‘Rest of World’ to shut down after six years as leadership seeks new home for publication

‘Rest of World’ is shutting down after six years of reporting on technology beyond the West, with leadership seeking a new home for the publication before its planned January closure.

WEBDESK – MEDIABITES – RINA CHANDRAN

Rest of World, the global technology publication known for reporting on innovation and its impact beyond Western countries, is shutting down after six years, Deputy Editor Rina Chandran has announced.

In a LinkedIn post, Chandran confirmed the closure and said the publication’s leadership was searching for a new home for the outlet, which was launched to cover technology and innovation outside the West.

The publication will continue publishing until the end of January, Chandran said, adding that work already commissioned from freelancers and columnists would proceed as planned and that published work would remain accessible.

“Yes, it’s true: Rest of World is shutting down,” Chandran wrote, calling her time at the publication a privilege and thanking its reporters, editors, freelancers, columnists, donors, and supporters.

A newsroom focused beyond Silicon Valley
Founded to examine how technology shapes lives outside the Western world, Rest of World built its editorial identity around stories that mainstream technology coverage often overlooked.

Its reporting explored how technology developed in Silicon Valley and elsewhere affects communities, economies, and societies across the Global South and other undercovered regions.

Chandran reflected on her journey with the publication, starting as Southeast Asia editor in Bangkok before moving to San Francisco as deputy editor.

Her work focused on how Silicon Valley-built technology affects people and communities worldwide.

Over six years, the newsroom produced reporting that earned recognition for its international coverage and its focus on technology’s social, economic and cultural consequences beyond traditional Western technology centers.

Freelancers and commissioned work
Chandran said the publication would continue to publish through the end of January, giving its newsroom and contributors a transition period.

Freelancers and columnists who have already received commissions can continue with their assignments, she said. The publication will preserve their work and keep it available to readers.

The announcement did not specify whether leadership had identified a prospective new owner, funding partner or host organization for the publication.

The search for a new home leaves open the possibility that Rest of World’s editorial mission and archive could continue under a different arrangement, although no such outcome has been confirmed.

Wider questions for global journalism
The announcement comes amid ongoing financial pressures across the international media industry, where specialist publications often struggle to sustain independent reporting across multiple regions.

For Rest of World, the closure raises questions about the future of a newsroom dedicated to documenting how technology affects people outside the West, particularly in places that receive less consistent attention from major international outlets.

Chandran thanked the publication’s contributors and supporters, acknowledging the journalists and editors who helped shape its work.

For readers, the planned January end date provides a limited window to follow the newsroom’s remaining reporting while its leadership explores options for the publication’s future.