Szegeder

Szegeder's founding was an unexpected yet pivotal moment in regional journalism. In 2017, university student Dániel Szűcs started a blog focused on urban history. However, he soon realized that Szeged and its surrounding region lacked an unbiased, professional news source.

Recognizing this gap, he shifted towards publishing stories of public interest, and Szegeder rapidly evolved into credible and reliable news source in the city, as well as one of the leading independent regional news outlets.

In early 2024, a survey among Szegeder's readers revealed that nearly 73% perceived the site as truly independent, reinforcing its role as a trusted source of information.

"Looking back, I see a real demand for what we do. We've operated as a genuine newsroom for about three and a half years, and now we reach up to 300,000 unique users per month," Szűcs stated in a 2022 interview.

By the end of 2020, Szegeder secured $18,000 in funding from the Open Society Initiative for Europe (OSF) and additional grants supporting independent journalism in rural Hungary. These funds have been instrumental in sustaining high-quality reporting, helping Szegeder grow and develop.

Szegeder produces journalism in a variety of formats, including reviews, essays, opinion pieces, investigative reports, interviews, and features. The team also engages in data journalism, fact-checking, and explanatory reporting.

Szegeder has grown into a dynamic team of around 20 members, including journalists, editors, interns, a financial expert and project manager, graphic designers, and photographers. It operates as a non-profit organization, primarily funded through advertising and grants from private donor organizations.