Crowdfunding record for quality journalism

The Correspondent raises more than one million euros in 8 days

26 MARCH 2013, AMSTERDAM, THE NETHERLANDS

Summary

The Correspondent, an Amsterdam-based startup aimed at presenting quality online journalism, reached a crowdfunding milestone today: more than 15.000 members helped the platform to raise over one million euros (approx. $1.3 million) in just 8 days. With this funding, creators Rob Wijnberg (Dutch journalist) and Harald Dunnink (founder of Momkai) hope to set up a new online platform for in-depth news analysis and long-form journalism, due in September 2013.

THE CORRESPONDENT - READ MORE
Crowdfunding record for quality journalism
The Correspondent raises more than one million euros in 8 days

The Correspondent, an Amsterdam-based startup aimed at presenting quality online journalism, reached a crowdfunding milestone today: more than 15.000 members helped the platform to raise over one million euros (approx. $1.3 million) in just 8 days. With this funding, creators Rob Wijnberg (Dutch journalist) and Harald Dunnink (founder of Momkai) hope to set up a new online platform for in-depth news analysis and long-form journalism, due in September 2013.

The platform aims to focus on slow journalism and background stories and will be entirely advertisement-free. "With another 22 days remaining in the campaign, it is amazing to see how many people are willing to subscribe to our mission of producing quality journalism online", says Rob Wijnberg, former chief-editor of national Dutch newspaper nrc.next. "...and not only that: willing to pay for it as well. The enthusiasm surrounding it - we did not foresee."

The Correspondent will be an independently-built, fully-digital platform for desktop, mobile and tablet use, uniquely combining technical flair, meaningful design and quality journalism. Prospective members sign up to follow some of Europe's best-known and revered authors and writers, hailing from publications such as The Guardian and NRC.

Manifesto

• Daily, but more than the issues of the day
• From the news to the new
• No political ideology, but journalistic ideals
• Themes and inter-connections
• Journalism before profitability
• From readers to participants
• No advertisers, but partners
• No target groups, but like-minded thinkers
• Ambitious ideals with modest wisdom
• Fully digital

Editor's Note

For more information and/or interview requests with Rob Wijnberg, please contact:
Milou Klein Lankhorst, milou@decorrespondent.nl

For more information about the news platform go to http://blog.decorrespondent.nl/post/46365101498/crowdfunding-record-for-quality-journalism

 

Relevant links

Quotes

"Those who see the world only via the news know exactly, at the end of the day, how the world does not work." Joris Luyendijk, The Guardian

"The great unrecognised addiction of our time is news." Rob Wijnberg, founder

"News is always about what happens today, never about what happens every day." Joris Luyendijk, The Guardian

"The Correspondent is a digital experiment that presents the news differently." Rob Wijnberg, founder

"Not to attract attention, but to provide insight." Rob Wijnberg, founder

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26 Mar
Crowdfunding record for quality journalism
The Correspondent, an Amsterdam-based startup aimed at presenting quality online journalism, reached a crowdfunding milestone today: more than 15.000 members helped the platform to raise over one million euros (approx. $1.3 million) in just 8 days. With this funding, creators Rob Wijnberg (Dutch journalist) and Harald Dunnink (founder of Momkai) hope to set up a new online platform for in-depth news analysis and long-form journalism, due in September 2013.