Journalism as a Public Good

The traditional economic model for journalism is, famously, dying. We are drowning in a sea of information and disinformation. News deserts are growing, though elites are well-served. People don’t know who or what to believe. It should be a golden opportunity for good journalism; a much-needed craft to shine light into the dark shadows of the world we now live in. But that craft of “journalism” is too often failing us. All models of editorial ownership are flawed, including private ownership (think Bezos, Murdoch) and shareholder ownership (the death of the US newspaper industry). There is a model that works: public service media. But it is under fierce attack around the world and may not survive. Here’s why.