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.
How we work
As a co-operative, publishers are members and get to democratically decide what we do as an organisation.
Purpose & Aims
The purpose of the IMA is to support the independent media sector, represent the interests of our members and showcase their work.
Our aims are to:
- Organise on behalf of news publishers for a democratic, people-led media
- Lead our publisher coalition in negotiations against Big Tech (Google, Meta) under the Digital Markets Act 2024 to establish a fairer balance of power and payout for news outlets
- Provide advice, expertise and shared resources for publishers – from copyright to AI to defamation - to report, break stories and set the news agenda
- Connect publishers and freelancers with civil society organisations, NGOs, unions and academia to collaborate on stories and grow your network
- Spread our members work within and beyond this network, to amplify and coordinate on stories, campaigns and investigations
- Share funding opportunities, grants, scholarships and access schemes
- Lobby for fair and balanced coverage of Britain’s communities, and representation within the news media, by race, gender, class and disability
- Champion the importance of independent media within the wider media sector, to decision makers and the public