Who We Are
The Independent Media Association is the largest network of independent publishers in the UK, organising for a people-led news media. We organise, network and lobby for news outlets that are democratically owned and run in the interests of readers, free from corporate and state control.
Trust in the news is at an all-time low. Only 35% of people in the UK trust what they read in the press, according to a 2024 Thomson Reuters report. Sensationalist narratives, biased framing and careless misinformation are considered par for the course in Britain's press. Add in a flurry of news content coming from the wild west of unregulated tech platforms, and the abundant use of AI, and a crisis in journalism is clear.
All our members adhere to a designated standards' code, and are financially independent. We believe that ethical standards in news reporting does not have to come at the expense of robust, impactful journalism. Quite the opposite - when readers trust the truthfulness of a story and the integrity of the process behind it, the impact is stronger and more credible. All our members are either members of Impress, the independent regulator for the press, or their staff are members of the NUJ, and adhere to the union's code of conduct.
Our Members
Events
30 May 2026: Change now! Hosted by Compass. Link
Compass is hosting ‘Change:NOW! Mobilising the Progressive Majority’, with the Progressive Economic Forum, a day of debate, disagreement and deliberation between progressives of all parties (and none!) on Saturday 30th May 2026.
The conference will feature speakers from across the progressive parties and movements, including keynote speeches from Mayor Andy Burnham, Caroline Lucas, and Gary Stevenson.
25-26 June 2026 - The Centre for Investigative Journalism: Summer Conference 2026
https://tcij.org/summer-conference/
#CIJSummer Investigative Journalism Conference is the UK’s only training conference with an emphasis on investigative skills. We offer a mixture of talks, demos and hands-on classes which are designed to equip journalists and anyone interested in investigations with up-to-date investigative methods and tools.
27 Jun 2026 - Media Democracy Festival 2026. Link
The MRC has been running our annual Media Democracy Festival since 2015. The 2026 edition is hosted at Westminster University, Marylebone Campus, from 9am to 6pm on Saturday 27th June 2026.
Every year, we bring together academics, activists and decision-makers to understand what’s going on in the media landscape, build connections and strengthen the movement for a different media. Since 2020, the Media Democracy Festival has been run as a mix of online and in-person sessions.
(Featured posts)
How collective bargaining models are shaping funding for independent media
Encouraging signs from across the globe point to fairer funding for independent media
