Entity: Rebel Media / Rebel News

Entity: Rebel Media / Rebel News 
 Basic Information 
 
 Type : Right-wing media platform 
 Status : Active 
 HQ : Canada 
 Founder : Ezra Levant 
 Former name : The Rebel Media (rebranded to Rebel News) 
 Political role : Host platform for Shillman Fellows (counter-jihad network) 
 
 Role in Ecosystem 
 Rebel Media (now Rebel News) is a Canadian right-wing media platform that served as the host organisation for Robert Shillman's fellowship programme. It employed Tommy Robinson, Katie Hopkins, Laura Loomer, and Raheem Kassam as "Shillman Fellows" — funded by US tech billionaire Robert Shillman and managed by the David Horowitz Freedom Center. 
 Rebel Media is the key node in the transatlantic counter-jihad funding pipeline: 
 Robert Shillman (US tech billionaire)
 → David Horowitz Freedom Center (manages fellowships)
 → Rebel Media / Rebel News (hosts fellows)
 → Tommy Robinson (£85k fellowship)
 → Katie Hopkins (fellowship)
 → Laura Loomer (fellowship)
 → Raheem Kassam (fellowship)
 
 Money IN (Funding Received) 
 
 
 
 Date 
 From 
 Amount 
 Type 
 Confidence 
 Source 
 
 
 
 
 2015-ongoing 
 Robert Shillman / DHFC 
 Unknown (significant) 
 Fellowship funding 
 CONFIRMED 
 Wikipedia, Observer 
 
 
 Ongoing 
 Subscriptions / donations 
 Unknown 
 Viewer funding 
 REPORTED 
 Platform 
 
 
 Ongoing 
 Advertising 
 Unknown 
 Revenue 
 REPORTED 
 Platform 
 
 
 
 Money OUT (Funding Given) 
 
 
 
 Date 
 To 
 Amount 
 Type 
 Confidence 
 Source 
 
 
 
 
 2017-2018 
 Tommy Robinson 
 ~£85,000 
 Fellowship salary (1 year) 
 CONFIRMED 
 The Observer 
 
 
 2017-2018 
 Katie Hopkins 
 Unknown 
 Fellowship salary 
 CONFIRMED 
 Wikipedia 
 
 
 2017-2018 
 Laura Loomer 
 Unknown 
 Fellowship salary 
 CONFIRMED 
 Wikipedia 
 
 
 2017-2018 
 Raheem Kassam 
 Unknown 
 Fellowship salary 
 CONFIRMED 
 Wikipedia 
 
 
 
 Known Associations 
 
 
 
 Person/Org 
 Relationship 
 Evidence 
 
 
 
 
 Ezra Levant 
 Founder 
 Public knowledge 
 
 
 Robert Shillman 
 Fellowship funder 
 Wikipedia, Observer 
 
 
 David Horowitz Freedom Center 
 Fellowship manager 
 Al Bawaba 
 
 
 Tommy Robinson 
 Former fellow/employee 
 Observer 
 
 
 Katie Hopkins 
 Former fellow 
 Wikipedia 
 
 
 Laura Loomer 
 Former fellow 
 Wikipedia 
 
 
 Raheem Kassam 
 Former fellow 
 Wikipedia 
 
 
 
 Significance 
 Rebel Media is the operational hub of the transatlantic counter-jihad network: 
 
 US money → Canadian platform → UK/European influencers 
 Provided legitimacy and reach to far-right content creators 
 Fellowship model obscured direct donor-recipient relationship 
 Created interconnected web of influencers who amplified each other 
 Tommy Robinson's transformation from street agitator to media figure happened here 
 
 Research Notes 
 Key questions : 
 
 Ezra Levant : Full profile, other political funding? 
 Canadian corporate structure : Registration, financial filings? 
 Current fellows : Who are the current Shillman Fellows at Rebel News? 
 Revenue model : How much does Rebel News make from subscriptions/donations? 
 Other UK connections : Any other UK-based content creators? 
 
 Last Updated 
 
 Date : 2026-06-14