This resource is part of our Exiled Media Toolkit, produced in partnership with the Network of Exiled Media Outlets (NEMO), and with the generous support of the Joyce Barnathan Emergency Fund for Journalists.
A commercial or creative agency, whether formal or informal, is an operational unit that provides services to third parties by leveraging existing capacities within a media outlet. These services may include content production, graphic design, tech development, strategic consulting, copywriting, campaign management, or training.
In recent years, several exiled Latin American independent media outlets have turned to such agencies as a tangible path to diversify revenue and sustain their journalism.
What sets these agencies apart is not the service portfolio itself, but their purpose: to support the outlet’s editorial independence without compromising core values.
Case Study: Mediaplus Experience — El Toque (Cuba)
In 2022, the Cuban media outlet El Toque launched its own agency, Mediaplus Experience, to formalize and scale a process that had begun organically. Team members were already offering freelance services — consulting, social media management, website development — to occasional clients. There was a shared recognition that these efforts could be structured into a business that both increased team members’ income and diversified the outlet’s revenue streams.
By leveraging El Toque's strong reputation and network, Mediaplus has positioned itself as a strategic ally for social impact causes. Its main clients include NGOs, multilateral organizations, and like-minded media outlets.
But establishing the agency also brought ongoing tension. Each new client service required management processes and infrastructure that stretched internal capacity and raised difficult questions: What comes first — a client delivery or an editorial product for the outlet?
El Toque addressed this by appointing a project coordinator and developing a roster of external collaborators, reducing pressure on the core editorial staff.
Case Study: Alharaca — El Salvador
In El Salvador, Alharaca found a revenue stream in gender-focused strategic communications. Between 2021 and 2022, this service line for civil society organizations accounted for up to 50% of its operational budget.
But success came at a personal cost to founder Laura Aguirre. “I nearly lost my hair. I ended up more exhausted than I’ve ever been in my life,” she recalled.
Without a dedicated operations team, the agency’s financial success turned into a chronic burden. Alharaca made a strategic choice: to scale back services, focus on organizational well-being, and use commercial income to build an emergency fund.
The lesson: An agency can sustain you — but it shouldn’t overwhelm you. Growth requires structure.
Case Study: Soy Arepita — Venezuela
Focused on the Venezuelan migrant community, Soy Arepita found its sustainability niche in newsletters. For several years, its team has offered editorial and curatorial expertise to other media, NGOs, and public health institutions.
More recently, they’ve expanded to collaborations with tech and health startups — broadening their client base while staying aligned with their editorial mission. A key principle guides them: they only work with organizations they do not report on, ensuring independence and credibility.
This ethical boundary between editorial and commercial work has become a strength — one that empowers sustainable growth.
Case Study: Rialta — Cuba/Mexico
Based in Mexico, Cuban outlet Rialta has partially funded its operation by selling specialized editorial services to Mexican universities. Offerings include copyediting, layout, design, and book production.
“We haven’t just sold books — we’ve sold editorial services. And that’s allowed us to maintain our own publishing catalog,” said newsroom director, Carlos Aníbal Alonso.
Though Rialta doesn’t operate as a formal agency, it fulfills the same role in practice, doing so with both editorial and financial coherence.
Five common challenges for media agencies
The experiences of El Toque, Alharaca, Soy Arepita, and Rialta point to shared obstacles that any outlet should consider before launching a commercial arm:
(1) Operational overload
When editorial teams also handle client services, burnout is almost inevitable. At a minimum, you’ll need one person managing contracts and workflows. Ideally, the agency should grow with a pool of external contractors — not by overburdening in-house staff.
(2) Lack of business infrastructure
Without clear sales processes, pricing strategies, or contract management, operations can feel chaotic and unsustainable.
(3) Scaling difficulties
Expanding your service offerings or client list requires additional staff, training, and tech capacity.
(4) Ethical conflicts
Providing services to clients you also cover editorially risks compromising journalistic independence.
(5) Mission drift
If the agency grows disconnected from the outlet’s values, internal tensions and strategic misalignment can emerge. On the other hand, being transparent about the agency’s role in supporting the newsroom can help attract mission-aligned clients who want their spending to make a difference.
Photo by Sigmund on Unsplash.
Nieves created this resource as part of his ICFJ Knight Fellowship.