The Positive Media: An Uplifting Student Initiative

A French company creates an artificial heart, the gene responsible for treatment-resistant breast cancer is discovered, and a start-up in Bordeaux specialises in industrial CO2 recycling… This wide range of info comes to us straight from a new media outlet created by Sciences Po students: the Positive Media.

This project was dreamt up by two Public Affairs Master’s students (specialising in Public Administration at the School of Public Affairs) just after the first lockdown, with the aim of presenting the news from a more positive perspective.

Its co-founders, Emma Rouvet and Hugues de Rosny, took the time to chat with us about the creation of their project, the trajectory it has taken, and their plans for its future. Find out more about this one-of-a-kind media outlet:

The two of you collaborated to create the Positive Media. How did you meet?

We met in Paris, when Covid-19 had just shut down our third year of classes for the second time. Hugues would have been in Rome, and I would have been in Bologna. In a relatively difficult atmosphere punctuated by the rising numbers of Covid victims, we quickly began to realise that it was necessary to talk about more positive and optimistic news to escape the anxiety-inducing bubble that the health crisis created.

Could you say a few words about how you conceived of this project? Was there a lightbulb moment?

Once we’d come to this realisation, we decided to establish ourselves on Twitter—the social network of current events and all things viral—with the hope of pushing back against the constant stream of bad news. After only a few months of existence, the Positive Media already had 20,000 followers! It was in January of 2021 that this adventure took a decisive turn; we received unexpected support from celebrities such as Thierry Dusautoir, Leïla Bekhti, Denis Brogniart, Carlito, and even Antoine Griezmann, who—thanks to their shares—allowed us to pass the 100,000-follower mark. With summer on our side, we took the Positive Media to other platforms (Instagram, Linkedin, Facebook, and Tiktok)! Today, we feel fortunate to have created a positive community made up of more than 250,000 members!

How do you manage to find all your positive news? What are your sources?

We typically monitor local news outlets—which often highlight positive efforts—as well as national and international outlets and social media!

How do you picture the future of the Positive Media? Are you planning on ramping up your efforts?

In the coming weeks, we plan to launch a positive news station on Youtube and a podcast talking about the good news each week.

When it comes to ramping up our efforts, we’ve begun showcasing videos from companies, collaborative projects, and organisations which, through their efforts and innovation, provide that positive energy that we value and find important.

What role did Sciences Po play in the creation of this project?

Some of our professors at Sciences Po gave us advice that helped us shape the framework for our project’s development and define our goals, while also benefiting from their vast experience. Thanks to Sciences Po, we have been able to develop a methodology that allows us to be more efficient, but also (and above all), to know where to find information and how to fact-check it. We were also able to ask many questions to former Sciences Po students who have successfully created inspiring projects!

Is there anything that you would like to say to the Sciences Po community?

Make sure you don't miss out on any positive updates or good news by following us on our various social networks and on our website!

The Sciences Po Editorial Team

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