Arepita’s newsletter recipe calls for solutions-focused reporting, migrant stories and humor

The 2023 Online Journalism Awards honored 194 finalists that were selected from more than 1,500 submissions, a record for the program. For the Excellence in Newsletters award, judges recognized how the decision to deliver information straight into email inboxes has been such an effective approach to informing the public in a restrictive media environment. Partially based in Caracas, Venezuela, the winning team behind Arepita sees its platform not only as a vehicle for reporting the news, but also as a conduit for building communities and promoting personal well being.

Arepita’s emails—and its expanding platforms, which now reach over 80,000 people daily—have become an essential service for Venezuelans living in-country and abroad. The newsletter includes three sections. It starts with the “Relleno,” which offers a curated summary of the previous day’s news with context and links for further reading. The “Masa” follows with more in-depth and original reporting, including interviews with Venezuelans migrants about their new countries, and finally the “Concha” injects humor and irony into commentary of Venezuela’s challenges.

“Arepita addresses the challenges of media censorship and disinformation prevalent in Venezuela by using email, a cost-effective and widely accessible technology,” said founder and current board chair Dariela Sosa. “We help our readers stay informed in an environment often clouded by government propaganda.”

Read more from Dariela on the motivation behind the project and what it means to get recognized in the OJAs. 

What inspired the team to launch Arepita? What keeps you going?

Arepita draws inspiration from the concept of creating nutritious, healthy information diets that aid in decision-making and help maintain perspective in difficult contexts. These diets include verified facts, the finest curation of solutions journalism and investigative journalism, and humor, an evidence-based method to cope with stress. Humor is particularly beneficial for those who feel anxious when reading the news and prefer to get their updates from Arepita. 

In Venezuela, we have endured a prolonged political and economic crisis. Many people stop reading the news to protect their mental health, feeling powerless to make a difference. However, even in challenging authoritarian contexts, access to news is essential for informed decision-making. As a media outlet striving to keep our audience engaged, we must go beyond merely informing; this is why we foster community, provide emotional support, and facilitate shared experiences.

What was it like to get the news about winning in the OJAs?

For us, it was incredibly exciting when Arepita became the first Spanish-language media outlet to win the “Excellence in Newsletters” Online Journalism Award. This recognition exemplifies the principle that expanding and engaging new audiences through newsletters involves more than just serving as a funnel to increase article views. It requires a newsletter strategy that is grounded in producing an outstanding editorial product in its own right. 

Beyond your team’s work, what other journalism project have you come across lately that others should keep an eye on?

I encourage you to explore the work of SembraMedia, an organization that assists independent digital media in finding and developing sustainable business models. They help in fostering connections, exchanging resources, learning business management skills, and providing spaces to share experiences from those who have faced similar challenges.

Learn more

Launched in 2000, the Online Journalism Awards are the only comprehensive set of journalism prizes honoring excellence and innovation in digital journalism around the world.