Our printed newspaper at IJF 2025: What we learned from taking media offline

Editor’s note: The Fix’s newspaper in Perugia and this case study on what we learned from producing it were created in partnership with media consultancy Jnomics Media and software development company Fourth Estate.

The International Journalism Festival in Perugia brings together newsrooms, funders, tech platforms, students, and academics – all exploring the future of media in one small and beautiful Italian city. Wherever you go, you will definitely find someone connected to journalism or aspiring to be.

This year’s edition was unique, as the media entered a new era of business model transformation, marked by the disappearance of several major journalism funders. This shift has been intensified by changes in technology, talent, and distribution models. (You can read more on that in our report from Perugia). Before the festival, we knew two things: many media specialists would be in Perugia, and they would arrive struggling to find solutions to their funding challenges. And we, at The Fix, are here to help.

To support our peers in the media, we and our partners decided to create something tactile, timeless, and deeply human – a printed newspaper. We believed that a physical product, thoughtfully designed and genuinely useful, could resonate more powerfully amid the digital noise.

No exhibition booth. No official panel. Yet, after distributing over 500 copies, our print edition achieved exactly what we hoped: a meaningful presence without forcing attention. Here is what we’ve learned.

Our decision to use print wasn’t simply aesthetic – it was a respectful nod to journalism’s roots. Many festival handouts are quickly tossed aside, unread because they’re dense, rushed, or overly promotional.

We intentionally did the opposite. Our newspaper was concise, beautifully structured, and easy to read. We chose headlines that clearly stood alone, brief yet insightful articles, and design elements that effortlessly guided readers through the pages. Printed on high-quality paper, it quietly invited engagement rather than loudly demanding it.

Takeaway: Thoughtful print can captivate. Lazy print, however, cannot. Create something that feels like a valuable product, and people will not only read it – they’ll keep it.

We didn’t set out to promote ourselves. We set out to be useful. At a time when many media outlets are scrambling for funding, especially after the sharp decline in U.S. media support, we saw a clear need: to talk honestly about revenue diversification.

That’s why we chose to focus this edition on practical, real-world solutions for building more resilient business models. Our newspaper featured:

Takeaway: In an era of shrinking funding, audiences don’t need more noise–they need guidance and relevance. When editorial work is grounded in what truly matters, it doesn’t just inform – it empowers.

This newspaper was only possible thanks to a close collaboration between three core partners – each contributing their unique strengths and resources:

Takeaway: Strong partnerships are not just supportive – they are catalytic. When each partner owns their role and believes in the purpose, editorial impact multiplies.

We had no official spotlight or scheduled panel, yet our newspaper reached exactly the right audience. Perugia, a small town packed with journalists during the festival, provided the perfect informal distribution network. Organizers kindly allowed us to place copies at the registration desk, but most distribution happened organically – cafés, hostel lobbies, benches, stairways – anywhere people naturally gathered and paused.

Our product blended seamlessly with these informal settings, becoming part of everyday moments rather than a disruptive marketing effort.

Takeaway: Visibility is about placement, not volume. Think from the perspective of your audience, not a marketer.

A simple lesson, but often neglected. Days before the festival, we printed a test copy and spotted immediate errors – a misaligned logo, awkward spacing, and visual hierarchy issues. Quick corrections prevented embarrassment and ensured the final product matched our standards.

Takeaway: Your audience won’t see your drafts, only the final product. Make it perfect.

Editor’s note: The Fix’s newspaper in Perugia was powered by Fourth Estate, a cloud-based media platform for professionals and independent creators, offering tools for content syndication, SEO, audience engagement, and reader-driven revenue.