Old monetization models no longer work. New ones don’t yet guarantee stability. How can media survive—and grow—in these conditions? That’s the focus of the forum’s second panel.
Kateryna Kobernyk noted: ”Grants aren’t evil—if used responsibly. Advertising has grown, but still covers barely 10% of the budget. And the “more annoying” the ad, the higher the price tag.”
Daryna Shevchenko, CEO of The Kyiv Independent, reminded us that the ”digital gold rush” isn’t a myth—but you have to know how to mine the gold: “Our budget has grown significantly because we’ve worked hard on our brand. Now people remember who we are. We’re surfers on a wave that’s always shifting.”
Victor Kishchak, Digital Editor-in-Chief of Forbes Ukraine, spoke about changing roles in media: “Today you’re a journalist, tomorrow—a forum moderator. Paywalls are growing faster than anything else. And YouTube—it’s no longer just about ‘Ukrainian content’—it’s a global game now.”
The panel may be over, but the topic is here to stay. Because the future of media isn’t just about what we say and how—we also need to figure out how to survive and win doing it.
