Válasz Online

Founded in 2018, Válasz Online restarted as a digital-only publication after Heti Válasz, a leading weekly magazine, was closed in the summer of that year. Five journalists decided to stick together and continue as an independent digital native publication.

Válasz Online distances itself from being a daily news media organisation. Instead of trying to maximise its potential reach, the newsroom produces long-form journalism, publishing one or two daily articles.

According to its definition, "instead of concentrating on daily party politics, our spotlight is on the deeper contexts of the public sphere, culture, and economy." Its focus is not just on Hungary but also on Central Europe, while the newsroom also keeps an eye on global trends.

Válasz Online comprises six full-time and two part-time journalists, with up to five freelancers completing the team. The team write reviews, essays, and opinion pieces and regularly publishes investigative and cross-border stories and interviews.

The media outlet is a non-profit organisation; its income comes directly from the audience through memberships, website subscriptions, and individual donations. The team works to build a community of readers through a newsletter and regular club meetings. The organisation prioritises listening to its subscribers rather than trying to achieve many page views or unique user numbers.

"We only have to concentrate on our readers, subscribers. They are our points of reference. There is no party headquarters, oligarch, huge sponsor: no one who should feel entitled to influence our work," the team wrote on its first anniversary.