Sphera Media Lab
On November 6, European Lab and Sphera are joining forces for a new edition of Sphera Media Lab, bringing together independent media players from across Europe.
On November 6, European Lab and Sphera are joining forces for a new edition of Sphera Media Lab, bringing together independent media players from across Europe.
For one day, journalists, activists and creatives will explore the future of information, fast-evolving technologies, and shifting audiences.
Independent media are facing an unprecedented convergence of crises. As far-right movements gain ground across borders and new laws increasingly target press freedom, many newsrooms are confronting legal threats, intimidation, and shrinking public funding. At the same time, media concentration, platform dominance, and technological upheavals—from artificial intelligence to platform algorhitms—are destabilising how journalism is produced, distributed, and funded.
In this context, technology is a double-edged sword. While it offers potential for innovation and efficiency, it also deepens existing vulnerabilities: automated content threatens editorial integrity, algorithmic gatekeepers disrupt audience reach, and the digital infrastructure often remains in the hands of powerful intermediaries. The erosion of trust, visibility, and financial sustainability is not just a technical matter—it is deeply political.
This new edition of the Sphera Media Lab aims to go beyond diagnosing the threats. It is a space for exploration and action. How can independent media reclaim autonomy in the face of platform dependency? What new models of ownership, collaboration, and revenue can support editorial freedom? Where are journalists and communities already resisting, adapting, and thriving?