Statement on the Closure of the Context News Brand

Over the past year, the world has fundamentally changed.

We are experiencing the most profound geopolitical shift in 50 years, the erosion of multilateralism and fundamental rights, the rapid acceleration of sophisticated legal attacks against journalists and civil society groups, a frenetic acceleration of AI adoption, a sharp contraction in government and private sector funding, and a systemic realignment of priorities for long-standing philanthropic organisations.

Since my first day as CEO, I’ve made it my priority to ensure that my team and I adopt a flexible mindset, and that we understand and meet the evolving needs of the communities we serve, today and tomorrow. That means staying ahead of the curve, anticipating trends, adjusting how we allocate our resources, and constantly thinking about where the organisation should be in the next few years.

I spent the past 12 months connecting with the communities we work with, and with fellow CEOs of organisations within our ecosystem, comparing notes, listening to their needs, and taking stock.

I think I speak for many when I say that 2025 was a year like no other, characterised by profound uncertainty and fundamental shifts and re-adjustments.

The journalists and the independent newsrooms we work with have been struggling with plummeting search traffic, rising product costs, increased competition from content creators and declining revenue. They have been urging us to provide more support in areas like AI adoption, content monetisation, and legal assistance.

The NGOs within our large civil society network have been severely impacted by sweeping cuts to international development budgets. Concurrently, as the number of democracies around the world plunges to the lowest level in history, they have also been targeted by a disturbing uptick in legal attacks aimed at silencing dissent towards institutions. And so, civil society organisations have been requesting more legal and tax guidance from us, especially on issues such as regulatory compliance, mergers, and registration in foreign countries.

In response to greater political scrutiny over pro bono legal initiatives, lawyers and in-house counsels have been reaching out expressing the need for more opportunities to share insights on how best to continue deliver outstanding pro bono support at a time of increased risk.

The investors in our network have expressed alarm at the blatant governance gaps in how businesses are adopting AI, exposing a greater need for transparency and data. Companies have asked for actionable insights to help them implement AI technology across their operations, services and products, mitigating potential harm to business, people and planet., media and technology trends and predictions 2026

How we are responding

This listening exercise has been relentless, at times all-consuming and even overwhelming. But it has reminded me of one thing: at times of high uncertainty, trust is the only source of clarity and strength. And – as they navigate turbulent times – our partners clearly see us as a critical and trusted partner to rely on. They need us, now more than ever.

And that is why it’s critical that – as an organization – we shift our focus to prioritize what our networks have told us they need most.

As 2026 unfolds, engagement with our communities will become our utmost priority. We will provide our stakeholders with ongoing opportunities to convene, dissecting many of the critical issues they are facing, and presenting scalable solutions.

We will regularly take the pulse of our vast networks, polling journalists, lawyers, and civil society organizations to generate trusted data-driven insights, informing strategy and investment decision across the whole ecosystem. We will also produce actionable research, guides and white papers. And then, of course, we will continue to use our annual Trust Conference as a key moment to bring our networks together.

Not only will this approach enable us to provide these communities with the expertise they need, but it will also allow us to tailor our support where it can have greatest impact, offering donors valuable real-time, real-life insights.

The future of our news brand, Context

Unfortunately, the shift in this direction has meant making some very difficult decisions. As a result of these changes, Context, our award-winning news brand, will be phased down. Content on the Context site will remain as an archive and we will continue to honour the commitments of our donor-funded reporting.

This is not a decision that I have taken lightly. I started my career as a journalist, and everyone who knows me or has ever heard me speak, knows how I deeply I believe in the fundamental role of the media in holding power to account, informing citizens and protecting democracy.

Over the past six years, we have put a huge amount of work into revamping our legacy wire-first newsroom’s offering, creating a digital-first news brand, offering readers a more cohesive and coherent editorial offering, one that puts readers and their needs first.

With Context, we embarked on both a product and a cultural newsroom transformation. We pioneered user needs; we set up an audience function and placed it at the core of the news operation; we experimented with data visualization and podcasts; and we revamped and transformed our video offering, launching presenter-led ‘shorts’ and explainers.

I could not be prouder of what Context has achieved. Since its launch in 2022 our digital outlet grew into a global news service anchored around three of the most significant issues of our time: climate change, the impact of technology on society and the need for more inclusive economies. In 2025, Context reached a million users across hundreds of countries from South Africa to the Philippines.

Our talented journalists have delivered powerful and impactful investigations, winning some of journalism’s greatest awards including three Lovie Awards and a UNFPA Laadli Media Award. Context’s video investigation into Inditex (parent company of Zara) also won an Online Journalism Award for excellence in longform digital storytelling and gold at the Telly Awards.

Context’s reporting and investigations have driven meaningful real‑world change, influencing discussions on climate justice, carbon markets and digital surveillance.

From Thai activists filing suit over Pegasus spyware to South African lawyers challenging xenophobic movements, investigations have directly supported legal outcomes. Our reporting has also helped communities secure resources, from increased donations for an LGBTQ+ shelter in Mexico to expanded solar panel distribution in South African townships.

Context has also shaped academic research, inspired civil society guidebooks, and opened pathways to potential legal compensation and legislation changes. It has demonstrated how high-quality journalism strengthens accountability, and catalyses tangible change for vulnerable communities.

For over two decades, the Foundation’s editorial offering has relied on funding from like-minded philanthropic institutions. In the most recent years, though, the number of philanthropic organisations committed to funding independent journalism has continuously decreased, with some prominent and historically committed donors questioning the value of their investments across the media sector, due to a lack of demonstrable impact.

This has created a more challenging environment for us, as well as other well established news operations who carry no advertising and who are not operating through a subscription model.

Additionally, in recent years, the editorial remit of Context has been increasingly overlapping with that of Reuters, creating – at times – brand confusion, and raising questions of duplication.

This, combined with the urgent pressure to support our stakeholders, has led me to conclude that a revised approach is needed.

In our case this means focussing on providing immediate, practical and tangible solutions to the vast networks of organisations with whom we work and that whom we know well. These are the journalists working in small independent newsrooms in countries where democracy and press freedom are most at risk; the civil society organisations who face insurmountable challenges to keep the flame of hope alive , the lawyers who donate their know-how to those who – otherwise – would never have access to the law; the companies who still believe in the need to do no harm, and the investors who want to reward them.

Unfortunately, these changes mean that we will be losing some extremely valued colleagues. I absolutely take this to heart. These are exceptional professionals – thoughtful, mission-driven, and highly skilled. I am happy to personally vouch for them and to provide references if they seek opportunities at your organisations. Please, do reach out to me if you are looking for editors, reporters or digital production and social media specialists operating at the top of their game. They have helped build something meaningful, and I have no doubt they will succeed wherever they lend their skills.

I am personally deeply sad to see Context phased down and some of our colleagues go. They are accomplished professionals and great people. But it would be naïve for us to continue operating exactly as we are, pretending that nothing has happened over the past year. At times like this leadership calls for clear vision, pragmatism and agility.

Our mission hasn’t changed, in fact, it is more relevant now than ever. These changes will allow us to bring our networks together, responding directly to their needs, and developing innovative solutions where and when they are needed most.

The communities we support play a critical role in upholding democratic values. They are holding the line at one of the most difficult times in history. And we are standing by their side.