On 30 March 2025, the first General Assembly meeting of the European Deaf Media Association (EDMA) took place in Paris, attended by eight deaf-led organisations and two individual members. This association was recently established as part of the “Deaf Journalism Europe” project, carried out by six deaf-led media organisations across Europe. One of its aims is to safeguard and promote the rights, working conditions, and professional interests of deaf media professionals in Europe, as well as to support their education and career development. But was a Europe-wide association truly necessary – and can it adequately address the most common challenges faced by deaf-led media organisations today?
Thanks to the Deaf Journalism Europe project, six deaf-led media organisations were able to provide news services in their national sign languages, while also collaborating on transnational articles and reporting at international events. Now that the two-year project has ended, however, most of these organisations are struggling to secure long-term funding to continue providing these services.
This is striking, especially considering the current societal emphasis on inclusion. Yet public broadcasters remain the only entities granted exclusive access to government funding for news and information in national sign languages — usually delivered by hearing sign language interpreters. As a result, deaf-led media organisations are being forced to seek alternative income sources to ensure the sustainability of their work.
Insufficient engagement and trust from deaf communities?
Médiapi, the French partner in the project, has operated on a subscription model since 2018, requiring viewers to pay to access its news videos. However, surveys conducted as part of the DJE project indicate that deaf viewers and followers are not always willing to offer direct financial support to sign language news services. “Perhaps it has to do with how people perceive a deaf-led media company – how much trust they place in our abilities and the quality of our services. We feel that this trust is still not fully there,” says Dennis Hoogeveen, CEO of Turkoois, a young deaf-led company in the Netherlands. “This may also relate to the fact that deaf-led journalism and media are still relatively new, particularly for deaf people who experience internalised colonisation. In the past, sign language media was mostly dominated by hearing people. The concept of media created within a deaf framework – according to deaf norms – is still not widely recognised. A shift in mentality is needed.”
This issue is also familiar to Mona Riis, CEO of the well-established Swedish deaf-led media company Teckenbro. She explains that starting a new venture can be especially difficult due to the “crab theory” – the phenomenon where deaf individuals in the community tend to criticise others who strive for success. “We’ve now been running for 17 years and have built up greater trust within the community. But then a new challenge emerges: deaf people begin to request free services,” Riis states. “Of course, we can offer discounts as part of our social commitment, but offering everything for free simply isn’t sustainable. We need to remain financially viable. There is still a lot of confusion about the difference between a deaf association and a deaf-run business.”
Many deaf-led media organisations face a recurring issue: the prevailing expectation within the deaf community that sign language news should be freely available. The acronym “D.E.A.F.” – Deaf Expects All Free – is sometimes used cynically in this context. Many deaf-led media companies fear that a subscription model may not be viable in deaf communities. The German deaf-led media company manua generates advertising revenue through sponsoring companies for its news website, Taubenschlag.
“But because we are a small company operating in a niche market, we cannot expect large sums. These are small contributions – not enough to expand our services,” says Benedikt J. Sequeira Gerardo, CEO of manua. “We try to attract more advertisers – but risk cluttering the website with too many ads. It’s a constant balancing act, and that’s a real challenge.”
A turning point for deaf journalism?
Despite the challenges, the three CEOs are united in their belief that EDMA, as a European-level body, can help strengthen their (economic) position. They see potential in establishing links with the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), the European Union of the Deaf (EUD), the European Union of the Deaf Youth (EUDY), and other organisations to engage in lobbying around sign language media. “Through collaboration, we can accelerate progress – for example, by lobbying for media accessibility, or by establishing video standards for sign language content. EDMA can act as a centre of expertise, because we are closely in tune with the needs of our deaf communities,” explains Mona Riis.
“I believe EDMA also offers a valuable platform to draw inspiration from other organisations. We can learn from their strategies. Deaf leaders can exchange management experiences and act as role models for one another,” adds Benedikt J. Sequeira Gerardo. However, collaboration across Europe is not without its challenges. Not all countries have access to the same resources. Notably, the only EDMA members from Southern Europe are affiliated with umbrella deaf organisations. For example, ISTv in Italy is connected to the deaf school Istituto dei Sordi di Torino. According to staff member Gianluca Grioli, this is why they are not currently experiencing major economic challenges – as they benefit from structural government subsidies. “Nevertheless, we are striving for greater independence, which is proving difficult,” Grioli states.
“What I observe across Europe is that organisations in northern countries are generally able to grow faster and more robustly than those in the south, where a more traditional approach often persists,” explains Esther Viñas Oliveró of FESOCA (La Federació de Persones Sordes de Catalunya), which provides news services in Catalan Sign Language. “Even within EDMA, I notice stronger representation from the north. I hope this will change in the future. But even now, I feel the gap during our discussions. Sometimes, we struggle to identify with their approach and find ourselves falling behind in the conversations. We need to work towards finding a middle ground together.”
This is one of the reasons Esther decided to run for the EDMA board — to ensure proper representation of Southern countries. “Moreover, I find it important to represent deaf women in the media sector at the board level,” she adds.
The shortage of deaf news and media workers?
Gianluca Grioli further notes that his organisation also faces challenges in attracting young people to join. Many are reluctant to work because doing so would jeopardise their disability allowance. “That’s the way the system works in Italy, and it stands in the way of gaining professional experience. Deaf youth also lack motivation to pursue media studies,” Grioli notes. “I hope that, through EDMA, we can collaborate on Erasmus+ projects to create training opportunities for deaf youth in media and journalism – so they are encouraged to enter the workforce. They need role models, and that’s something that hasn’t happened yet.”
Our interviews with CEOs and staff from various deaf-led media organisations revealed a recurring theme: many struggle to find deaf staff with the necessary education and skills – especially given the limited pool within the relatively small deaf community. Very few deaf individuals have completed higher education in journalism or media. “Deaf journalists today face real challenges, as many enter the field without formal education and must learn primarily through work experience. There are also very few international work opportunities. Deaf people often face barriers accessing mainstream journalism courses, despite having a strong passion for informing their communities. Unfortunately, the system often hinders that passion,” says Mette Bertelsen, a journalism graduate currently working at Døvefilm in Denmark.
“This is also why many deaf journalists prefer to work in deaf-led media organisations – it’s simply more accessible due to the use of sign language. I’ve seen how hard it is for them to find employment in mainstream media in Denmark. Hopefully, that will start to change – especially as we grow stronger through collaboration at a European level.”
At this first EDMA General Assembly, the organisation’s inaugural board was also elected. Now the focus shifts to how EDMA will respond to the challenges and needs of deaf media organisations across Europe. If EDMA succeeds, the establishment of this association may mark not only a milestone, but also the beginning of a more sustainable future for sign language journalism throughout the continent.