Transitions has been bringing local voices from Central and Eastern Europe to an international audience for over two decades. It hasn’t been easy keeping an eye on all the social and cultural changes in the region, not to mention monitoring its democratic backsliding. But we at Transitions would agree that publishing more than 25,000 articles – and training more than 10,000 journalists and journalism students along the way – has been well worth it.

Our business model has depended on institutional donors, supplemented by  self-financing (selling site subscriptions, as well as organizing summer courses and site visits for schools). 

The pandemic, however, has forced us to cancel all of our on-site courses. And do what we might, our operations remain overly reliant on project-based grants, with little directed toward organizational development. That has greatly hampered our capability to report thoroughly on the backsliding in democracy across the region, to train the next generation of journalism leaders, and offer more support to often-embattled independent media organizations. 

In response, we are launching a membership program, with a simple but ambitious goal: to finance within three years at least 50 percent of the costs of our online magazine with contributions from our readers – people just like you. And we invite you to become one of the 100 founding members to get us started. 

Just to give you an idea of where your money would go: Those 100 members would help generate enough funds to pay for 10 articles by some of the region’s leading journalists, plus a three-day workshop for 15 journalists or journalism students. 

We would be proud to display your name or the name of your organization on our founding members wall, or to list your contribution anonymously if you prefer. 

So please become a founding member today and champion our mission to support high-quality, independent journalism and an informed and engaged public. 

With thanks and appreciation,

Jeremy Druker

Executive Director and Editor in Chief

TRANSITIONS MAGAZINE

For more than two decades, Transitions has provided insightful coverage of Central, Eastern, and Southeastern Europe, and Eurasia. Our network of local and international contributors examine the news and trends shaping the region. We serve as a platform for the region’s independent journalists to cover topics often under reported in their home countries.

MEDIA ACADEMY

More than 11,500 people have passed through our training programs. Our courses specialize in traditional journalism skills; the latest digital techniques; media literacy; and combating disinformation. We have developed our own online learning platform for both mentored and self-learning courses and regularly run webinars and online workshops. This year, we launched interactive e-learning courses in multiple languages for journalists in Ukraine, Moldova, and the Balkans on how to report accurately in the age of an infodemic. 

SOLUTIONS JOURNALISM

Solutions journalism spotlights effective responses to societal problems. This innovative reporting approach enhances accountability and public engagement and can serve as a catalyst for meaningful change. Transitions provides training, mentoring, and stipends for journalists who want to embark on rigorous coverage of what’s working in their communities.

PRESS START

Press Start is the first global crowdfunding platform for reporters in countries where the press cannot report freely. Our crowdfunding campaigns offer a lifeline for reporters unable to find financing for stories important to their communities. Press Start seeks talented journalists with scant resources to support their work, connecting them with a global audience willing to invest in them. In recent months, we helped raise funds for  three crucial cross-border stories: the smuggling of South American cocaine to the European market and a coverup in Moldova; the rise in domestic violence during the pandemic in Poland and Hungary; an investigation into EU recovery funds and corruption.