A comprehensive resource to deepen audience engagement and build more sustainable media organizations is now available for newsrooms in the French-speaking world. The International Journalists’ Network (IJNet) today unveiled the French translation of the Membership Guide, an exceptional handbook developed by the Membership Puzzle Project (MPP) to help media professionals implement innovative, effective membership programs.
The Guide, replete with dozens of case studies of media outlet experiences worldwide, assists news organizations at any stage of the membership process — whether just starting out or looking to grow an existing program. It includes detailed sections to help readers develop “memberful routines,” design membership strategies, retain members, and much more. In addition to French, it is available in English, Portuguese and Spanish.
The latest language edition represents a valuable contribution to the field of media sustainability made by IJNet French — just 15 months after first launching, in May 2020. The Membership Guide will now reach more journalists in critical areas of the globe, where an independent media must continue to play an essential role.
“The Membership Guide is a vital resource for news organizations to engage their communities and improve their bottom lines,” said Patrick Butler, vice president of content and community at the International Center for Journalists, which manages IJNet. “We are thrilled to bring this resource to the French-speaking world, from Canada and the Caribbean to France and West Africa.”
This resource would not have been possible without the work carried out by IJNet’s tremendous translation team: IJNet French Translator Sedera Ranaivoarinosy, Laora Briquet, Camille de Montgolfier and Sarah Abdallah, the IJNet Arabic Editor. IJNet French Editor Sophie Bonnevialle Chesneau served as the project editor, and coordinated with IJNet’s home office team of David Maas and Aldana Vales throughout. Vales also oversaw the entire import of content. ICFJ Communications and Marketing Officer Héloïse Hakimi Le Grand assisted with quality assurance for the site.
IJNet would like to thank its partners at MPP, most notably Membership Guide managing editor, Ariel Zirulnick, for reaching out and collaborating on this important translation project, the Membership Guide research team, and the Media Development Investment Fund, MPP’s institutional home. Project manager, Yvonne Leow, developer Brandon Roberts, and designer Jessica Phan played vital roles, ensuring the design and usability of the French translation matched that of the original English version.
The Guide is made possible by support from the Google News Initiative and co-publisher The Lenfest Institute for Journalism.
“More than 30,000 people have accessed the Membership Guide since its launch in September 2020, using the Guide for everything from designing their membership viability survey to figuring out what skills to prioritize when hiring for membership support roles,” said Zirulnick. “We’re thrilled to be able to make the Guide more accessible to newsrooms around the world by translating it into other languages, and we’re grateful to benefit from IJNet’s translation expertise for the French translation.”
Explore the Guide here.
If you have any questions about the Guide or the translation, you can direct them to ijneteditor@icfj.org and info@membershippuzzle.org. If this is your first time hearing about the Guide, you can learn more about how the MPP team designed, researched, and wrote it in its original launch announcement.
To stay up to date on IJNet, please subscribe to the IJNet weekly newsletter. Engage with us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Join the IJNet Forum. And pitch stories on the many different aspects of reporting during this pandemic. With your feedback, we can add even more new resources.