PressOne

PressOne is an independent online publication founded in Cluj-Napoca in 2015, aiming to strengthen democracy. The newsroom publishes stories from Romanian reality that do not exist in the public agenda. In addition, it seeks to provide in-depth background to current affairs and feature people whose life stories can be inspiring.

As Romanian law does not allow donations to companies, PressOne is funded through two legal instruments: Press One Media SRL (an LLC), which processes advertising contracts and sponsorships for special projects and events, and the NGO Romania One Foundation, which processes donations from readers and from companies willing to donate a portion of their corporate income tax and income to specific NGO projects.

Although the LLC is a for-profit entity, PressOne does not profit from its funding; it reinvests all revenue in producing journalism.

From 2015 to 2020, PressOne's founder Don Lothrop, a US businessman, invested more than $1m in a team of 24 journalists and contributors who produce journalistic information for PressOne, while giving the newsroom absolute independence.

PressOne also started advertising and sponsorship contracts in 2019 to gradually become a self-funding organisation. When applicable, grants from European Union bodies and other private or public institutions are explicitly mentioned on its website.

Last updated: March 2024