Freelance Cooperative Opens Up for European Journalists

PRESS RELEASE – Amsterdam, 1 december 2017

The Amsterdam-based cooperative media company De Coöperatie will be opening up its services and features to the international community of freelancers and independent media initiatives.

The organisation was founded in 2016 and has over 650 members and 30 web platforms, likely to grow to 100 in 2018. It seeks to stimulate economic autonomy for the growing ecosystem of freelance journalists that is expected to produce up to 70% of journalism in future years. It offers self-publishing infrastructures with micro-payment and donation capacity, a collective disability insurance, a Matchingfund and syndication (reselling) for freelancers in The Netherlands and now in other regions as well. Locally it also provides collective office space, crowdfunding and training.

Teun Gautier, founder of De Coöperatie: “We see many likeminded initiatives across the globe, but we seem to be slightly ahead and feel it makes sense to share what we have developed. It was always intended as an open source initiative.” De Coöperatie will not be
setting up local offices but can support initiatives locally if needed. Gautier: “A freelancer in Portugal can join in our collective disability insurance, have a one of our money generating websites, or apply for funding at our Matchingfund. It would be fantastic to connect the international community this way.”

Freelancers can join De Coöperatie and enjoy the services for € 5 per month.

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For more information: teun.gautier@decooperatie.org