OC Media launches business offer to support its journalism

OC Media has announced the launch of its business offer under the newly introduced OC Forge programme. This initiative aims to diversify revenue streams and ensure the sustainability of the organisation’s award-winning journalism.

With OC Forge, businesses and institutions can now partner with OC Media through a range of advertising and sponsored content services designed to connect brands with OC Media’s audience. From display ads to sponsored articles, press release publishing, and podcast sponsorships, the programme offers businesses tailored opportunities to reach decision-makers, investors, and professionals with a keen interest in the Caucasus region.

‘We have a highly influential audience — individuals who live, travel, and invest in the Caucasus. Many businesses recognise the value of reaching this influential group’, said OC Media’s Business Development Manager, Givi Avaliani.

‘Our audience values us for our commitment to reliable and impartial journalism in this complicated, yet increasingly interconnected region. However, our journalism can’t be sustained by grants only. OC Forge and its suite of advertising services tailored for businesses is an attempt at building a new, more sustainable funding model’, he added.

The launch of OC Forge is a strategic move to counter financial uncertainty as media organisations regionwide seek alternatives to traditional grant funding. Dominik K Cagara, OC Media’s Chief Financial Officer, emphasised that diversifying revenue streams is key to sustaining their regional reporting and editorial independence.

‘Sustaining a media organisation through donor funding has never been easy, but this year’s abrupt US funding cuts have shown that donor funding comes with risk factors higher than previously anticipated’, Cagara said.

‘If reader-generated revenue through our Membership programme is one attempt at diversifying our revenue streams, OC Forge is the other. We believe that it’s possible to engage local businesses in ethical advertising partnerships that benefit both sides. With both OC Forge and our Membership programme, we believe we pave the way not only to our own sustainability, but also show the direction for other media who are struggling to decrease their dependency on philanthropy’, he added.

OC Media’s Editor-in-Chief, Robin Fabbro, highlighted the importance of maintaining editorial integrity while expanding revenue sources.

‘Our core mission remains unchanged: delivering fact-based, independent, value-driven reporting. OC Forge allows us to sustain this mission while offering businesses a unique opportunity to communicate with an engaged and influential readership’, Fabbro said.

Where business and independent journalism meet

OC Forge provides businesses with a comprehensive suite of advertising solutions designed to maximise visibility and engagement.

Companies can choose display advertising, allowing for premium placements on OC Media’s website, or opt for sponsored content — professionally crafted articles that align with both their business objectives and OC Media’s editorial standards.

The programme also includes press release publishing, enabling organisations to share their latest developments with OC Media’s audience, and podcast sponsorships, offering businesses a chance to support in-depth discussions on key regional issues while gaining exposure to a dedicated listenership.

In addition to these advertising opportunities, businesses and institutions can partake in OC Media’s Corporate Membership programme, which provides exclusive access to premium content and insights into the Caucasus region.

Corporate members receive the Caucasus Intelligence Brief, an annual political and economic forecast tailored to help businesses navigate the region’s evolving landscape.

Membership also grants early access to reports, as well as the opportunity to engage directly with OC Media’s editorial team through exclusive events and discussions.

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