Kyiv Independent wins Online Journalism Award for Innovation in Revenue Strategy
The Kyiv Independent has been awarded the Online Journalism Award for Innovation in Revenue Strategy for building a sustainable business model during wartime.
In addition, the newsroom’s video project “Dare to Ukraine” was shortlisted in the Digital Video Storytelling category (season 2 is out now).
The Online Journalism Awards, organized by the Online News Association (ONA), celebrates excellence in digital journalism honoring editorial quality, innovation, and sustainability worldwide.
Daryna Shevchenko, CEO of Kyiv Independent shares: “This award is special because it recognizes the business side of journalism — something that rarely gets the spotlight. Building a sustainable newsroom is a complicated process that requires countless experiments, iterations, and a lot of hard work from our management team. Having that effort acknowledged is a strong signal that we’re on the right path.
It also gives a chance to reflect on our growth: we started as a small team, and today we won in the Medium Newsroom category with over 75 people on the team. And finally, every award we receive is more than just recognition — it’s another opportunity to speak about Ukraine, to keep the world’s attention, and to remind people why our story matters.”
The Kyiv Independent’s winning case is built on the fact that in just two years, our newsroom reduced its reliance on grants almost completely. This transformation was driven by the growth of reader revenue, which now accounts for 70% of income. The majority of this support now comes from committed members rather than one-time donors — strengthening community ties and ensuring greater financial stability.
To diversify further, the Kyiv Independent launched new initiatives in 2024. The Kyiv Independent Store quickly became the fastest-growing revenue source, contributing 6% of income through branded merchandise. Meanwhile, KI Insights, an in-house research and analysis service, expanded into the business-to-business space, offering expert knowledge to professionals and institutions.
Commercial income also grew significantly, increasing by more than 3,500% between 2022 and 2024 despite the collapse of Ukraine’s advertising market. Strategic partnerships and branded content projects with mission-aligned organizations further broadened revenue streams while safeguarding editorial independence.
“This award recognizes one of our strategic goals – building a sustainable business model that allows us to continue doing more impactful journalism, ensuring that Ukrainian voices are heard in the world,” Zakhar Protsiuk, COO of Kyiv Independent, said.
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