The Seakoel Newsletter uncovers how Southeast Asian media mavericks run viable businesses that also support the region’s underserved communities and hidden narratives.
This publication is part of Seakoel, a Singapore-based media innovation studio dedicated to supporting newsrooms and other media changemakers in Southeast Asia.
Other media projects under the Seakoel portfolio include Dot x Dot, Eighth Sea, Schooled by Games, and SEAmplified.
Seakoel was rebooted at a time where mainstream media is gasping for air; where journalism is steadily becoming a byword for sensationalism, and the news increasingly colored by persistent bias.
Not everyone is in the same camp; some try to go against the grain. But while good men may mean well, they don’t always do well. Amid declining public trust, shrinking newsrooms struggle to break the mold.
Southeast Asian media outfits aren’t immune to this trend. In fact, the problems are more pronounced here: media repression continues to be rife , and public trust in media is struggling at an “all-time low.”
But there are innovators who prove that media can still be a force for good. Good folks who’ve not only have tackled media’s biggest challenges head-on, but also shone a light on communities and narratives that need more attention. The mavericks, both from outside and within the industry.
Seakoel is here to celebrate them, and help spread their word. It’s here to collect and curate their learnings, so that media may find many a way forward.
Every Monday at 9 a.m. (GMT+8) we’ll go under the hood to understand how media innovators operate successful businesses that support underserved communities and narratives in Southeast Asia. Insights from Seakoel experiments and projects will also periodically be shared in the newsletter.
The Seakoel Newsletter is fully accessible for free. There no plans for a paid version yet, but please consider a paid subscription to support our cause!
For enquiries, reach out to me at tianwen.tay@seakoel.com or join our Telegram community for casual chats on all things media innovation at t.me/seakoel_hub.
