# Media Ownership and Funding Structures This note collects examples, concepts, and case studies about how media organizations are financed and owned — and how these structures affect independence, accountability and governance. --- ## Entries **02/02/2025**: The _taz_ (die tageszeitung) is a Berlin-based daily newspaper owned and published by [_taz, die tageszeitung Verlagsgenossenschaft eG_](https://taz.de/!v=45dd710a-25d1-45d5-bcf5-fce24b72cbf2/), a cooperative founded in 1992 to ensure the newspaper's editorial and financial independence. As of 2024, the cooperative has more than 22,000 members with equal voting rights, each of whom contributes at least €500, providing a total capital of more than €21 million. Members receive no financial return; instead, their investment supports independent journalism. **31/01/2025**: The [Fazit-Stiftung Gemeinnützige Verlagsgesellschaft mbH](https://www.fazit-stiftung.de/) is a nonprofit foundation established in 1959 to preserve the editorial and entrepreneurial independence of the _Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung_ (FAZ). It holds 93.7% of the shares in FAZ GmbH and also owns the Frankfurter Societät, which includes the printing operations and regional media such as the _Frankfurter Neue Presse_. The foundation's charter emphasizes the promotion of science and the provision of scholarships for doctoral studies. **10/06/2024**: The _Guardian_ is a British newspaper owned by Guardian Media Group, whose sole owner is the [Scott Trust](https://www.theguardian.com/the-scott-trust) — a fund established to safeguard the newspaper’s editorial independence in perpetuity. The organization operates under a mixed funding model that includes reader contributions, subscriptions, advertising, and returns from the trust’s endowment. Ole [[Jacob Sunde]] is the current chair of the Scott Trust. **10/06/2024**: The [Tinius Trust](https://www.tinius.com/en) is a Norwegian nonprofit foundation established in 1996 by Tinius Nagell-Erichsen to ensure the long-term sustainability and editorial independence of Schibsted's media operations. In 2024, the trust acquired Schibsted's news media division for approximately NOK 6.2 billion (around USD 568 million), consolidating leading Nordic outlets that collectively reach about 8.6 million people daily. Ole [[Jacob Sunde]] also serves as the Chair of the Tinius Trust. **04/03/2024**: The [Salt Lake Tribune, Inc.](https://www.sltrib.com/about-us/#nonprofit) is a nonprofit foundation that has owned and operated _The Salt Lake Tribune_ since 2019, making it the first major daily newspaper in the United States to transition to nonprofit status. Based in Salt Lake City, the Tribune maintains full editorial independence and has no affiliation with the [[Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS)]]. In fact, it was originally founded in 1870 by opponents of the Church’s political dominance in Utah and has historically served as a secular alternative to the Church-owned _Deseret News_. **07/10/2021**: [Instituto Artigo 220](https://institutoartigo220.com.br/) is a nonprofit organization that owns [_Revista Piauí_](https://piaui.folha.uol.com.br/). It manages an endowment fund of R$600 million (about USD 120 million) to support the magazine’s financial sustainability and safeguard its editorial independence. The name refers to Article 220 of the Brazilian Constitution, which guarantees freedom of expression and of the press.