Founders

 

MDLF was founded in 1995 by Sasa Vucinic and Stuart Auerbach.

Sasa was a Serbian journalist and media manager who had run B92, Belgrade's leading independent radio station, during the early years of the Milosevic regime, while Stu was a vastly experienced Washington Post journalist and foreign correspondent. Though from very different backgrounds, they shared a passion for quality journalism and a belief in the importance of independent media.

Together they had the idea of launching a ‘media bank' to help leading journalists in countries with a history of media oppression build sustainable news businesses, strong enough to stay independent of governments, political parties and oligarchs.

Sixteen years after making its first loan to a small Slovakian newspaper called SME, MDLF has grown faster than they - or anyone - imagined. MDLF has now provided well over $100 million in affordable financing and helped about 80 independent news businesses to flourish and grow.

Sadly Stu died in 2003. Sasa served as Managing Director from 1995 until March 2011. Together they left a legacy to be proud of: the world's only global investment fund for quality journalism. Perhaps more importantly, they created an organisation with a life of its own.

Resources

Invest in press freedom

Invest in press freedom

It's easy to invest in MDLF's work, providing independent news businesses with the financing they need to hold governments to account, expose corruption and fight for justice for all.

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Impact

  • In 2010, more than 38 million people in developing democracies got their news from MDLF clients.
  • After five years with MDLF, clients on average increase their sales by 213%.
  • For every $10,000 invested in 2010, MDLF supported access to independent news for 8,944 readers, listeners and viewers.
  • After 1 year of working with MDLF, client reach grows by an average of 33% and after 5 years by 71%.

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