Russia's independent outlet Meduza struggles with declining funding

Russian independent outlet Meduza has released a review of its financial situation, acknowledging that the number of monthly donors is continuously declining. Since September 2024, the number of monthly recurring payments has dropped by 2,667, and the outlet needs at least 15,000 regular supporters to survive. The outlet spends $80,000 per month to maintain free access.

The Russian independent online outlet Meduza, operating from Riga, the capital of Latvia, published a detailed overview of its financial situation at the end of the first half-year, acknowledging that the number of recurring donors has steadily declined.

Donor numbers fall month on month

According to the editorial team, the number of monthly regular payments decreases every month as many donors' bank cards expire, are blocked, or have insufficient funds, and often people are unaware that their support has stopped. This is a common problem in crowdfunding, which Meduza is trying to address by contacting those whose subscriptions were cancelled unintentionally. This way, the outlet manages to recover dozens of subscriptions each month.

In addition to technical issues, some readers also cancel their subscriptions voluntarily, citing a deteriorating financial situation and plans to return to Russia as the main reasons. Since September 2024, the number of regular donors has fallen by 2,667, and the outlet needs at least 15,000 monthly supporters to survive.

One-time donations are not enough

Meduza emphasises that one-time donations, including larger ones, are insufficient for budget planning and forecasting. The outlet spends $80,000 per month to keep its content freely available, unlike many other international outlets that have chosen a paywall model.

In spring 2025, Meduza launched an experiment with advertising restoration, continues to sell books and merchandise, and is seeking new funding opportunities. Despite all efforts and the support of international press freedom organisations, the editorial team views regular financial contributions from readers as its primary lifeline.