Alright

With the rise of digital media over the past two decades, communities have had to work harder to ensure relevant local news coverage. In Brazil, more and more communities have become “news deserts” — areas that lack any journalistic presence, which makes it harder for citizens to stay informed about the world around them.

Alright is working to combat this problem. Understanding that local news sites were particularly vulnerable in the online advertising ecosystem, the company seeks to digitally transform local news organizations and strengthen their operations.

“Alright's goal is to empower local and specialized media outlets around the world, acting as an agent of transformation and acceleration of digital businesses,” says Domingos Secco, Alright’s founder and CEO. “In addition, we seek to combat misinformation and reduce news deserts. We want to connect and develop at least one influential vehicle in each of Brazil’s 558 micro-regions with technologies, building the largest and most distributed content production and data intelligence network.” While recent years have been tough for local journalism, Alright is a company founded on optimistic principles.

“The name ‘Alright’ reflects our mission to face and correct the imperfections and frequent fraud in the media market,” says Domingos. “In the context of a sector where ad buying and selling transactions are often marked by inefficiencies, Alright emerges with the commitment to integrity and continuous improvement in our field of activity.”

As a vulnerable link in the online ecosystem, journalism requires a sustainable financial strategy. That’s why Domingos and his team embraced an ad-driven model to support their partners and increase these partners’ revenue.

“Journalism, especially at the local level, is characterized by low fundraising and investment capacity,” explains Domingos. “Given this reality, Alright's choice of a model based on shared ad revenue was strategic. It ensures we are able not only to support the financial sustainability of these partners but also to engage them in a digital transformation process that empowers them to optimize their operations and increase their revenue.”

To make this model a reality, Alright teamed up with Google to build a financially sustainable ad revenue strategy.

“Google has played a crucial role in Alright's success,” says Domingos. “Initially, our operation depended on more than 90% of revenue from media and agencies, which made it difficult to forecast recurring revenue and put our financial sustainability at risk. The decision to migrate to a partnership with Google was a strategic milestone that allowed us to achieve greater financial stability.”

And thinking beyond the business, Google is helping Alright achieve its grander mission of promoting a more vibrant community for local journalism.

“This partnership allows us to access advanced resources, cutting-edge tools, and exclusive support that are fundamental to optimizing our operations and continuously improving our services,” says Domingos. “Collaboration with Google has been a pillar in our efforts to combat misinformation, reduce news deserts, strengthen democracy, and promote a more informed society.”

As Alright continues to grow and serve its partners effectively, the team hopes to find new, creative ways to support local journalism.

For instance, in 2024, Alright reached an important milestone with the launch of the “Guide to Local Journalism Transformation.” This guide draws on interviews with 15 leaders from the communication, media, and journalism sectors, offering an in-depth analysis of the dynamics of local journalism, providing valuable insights and a clear understanding of the challenges faced by journalists.

“As a network, we are deeply committed to local journalism and we act far beyond being just a website aggregator,” says Domingos. “We are building an active community, developing initiatives that not only highlight the importance of journalism in communities and in the country but also strengthen the active voice of the population.”

Alright has achieved this through regular live streams, which promote dialogue within the journalism community. These twelve live broadcasts on YouTube totaled more than 24 hours of content and accumulated 25 thousand views. They’ve been a crucial platform for debates, exchange of experiences, and dissemination of knowledge, further amplifying the impact of Alright’s work.

“These initiatives help local vehicles develop their businesses, continuing to promote the voice of communities, ensuring that their stories and local needs are heard,” says Domingos. “This process not only enriches the cultural fabric of the regions served but also sustains freedom of expression and access to information, which are fundamental pillars of any democratic society.”