PluPro Case of Studies

Case Studies:
Design-thinking in newsrooms

The following case studies showcase a series of newsroom initiatives supported through the PluPro Project, designed to strengthen resilience and sustainability in European cross-border journalism. Within the broader PluPro project – which fosters support for collaborative investigative reporting across Europe – these microgrants enabled participating newsrooms to apply design-thinking methods and prototype practical solutions to real challenges.

Rather than focusing on finished products alone, these case studies highlight the process of experimentation, learning, and iteration: how teams identified newsroom pain points, tested small-scale innovations, and drew lessons that can benefit other newsrooms facing similar pressures. From internal workflows to product ideas that improve audience engagement, each case reflects a newsroom’s effort to be more adaptable, user-centred, and sustainable in a rapidly changing media environment.

These projects were further enriched through the Media Innovation Summit, where newsroom teams came together in person to share insights, reflect on their prototyping journeys, and exchange ideas with peers from across the region. The summit provided a space to deepen learning and discuss how design thinking can become part of future newsroom strategy.

Together, the case studies offer not only examples of creative problem-solving in practice, but also inspiration for newsrooms seeking to navigate the structural and technological challenges of 21st century journalism.

Áramlat
Alapítvány

Dealing out the News:
A Public-Figures Card Game to Engage the Community

Check the Case Study www.aramlat.hu

Borsod24

Podcasting for the Public:
Building a Studio for Production and Rental

Check the Case Study www.borsod24.hu

Civio

The BOE Hub:
Building a User-Friendly Database to Reclaim its Content

Check the Case Study View the Project Poster www.civio.es

Context 1

From Words to Video:
Building Digital Skills to Engage New Audiences

Check the Case Study View the Project Poster www.context.ro

Context 2

Deeper Understanding:
Targeting Journalism with Outreach, Testing

Check the Case Study View the Project Poster www.context.ro

Culture et Pluralisme

Going Digital:
Attracting Subscribers to an E-Reader While Continuing Print Edition

Check the Case Study www.journalzebuline.fr

DATADISTA

Smarter Recycling:
Improving the Reuse of Multimedia Content

Check the Case Study www.datadista.com

Democratic Initiatives /Inform.zp.ua

Fighting Disinformation:
Fact-Checking as a Front in the War in Ukraine

Check the Case Study View the Project Poster www.inform.zp.ua

Den.fm

Text Meets Audio:
Producing a Modular
Newsletter and Podcast

Check the Case Study View the Project Poster www.den.fm

dis:orient

Listening In: Strengthening Social Media for Impactful Journalism

Check the Case Study View the Project Poster www.disorient.de

Eastern Variant

More than Branding: Merch-Based Engagement for Independent Journalism

Check the Case Study View the Project Poster www.v-variant.com.ua

Ekonews

Building Green B2B Media: Helping Businesses Meet Sustainability Goals

Check the Case Study www.ekonews.cz

Eurologus

Expert Storytelling: A Hungarian Podcast Popularizes EU Analysis

Check the Case Study View the Project Poster www.eurologus.eu

FADA Collective

Report, Connect, Impact: Expanding Public Outreach on its Website

Check the Case Study View the Project Poster www.fadacollective.com

Fairplanet

Rebuilt: Participatory and Research Driven Design Methods for Future Proof, Independent Local Journalism

Check the Case Study View the Project Poster www.fairplanet.org

Flagrant Déni

Expanding to Video: Making Justice Journalism Accessible to All

Check the Case Study www.flagrant-deni.fr

Gogo.al

‘What Are You Thinking’:
Engaging the Audience to Open Discussions

Check the Case Study View the Project Poster gogo.al

Gostivar

Spoken News:
Developing Accessibility through AI

Check the Case Study View the Project Poster gostivarpress.mk

Grechka

Reaching Out to Readers: Improving Communication to Encourage Audience Support

Check the Case Study View the Project Poster gre4ka.info

GreenBelarus.info

Making Green Hot Again: Using Audience Surveys to Deliver Targeted Content

Check the Case Study View the Project Poster greenbelarus.info

GRUNT.MEDIA

Back to Basics: Redesigning a Website for Future Growth

Check the Case Study View the Project Poster grnt.media

Hiiu Leht

Adding Value: Developing and Monetizing a Premium Newsletter

Check the Case Study View the Project Poster hiiuleht.ee

Iașul Nostru

From Newsletters to Instagram: Reaching Younger Audiences Where They Are

Check the Case Study View the Project Poster www.iasulnostru.ro

Irpi Media

Refining a Newsroom: Sharpening a Podcast’s Focus, Audience Targeting

Check the Case Study irpimedia.irpi.eu

Lika Club

Trying Something New:
Moving into Video, Podcasts, Social Media

Check the Case Study likaclub.eu

Lisboa Para Pessoas / Shifter

Sounding out the Audience:
Surveying Interest in Audio, Subscriber Changes

Check the Case Study isboaparapessoas.pt

Magma Magazine

A Magazine Was Born: Prototyping a Print Edition through Audience Research

Check the Case Study www.magma-mag.net

Makes Sense

Your Media, Your Voice: A Community-Based Fundraising Solution

Check the Case Study sense.ngo/en

Makes Sense / 6262.com.ua

Content Transformer: Harnessing AI to Keep a Consistent Editorial Voice

Check the Case Study View the Project Poster 6262.com.ua

Media2Tickets

Making a Modern Website: Navigating Technical, Editorial Hurdles

Check the Case Study View the Project Poster kl.informator.ua

Mensagem de Lisboa

Lisboa Without Borders: Reaching a City’s Marginalized Communities

Check the Case Study View the Project Poster amensagem.pt

Mérce

Video Views: Expanding Reach of Commentary with Video

Check the Case Study View the Project Poster merce.hu/egyesulet

Mykolaivski Novyny

Frontline News: Keeping Local Media Afloat in Ukraine

Check the Case Study View the Project Poster niknews.mk.ua/uk

Nakypilo”. Radio

Good Morning, Kharkiv: Incorporating Local Radio into Listeners’ Daily Lives

Check the Case Study View the Project Poster nakypilo.ua

New Tris

Website Rebuild: Improving Access without Compromising Principles

Check the Case Study www.tris.com.hr

nonstopnews.at

Visual Radio: Adding Digital Storytelling to Audio Broadcasting

Check the Case Study nonstopnews.at

Novaja Gazeta Europe

Video Explainers: Russia Analysis for a Younger Generation

Check the Case Study View the Project Poster novayagazeta.eu

Nyugat

‘Empathy-Driven Process’: Innovative Article-Integrated Audience Research

Check the Case Study View the Project Poster www.nyugat.hu

Polish Memoriał

New Narratives: Engaging Audiences on Refugee Integration

Check the Case Study View the Project Poster memorial-polska.pl

Revista 5W

Going Visual: Increasing Visibility with Video Podcasting, Social Outreach

Check the Case Study www.revista5w.com

Rubryka

Active Engagement: Involving the Audience to Build Content, Support

Check the Case Study View the Project Poster rubryka.com

Rue89 Strasbourg

In-House Analytics: Developing a Tool to Measure Audience Engagement

Check the Case Study View the Project Poster rue89strasbourg.com

Shifter Generation

Sounding out the Audience: Surveying Interest in Audio, Subscriber Changes

Check the Case Study View the Project Poster shifter.pt

Storyteller

Integrating Vertical Video: Redesigning the Website for Mobile Audiences

Check the Case Study www.storyteller.rs

Szegeder.hu

Sustainable Local Media: Validating a Paywall and Loyalty-Driven Membership Model

Check the Case Study szegeder.hu

Texty.org.ua

Finding a Voice: Reaching New Audiences with AI-Generated Podcasts

Check the Case Study View the Project Poster texty.org.ua

Uh.ro

Avoiding Burnout: Expanding Video Content within Team Constraints

Check the Case Study View the Project Poster uh.ro

UKRAINIAN WITNESS

What the World Wants: Understanding Global Audiences to Improve Impact

Check the Case Study uw.media/en

VREME