podcast, brought to you by Reference. We are interviewing the members of this network about key challenges for them, ranging from funding and business models, to community engagement and organizational structures, as we explore  what success and sustainability look like for European independent media today.

In today’s episode we’re talking about the Dublin Inquirer, a newsroom that covers the city of Dublin, a nearby county and both its local governments.

As of last year, 95% of its budget was secured by subscriptions, granting access to a weekly digital edition and a monthly print one. But to get there, the team tested multiple ideas – from a physical store to editorial services. And it’s still always running on a shoestring.

With a team of four full-time journalists, one part-time admin manager, and three freelancers, they recently had to make an important decision on how to grow.

In this interview we discuss the challenges small local newsrooms face to stay afloat, how community engagement works and how to actively involve communities in reporting.

Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.