S1 E3 Brave New Media: Taking on the Algorithms

Welcome to episode three of Brave New Media –  a global podcast featuring journalists and editors from around the world telling their stories as part of our mission to help create a healthier media ecosystem. In each episode, a specialist digs deep into the issues uncovered by our Brave New Media outlets, and offers solutions.

In this episode, Brave New Media heads to Paraguay to hear Jazmin Acuna’s story. Jazmin tells us about the struggles and breakthroughs of El Surti, a digital media platform that she co-founded to challenge the grip of the co-opted mainstream media over Paraguayan communities. El Surti uses striking graphic design to better reach audiences on social media.

Jazmin Acuna was spurred to action by a government bid to collect and process people’s digital communications data for surveillance on security grounds. 

The success of the ensuing digital rights campaign inspired Jazmin to create her own media enterprise that would challenge the algorithms, paid influencers and paid ads of the big power interests. She tells the story of El Surti’s creation and success, describing how her community team keep track of audience engagement, and what content they produce works and doesn’t work in attracting and retaining followers. 

The strategy is discussed by Mijal Iastrebner of SembraMedia, a Buenos Aires-based institute dedicated to supporting independent media build sustainable business models. She assesses El Surti’s achievement, and sets out how tracking social impact and building smart alliances can open the door to media success.

A transcript is available on the Brave New Media homepage or here: shorturl.at/aFKO4

Brave New Media is presented by Maha Taki and is A Holy Mountain Production, produced by Saskia Black, for BBC Media Action - the BBC's international charity. To contact us, email: media.action@bbc.co.uk

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More information on El Surti:

El Surti is short for El Surtidor, which roughly translates to The Provider.

It was set up in 2016 and now has a multi-skilled newsroom of about 10 people made up of journalists, illustrators, graphic designers and a product and community team. They reach approximately 700,000 people per month and an average of 20,000 people interact with their content. 70% percent of their audiences are under 35 and 30% under 24.

Their social media posts are short story texts blooming with colours, textures, different topographies and attractive drawings. They also do long form texts, timelines, fact checks and interviews that people can read and listen to on their website.

They make a concerted effort to not only use social media platforms that are mediated by algorithms. For a year now they have built a community of about 250 members whom they meet with regularly, online or in person, to talk about solutions to most pressing issues for young people such as the climate crisis. They also have a WhatsApp group with about 6,000 members whom they can talk to directly. Over 50% of funding comes from international grants, with the rest subsidised through a training and communication services arm of the organisation. 

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Show Links: 

https://elsurti.com/

https://www.facebook.com/elsurti/

https://www.instagram.com/elsurti/

https://twitter.com/elsurti

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCN9UA42z2e5lIcFP7bwQCag

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